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Showing, Not Just Talking

The First Elevator Pitch Wasn’t a Speech. It Was a Drop.

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Past

Watching Temple Grandin’s Thinking in Pictures reminded me how deeply visual my own thinking has always been. She applied her way of seeing to cattle and farming; I used mine to offices and software. Early on, I noticed how people arranged their desks and screens: multiple monitors, sticky notes on the wall, and favorite applications always open. Those images guided the systems I built. I was carrying mental pictures of their work into the design.

Present

That habit continues. When stakeholders describe a messy process, I often visualize what that might look like, imagining the environment, wondering what experiences would help the people involved. It’s the same instinct that shapes how I teach or explain features; I try to show it, not just describe it.

That ties into a recent post: “Stop Talking, Start Showing: The True Elevator Pitch.” At a trade show years ago, I met a team that kept telling me how great their product was, but they never showed it to me. No demo, no screens, just words. Compare that to when someone pulls up a simple sketch or working screen: suddenly, trust forms. Showing creates clarity. Talking alone rarely does.

Future

I’m curious about the next turn of the spiral. What if we made showing our default, whether in pitches, in workshops, or in designing software? Maybe the future isn’t about saying more, but about helping others see what we mean.

Previous Posts You Might Enjoy

👉 Code Review: Do No Harm, Do Good — A review should strengthen trust and clarity, leaving both the code and the team better off.

👉 From JavaScript Frameworks to AI Tools: The Same Debate, Different Wrapping — Why debates over tools repeat across eras, and what really matters beneath the surface.

Upcoming Talks

BDD, but not the way you heard it before
CypressConf 2025
— October 22nd @2:30 pm CDT

P.S. Try this: In your next pitch, meeting, or design session, ask yourself: how can I show, not just tell?