nice: persona-driven demo

If you're one of those folks on the prowl for news about the alleged Apple tablet, you probably saw reports of an equally alleged Microsoft device surface in recent days.

Well kids, MSFT beat APPL to the punch today by leaking (releasing?) a concept video that shows the Microsoft "Courier" device in action. OK, it's not the real thing - it's all animation and shadow-hands and a soothing hipster voice over.

But it does do something very, very well - it demonstrates a typical use case, and shows how the product supports that use case. It doesn't focus first on features - it focuses on value.

I was impressed.

Since I can't embed the Gizmodo video of the demo here, you will just have to go there to see it.

Sometimes product managers leave the "marketing stuff" up to the "marketing people". When it comes to how your products are demonstrated, don't let this happen. Make sure you connect capabilities to value by grounding them in problems people have, and how you help them solve those problems.