1 min lesson
Arc step
Use the evidence to decide "Which sequence best describes the per-segment demo arc you should run for every chunk of a Cursor enterprise demo?" Explain the choice plainly.
Step 1 of 3
The micro arc: every segment runs pain → workflow → guardrail → metric → NAME the control
This is the discipline that separates a field engineer from a demo monkey. Each chunk of the demo is a complete little story:
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Advanced table
Arc step
- Arc step
- Pain
- What you do
- Name a felt problem
- Example phrasing
- "Onboarding to this service takes a new hire two weeks."
- Arc step
- Workflow
- What you do
- Show Cursor doing the work
- Example phrasing
- "Watch Ask modeA read-only mode for asking questions about a codebase without changing files; the safe way to explore unfamiliar or legacy code. Press Enter for the full definition. map the call graph in 40 seconds."
- Arc step
- Guardrail
- What you do
- Surface the safety mechanism
- Example phrasing
- "Notice the agent can't touch the payments module - repo allowlist."
- Arc step
- Metric
- What you do
- Tie to a number they care about
- Example phrasing
- "That's the kind of ramp Box saw - +75% usage in 6 weeks."
- Arc step
- NAME the control
- What you do
- Say the audit-grade term
- Example phrasing
- "What you just saw is a model and repo allowlist - that's an access control your security team owns."
| Arc step | What you do | Example phrasing |
|---|---|---|
| Pain | Name a felt problem | "Onboarding to this service takes a new hire two weeks." |
| Workflow | Show Cursor doing the work | "Watch Ask modeA read-only mode for asking questions about a codebase without changing files; the safe way to explore unfamiliar or legacy code. Press Enter for the full definition. map the call graph in 40 seconds." |
| Guardrail | Surface the safety mechanism | "Notice the agent can't touch the payments module - repo allowlist." |
| Metric | Tie to a number they care about | "That's the kind of ramp Box saw - +75% usage in 6 weeks." |
| NAME the control | Say the audit-grade term | "What you just saw is a model and repo allowlist - that's an access control your security team owns." |
That last step is non-negotiable. "See, it's safe" does nothing for them. Say "that's separation of dutiesNo single person can author, approve and deploy the same change. The core control AI autonomy has to respect. Press Enter for the full definition." or "that's your ITGCIT General Controls. The baseline IT controls auditors check: who can change what, how changes get approved and how systems are run. Press Enter for the full definition. evidence" out loud, in the words their risk committee uses.
Security and audit stakeholders don't buy 'it feels safe.' They buy named, ownable controls they can map to a framework.
When you say the words separation of dutiesNo single person can author, approve and deploy the same change. The core control AI autonomy has to respect. Press Enter for the full definition., ITGCIT General Controls. The baseline IT controls auditors check: who can change what, how changes get approved and how systems are run. Press Enter for the full definition., evidence, blast radiusHow much breaks if a change goes wrong; the scope of potential damage. Press Enter for the full definition., audit log, you're handing the champion the exact language they'll use to get this past their risk committee.
A demo that moves fast but never names a control is a demo the buyer cannot defend internally after you leave the room.
Don't narrate keystrokes ("now I click here, now I type this"). Narrate intent and control: "I'm asking it to plan first so the human reviews scope before any code is written."
If you finish a segment and realize you never named the control, stop and name it. The audience forgives a pause. They won't forgive a safety story that was never made explicit.
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Optional practice