Best Ways To Present Engineering Design Concepts

I used to suck at design presentations. Not because my work was bad but because no one understood it. Once, I showed a client two screens I thought were extremely different. He stared for 15 seconds and said: "Aren’t those the same screens?" I felt like such a dumba** 😂 This embarrassing moment is when I realized I was speaking "designer" to people who don’t think in wireframes or user flows. So I threw out my old presentation style and started over. Now my clients don't just understand my designs, they genuinely get excited about them. Here’s what changed things for me: 1) Making mini slideshows for every presentation Break new features/ changes into simple, step-by-step explanations. This makes it 10x easier for your clients can follow your thought process. 2) Prototyping features > static screens Let them see how it actually works, not just explain what these screens "will do". 3) Make small decisions yourself No one cares about the button roundness, save meeting time for the big decisions. 4) Frame decisions through competition Stakeholders understand competition better than design, use that to get them invested in design decisions. 5) Lead with cost vs. benefit This will always be their #1 concern, frame all suggestions around this and you will get better feedback. Yes, all of these things require more time for meeting prep, but the results have been worth it: → Clearer feedback → Fewer revision cycles → Happier clients who trust my decisions Other designers: what has helped you get better feedback from clients/ stakeholders?

Stop treating design case studies like documentation. Start treating them like movies. The best design case studies I've reviewed follow a visual-first narrative: - Start with the money shot: Show the final product in context, hero images that make an impact - Set the scene: Visual problem statement showing the before state - Build tension: Key challenges visualized through early explorations - Show the journey: Process shots that highlight pivotal decisions - Reveal the payoff: Results and impact through before/after comparisons Keep text minimal. Let visuals do 80% of the storytelling. Your portfolio should feel like a gallery walk, not a reading assignment. For early-career designers: - Document everything while designing - Capture work-in-progress screenshots - Take photos of whiteboard sessions - Record user testing sessions A great case study shows the story of change - from chaos to clarity, from problem to solution. Make that transformation visible.

Design metrics guide designers to tell better stories. Perhaps paradoxically, a data-informed process makes designers better storytellers. Engaging an audience, especially in business, takes years to master, as stakeholders can be critical. However, staying focused on the value created during the process keeps stakeholders engaged and more forgiving of presentation issues. While presentation is essential, it's the use of concrete measurements to explain decisions that genuinely builds trust and credibility. Why? Using metrics in design critiques builds trust by making the process transparent and relatable. It provides measurable impact, showing how good design influences actions and economic outcomes. Additionally, it forces simplicity and clarity, allowing designers to communicate effectively with short, impactful, easily understood sentences. Here’s the surprising part. Even poor results can help create a compelling story. Using metrics allows designers to find value even when making poor decisions. Benchmarking these decisions helps everyone learn from potential problems and guides designers to better solutions. Once designers see their role as guiding the team to better outcomes rather than creating perfect solutions, storytelling can help bring everyone along in the design process. Using data in continuous research and iterative design can be complex, but it boils down to two main points in a presentation: 1. Hunch: How will a design concept improve the user experience and business results? We call this a hunch. 2. Measurement: How does a concept perform compared to other iterations? We use UX metrics as leading indicators. ↓ In our design process, we use rapid iteration to capture UX metrics using Helio. Here’s an example: → Point 1: How will a design concept improve the user experience and business results? Redesigning a university’s degree page with a guide and better search functionality can enhance user experience and increase successful applications. This hunch sets a clear focus for the presentation on expected positive outcomes. → Point 2: How does a concept perform compared to other iterations? Multiple versions of the registration page are tested for user satisfaction and task completion rates. Using Helio for rapid testing helps identify the best design, adding credibility to the presentation by showcasing data-informed decisions and measurable improvements. Combining these points into a cohesive narrative helps our design team tell a compelling story. This builds confidence in the process and demonstrates the tangible benefits and data-informed decisions that lead to a better user experience.

Are you making this mistake during Design Reviews 👀 During my first design review, I excitedly presented my design mockups. Result? Stakeholders confused, unclear about the designs' purpose. I introduced mockups too soon, without any context. This approach assumes everyone knows the ins and outs of your project. I quickly learned to explain 'why' and 'how' before jumping into designs. Here's my 4-step checklist to nail every design review: 1. Understand Audience first: → Tailor presentation to audience's expertise and interests. → Address their specific concerns and needs. 2. Share Context : → Define the problem clearly → Explain project's importance and relevance → Outline success metrics → outline expected actions from the audience (e.g. approval/sign-off/ discussion) 3. Content Next: → Share quick overview of the process (e.g. feature scoping, research, designs) → Highlight key insights from research and analysis (insights that directly relate to the problem and its solution) → Present designs or demos (highlight design decisions) → Encourage and welcome feedback. Be open and receptive. 4. Conclusion Last: → Recap the discussion and any decisions or outcomes. → Detail next steps, roles, deadlines. → Open the floor for any last comments or feedback. It takes time to master navigating reviews. But this simple shift is your ticket to: - Building stakeholder trust and getting early buy-ins. - Leading the conversation with confidence. - Growing into a strategic thinker. What are your go-to tips for nailing design reviews? Share your secrets in the comments! #productdesign #designthinking #softkills #juniordesigner -- Hi there, I'm Muskan! 👋 I help junior designers unlock the next stage of their design careers. 📈 Ready to invest in yourself in 2024? Book a free call to get started!

How to present design directions like a pro 👇 ——— Early in the design process you’re making a big mess in Figma and experimenting with dozens of concepts to see what feels right. Suppose you narrow in on 6 designs that show a lot of potential. The mistake many designers make is presenting these as 6 separate concepts to the team 😬 That's why I like thinking of building software as exploring a cave Your role as the designer is to: 👣 Venture ahead 🔦 Illuminate potential routes 💬 Share your findings with the group ☝️ Propose a direction 💨 Help get the team there The cave analogy forces you to create a mental map and identify distinct routes that your team can take. Each route might contain various concepts, but that’s not important just yet. First, you need to help stakeholders choose a high-level direction Here's on way I do it 👇 My go-to framework for presenting concepts is to establish a spectrum I begin by asking myself, “What’s the main variable that will dictate what we design and ship for this project?” Then I anchor my routes at key points along that spectrum. Couple of examples below: Many times the main difference between directions is appetite (how much time/resources we’re willing to invest). I'll showcase one design concept per route to give stakeholders an idea of what it COULD look like at each investment level Another one I used a lot at Maven was power vs. simplicity Take email marketing for instance... Should we allow instructors to customize their own automation systems, or design an 80/20 solution that works right out of the box? There are a bunch of other tactics you can use. So I did a full write-up to help you present design directions like a pro 👇 https://lnkd.in/eSxFWQWJ

5-step guide to presenting your work: Step 1: Start with the “Why”. Design without context is like watching a movie halfway through. Lead with the problem you’re solving. (Who’s it for? What’s the struggle?) This keeps your audience in the loop right from the start. Step 2: Sell the Journey, Not Just the Destination. It’s tempting to go straight to that finished mockup, but the process is half the story. Share early sketches, user feedback, even that wild version that didn’t make it (we all have one, don’t worry). It shows how much thought went into it – and makes your final design shine even brighter. Step 3: Speak Their Language. If you’re in a room of marketers, skip the tech talk. Instead of “responsive grids,” try “this scales perfectly on any device.” Tailor the pitch so it clicks with their world. Step 4: Be Ready for Questions (like a Pro). "Why blue?" and "Could we move this?" are coming for you. Don’t be defensive – be ready with your “why” for each choice. (Turns out, blue calms users down) Step 5: End on Impact. Wrap it up by emphasizing how this design change is going to make things better – faster sign-ups, a smoother experience, or fewer customer complaints. Make the impact feel real to everyone in the room. P.S. At the end of the day, good design speaks for itself, but great presentation gets it heard.