In product development, demos are often viewed as a way to showcase features, gather feedback, and drive decisions. But the truth is, demos are sales tools—not feedback mechanisms. While they reveal whether a customer is impressed or interested, they rarely offer actionable insights to improve your product.

When you demo a product, you're showing a polished, optimal journey—one where the facilitator knows exactly where to click, what to highlight, and how to explain each feature. This controlled narrative is designed to impress, not to expose flaws. This approach leaves no room for the why behind customer reactions. Feedback from a demo is often hypothetical and surface-level. What's missing is the context, struggles, or misunderstandings that lead to those conclusions.

The Pitfalls of Traditional Demos

Facilitated demos inherently bias participants by providing cues and explanations that shape their understanding and impressions. The result is feedback that mirrors the demo's narrative rather than genuine user experiences. In these scenarios, participants rarely encounter the friction points they would in a real-world context.

This is especially true when the demo is conducted by a salesperson or stakeholder whose goal is to highlight the product's strengths. While it's great for selling, it's terrible for identifying areas of improvement. Even negative feedback lacks the depth needed for meaningful change. Participants may conclude a product isn't right for them, but without understanding why, you're left with little actionable insight.

Real feedback comes not from showing users the best path but from letting them navigate on their own. Observing their struggles, hesitations, and thought processes provides invaluable insights into where and why the product may fall short.

Enter the Reverse Demo

To combat these issues, I often turn to a method I call the Reverse Demo. Think of it as flipping the traditional demo on its head. Instead of walking participants through the product, you let them demo it to you.

Here's how it works: Present the product or prototype and ask the participant to explore it as if they were demoing its features and functions. Your role as a facilitator is to observe, listen, and encourage exploration without providing explicit guidance. You're there to learn how they interpret the product, what they focus on, and how they describe its features.

The beauty of the Reverse Demo is that it reveals gaps in understanding, unexpected interpretations, and areas of friction. If a participant struggles or misinterprets a feature, it's a signal that something isn't clear. If they skip over a critical function or fail to recognize its value, you've identified a potential blind spot. Conversely, if they seamlessly explore and articulate the product's features, it's a testament to your design's clarity and usability.

Why Reverse Demos Work

Reverse Demos flip the traditional power dynamic, putting participants in the driver's seat. This approach removes the biases introduced by guided demos, allowing participants to provide open-ended, non-biased feedback. By giving them control, you gain authentic insights into their mental models and workflows.

Meaningful feedback doesn't require a polished product—just genuine interactions.

Facilitating a Reverse Demo: Key Steps

Setting the Stage - Begin with a brief introduction, providing enough context to frame the session without guiding the participant. Explain that you're there to observe and learn, not to lead them through the experience.

Handing Over Control - Invite the participant to explore the product and explain it to you. Encourage them to think aloud as they navigate. Reassure them that there's no right or wrong way to interact with the design.

Observing and Probing - Watch how they interact with the product. When they pause, struggle, or make assumptions, use open-ended questions to probe deeper and encourage them.

Addressing Gaps Post-Exploration - Once the participant has exhausted their exploration, guide them back to any overlooked or misunderstood areas. This helps surface additional feedback without leading them prematurely.

Debriefing with Contextual Questions - Wrap up with a mix of general and specific questions to clarify their impressions and gather focused insights.

Unlocking Insights with Reverse Demos

I've found Reverse Demos particularly effective when participants have domain expertise or familiarity with similar tools but aren't yet acquainted with the specific product being tested. Their fresh perspective uncovers blind spots that internal teams may overlook.

As I've discussed in previous articles on user interviews, having a live chat window with observers allows for real-time context and follow-up suggestions without disrupting the session. This enables the interviewer to adapt quickly and dive deeper into areas of interest while maintaining a natural progression.

Final Thoughts

Reverse Demos aren't just a clever twist on traditional demos—they're a game-changer for collecting authentic user feedback. By allowing participants to explore and explain your product on their terms, you gain invaluable insights into their understanding, struggles, and successes. It's a method that emphasizes discovery, providing a clear path to improving your product based on real-world experiences. So, the next time you're tempted to run a polished demo, consider reversing the roles. The insights you uncover might just transform your product for the better.