While this chapter is in progress, you can read these tips for making a successful presentation of your work.
- The client wants to know why:
- You designed it the way you did
- It's better than other potential directions
- They should trust this design direction
- They should believe in you to do the work
- Explain the problem you solved:
- What was the brief?
- What did you discover about the client?
- What challenges did you identify?
- Were there measurable goals?
- Tell the story (and make it interesting):
- What steps did you take?
- When did realizations hit you?
- What problems did you encounter?
- And how did you solve them?
- Tell about your creative leaps:
- Were there moments of insight?
- Did something trigger an idea?
- What provided inspiration?
- Explain your design choices:
- Why did you make the choices you made?
- How did you arrive at the final version?
- What problems does it solve?
- What pitfalls does it avoid?
- Explain the directions you didn't take:
- What did you consider that you decided against?
- What problems did you identify?
- Why is the final choice better?
- Remember to not assume design knowledge
- Be prepared
- Clear, well-designed slides show preparation and make everything go more smoothly
- End strong
- Don't rush, be calm, explain yourself
- Take questions
- Be confident: It's hard to trust a designer who doesn't trust themselves
- Avoid sounding arbitrary, saying "I wanted to"
- Be human and use humor