Here are a couple of ideas on how to have a great System Demo:

• As you work a Feature make sure you are constantly asking yourself about the System Demo. For example, during feature analysis and PI Planning yourself “how will we demonstrate this feature to get feedback?” And as the team works on stories associated with the feature they should reference the feature to ensure they understand expectations, including how the feature is to be demonstrated.
• Make sure you use the context of the feature, the business hypothesis and the acceptance criteria as a “script” for the demonstration. Since these are written from a user’s perspective, and since they represent the business need, this approach will help with communication and ensure we do not get lost in the technical details.
• Make sure you talk about what happened as a result of the last System Demo. If feedback was provided, what changed as a result of that feedback? If nothing changed, why not. This way people will be encouraged to provide feedback.
• Make sure you talk about overall progress toward the objectives of the PI. Be honest: if you don’t think something is going to be complete tell people about this as early as you can. If the metrics are not looking “good” show the metrics and talk about what you are learning and changing as a result. As they say “bad news doesn’t get better with age”. We want to provide data to the business as early as we can so that we can determine what adjustments need to be made.
• Be enthusiastic! Be celebratory! We are delivering value to customers and this should be celebrated.