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Client Meeting Presentation

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Creating meaningful slides

Template Instructions

  • Create a Project Management Forum thread with the scheduled meeting date. Please use that thread for collaboration on this PPT rather than non-EDN resources, e.g., chat, texting, Google, Box, etc.
  • Copy the export:template documents/Client Meeting.pptx to a new file name
    • Name the file using a “YYYY-MM-DD-Client Meeting.pptx” convention where YYYY-MM-DD is the planned meeting date. The files sort easily by date this way.
    • Save in your working copy of the repository on your PC. /working/Reports/Client Meetings. DO NOT add a file version numbers – the repo already handles that! Replace all instructions with your content
  • Update the footer with project name
    1. Insert->Header & Footer
    2. check "Don't show on title slide"
    3. click "Apply to All"

Process Instructions

  • Review the instructions for Creating Strong PowerPoint Presentations
  • Add team's content to the template file
  • Review and Edit your content! Commit to the repository as everyone edits.
  • Share your slides with your Project Engineer for review, at least 1-2 on-site meetings prior to your scheduled conference call / meeting
  • Modify your content based on that feedback
  • Email to Client at least 1 business day before call / meeting!

Typical Client Meeting PowerPoint Presentation Content

What follows is NOT an exact 'recipe', but generally appropriate for most meetings with most project clients.
Talk to your PE before making significant changes to verify your plan is appropriate.

Title

  • Update all information
    • client logo
    • date
    • name & majors
    • client and CE/PE names
  • You can reuse this slide for ALL future PPTs (change date)

Typical Agenda

  • Project Overview (includes purpose, past work/project history, semester objectives)
  • Update from Client
  • Current Needs and Requirements (N&R) workbook Review (may substitute Use Cases if your team is primarily using those)
    • Directly use the N&R spreadsheet, no slides needed
  • Dashboard (Project Timeline) – import from prior template
  • Technical Approach
  • Accomplishments
  • Demonstrations
    • Live demonstrations - if possible, have pre-recorded video just in case!
  • Answers / Decisions Needed from Client
  • Next Steps and Future Work
    • Summary of work to be accomplished between now and the next call
  • Schedule or confirm date/time for the next meeting time

Project Overview

  • Three slides max for this section
  • Before diving into the status, be sure to have some background/introductory material:
    • Explain who the client is and what they do
      • It may seem odd to be explaining this back to the client, but this indicates to them that you understand them, what they do and ultimately, why the project is important to them
    • Stakeholders (the client and any others who have an interest in the project outcome)
    • Client's motivation and expected benefits
    • Purpose
    • Past Work/Project History
    • Project Objectives - long term
    • Semester Objectives - short term

Update from Client

  • An opportunity for client to update team with any new information
    • Often times they have nothing to share and meeting moves on

Current Needs and Requirements (N&R) workbook / Use Cases Review

  • To prepare for discussion, highlight the two most important, and one most challenging Client Need in the workbook.
  • Open your Spreadsheet from the repository before starting the meeting. DO NOT insert it here! By opening directly from the Repository
    • You are guaranteed to show the latest, best, most up to date version of the file.
    • You save the work of copying/pasting and (potentially) having to update this slide multiple times.
  • During the meeting, stop sharing the PPT to instead share the Excel file. Then come back to PPT to continue meeting.

Project Status

  • Fill out table with Deliverables for entire semester. This can be taken from Project Plan.
  • Each semester goal should have at least one project deliverable.

example Project Dashboard

  • ‘Deliverables’ are the same items listed in your Project Plan. These are also your EDN Milestones
  • Keep the Legend!
    • Update colors as appropriate to indicate status of each item
    • Future tasks should be green, UNLESS it is already apparent they will be late

Technical Approach

  • Explain the technical approach the team will utilize to accomplish the semester objectives. This is not simply a list of the technologies but a more thorough explanation of how you will deliver the value to your client.

Accomplishments

  • Address your technical progress / subsystems / accomplishments.
  • Provide context, i.e., overall system block diagram(s), architecture, etc.
  • Focus on results / accomplishments vs. “diary mode”
  • Show rather than tell, i.e., pictures/graphs over words
  • The team member who did the work should create and narrate the slide(s) showing their results.
  • OK to use multiple slides for this section

Demonstrations

  • Demonstrations include any “show and tell” opportunities!
  • (if possible) Pre-recorded video ensures live demo doesn't have problems
    • NO need to insert this into the PowerPoint. Just leave the PPT, show the video, and then return to PPT during meeting.
  • New projects (first semester) may not have much or anything to demonstrate for first client meeting.
    • This is OK for client meeting # 1. Not so much for client meeting # 4.

Answers / Decisions Needed from client

  • List of the items to ask client
    • (use numbered list please – easier to reference the items)
  • FOR YOUR SUCCESS – Your Project Engineer should review and approve this list and the entire slide set BEFORE your client sees it! This OFTEN / USUALLY requires an in-person discussion.

Next Steps and Plan

  • Summary of work to be accomplished between now and the next Client Meeting
  • Be sure to Schedule / Confirm Next Meeting time