Strengthening Stakeholder Relationships and Boosting Team Motivation with Video Demos
Engaged with a backend implementation project for an automotive client, the 2 week sprint cycles were concluded by the "show and tell" sessions. This was the opportunity for the team to showcase accomplishments to a diverse audience of stakeholders.
The nature of the backend team role presented a unique challenge: how to effectively communicate our achievements to both the technical and business stakeholders who attended these sessions. We met this challenge with a combined approach:
- Feature Spotlight: explained the new features that had been added
- Architectural Insights: using the latest architecture diagrams, each major change to the system components were highlighted and explained, ensuring everyone grasped the modifications as well as the motivations behind the changes
- Swagger Showcase: we have relied heavily on our Swagger documentation as we navigated through endpoints, using sample data to illustrate their functionality
- Test Reports: we shared the latest results of our automated testing suit using insightful, visually appealing reports, offering a glimpse into the robustness of our solutions
- Code Flash: occasionally, there was no better way, than walking through the actual code
The Problem
However, no matter how good a plan is, unexpected events can force us to re-think our approach. Just days before a crucial demo, a bombshell dropped - a core system, on which numerous components relied, was scheduled to be offline during our presentation. This threw a wrench into our live demonstration plans.
The Solution
We came up with the idea of recording our intended live new feature demonstration in advance which we could simply play back on the day. The development team captured the essence of our presentation and the overlaying explanatory voiceovers. Our video editor then masterfully wove in supporting visuals and incorporated the client's brand elements, crafting a brief, yet captivating video that encapsulated the narrative of our new features.
The Result
When we unveiled the video at the next demo, an unusual silence descended upon the room. As we hesitantly asked if there were any questions, the program manager broke the silence with a sincere declaration: “It was my best demo ever in my life! I have no questions, just congratulations to the team. Great job everyone!”
This enthusiastic response set the tone for what followed. The team received similar comments from other stakeholders. It was a moment that filled the development team with pride and accomplishment.
Soon, our success story spread beyond the regular demo audience. We were invited to present our video to a much broader audience, including senior managers. The development team’s relationship with business stakeholders deepened in ways we hadn't imagined, and the morale within the team soared to new heights.
In this tale of innovation, adaptability, and teamwork, we discovered the transformative power of video demos in forging lasting bonds with our stakeholders while fuelling our team's motivation.
Creating demo videos
We expect development teams to focus on development primarily. At the same time, they are the ones who know what needs to be presented. We have developed our own set of guidelines which we share with them, alongside with some tips and tricks to improve the quality while remain genuine. Video editing is a service we provide for software development teams and for general purposes as well.