The Sprint Demo Checklist: Making Every Demo Count

Beyond Status Updates

Sprint demos should be more than just showing what you built. They're opportunities to build trust, gather feedback, and align stakeholders on the product vision.

Pre-Demo Preparation (48 Hours Before)

1. Story Selection

Choose stories that:

• Show tangible user value
• Are completely done (not 90% done)
• Tell a cohesive narrative
• Address stakeholder concerns or questions

2. Demo Environment

Prepare your demo environment:

• Fresh data seed that tells a story
• Test the complete user journey
• Have a backup plan (screenshots/video)
• Clear browser cache and prepare clean state

3. Narrative Building

Craft your demo story:

• Start with the user problem
• Show the solution in action
• Highlight the business impact
• Connect to the product roadmap

During The Demo

Opening (2 minutes)

• Recap sprint goals
• Set context for what stakeholders will see
• Outline the agenda

Feature Demos (20-30 minutes)

• One story at a time
• Show, don't tell
• Pause for questions after each story
• Have the developer who built it present

Closing (5 minutes)

• Summarize what was delivered
• Preview next sprint's focus
• Capture action items
• Thank the team

The Demo Day Checklist

1. ☑️ Demo environment tested 1 hour before
2. ☑️ Screen sharing permissions verified
3. ☑️ Backup screenshots prepared
4. ☑️ Stakeholders reminded 30 minutes before
5. ☑️ Note-taker assigned
6. ☑️ Timer set for each demo segment
7. ☑️ Celebration moment planned

Post-Demo Follow-up

Within 24 Hours

• Send demo recording to all stakeholders
• Share summary with key accomplishments
• Create tickets for feedback items
• Update product roadmap based on discussions

Continuous Improvement

After each demo, do a quick team retro:

• What went well?
• What could be better?
• What will we try differently next time?

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

• 🚫 Showing incomplete work
• 🚫 Diving too deep into technical details
• 🚫 Not testing the demo beforehand
• 🚫 Forgetting to capture feedback
• 🚫 Going over time
• 🚫 Making it feel like a status report

Key Takeaways

Great sprint demos build momentum, excitement, and trust. They're not about perfection—they're about progress, transparency, and continuous alignment with your stakeholders.