1. Never show your application without data - like a man in just his socks, it’s not a flattering look
2. Use real data and real words - don’t use randomly typed characters, don’t use lorem ipsum, nothing costs $.01, and very few people still alive were born in 1901
3. Make it complete - fill out more than the required minimum fields, and remember that it often takes sufficient data for features to become visible or evident
4. Make it coherent - make sure all the data on a screen is consistent and that you are using the same scenario from screen to screen
5. Don’t require imagination - a big part of selling software is closing the imagination gap so do whatever you can to show what your application will look like in real world use

Most applications are empty by default but this is rarely the best way to start. You can create a much better first use experience by creating thoughtful sample data or useful templates that show off the capabilities of the application and get the user started in the right direction. When possible, you should auto-import the user’s own data to provide the best first use experience.

Special Note: When selling enterprise software with a direct sales effort there are a few extra considerations. Before the big sales call, demo or web meeting, it can be tempting to put together some data that you think represents the customer. If you have good sample data already (as you should if you’ve followed the 5 rules above) be cautious with this decision. There is a risk that you will show that you don’t really understand the customer’s business. For example, showing property & casualty insurance claim numbers to a life insurer won’t impress them since  life insurers don’t track claims separate from the policy. (Customers only die once).

I’ll show you two excellent approaches to creating sample data from some companies that get it, Balsamiq and Kronomy. One approach is to use famous data, populate your application with data that the user will recognize. Show what your application would look like if it was used by some famous person, a well known company or in a popular event. I’ve had good results using this approach by populating my application with data from well known fictional characters and companies. Balsamiq is using this approach in providing sample screen mockups for their excellent Mockups design tool.

A screen mockup of Google Web search is instantly recognizable.

YouTube could have been mocked up with Balsamiq Mockup? Then my application certainly can be mocked up with it!

Another very powerful approach, applicable to many applications, is to use data that is so useful, interesting or notable that it will attract attention on its own. IBM has done this with its many eyes community where it hosts interesting user submitted data visualizations that also serve to advertise its data visualization tools. In addition to providing an example for prospective customers that are already interested in your product, this approach has the benefit of attracting more attention to your product. Kronomy is a tool for creating multimedia interactive timelines of your own or other people’s lives. Kronomy allowed users to create detailed and informative timelines of Barrack Obama and John McCain that have become viral artifacts in their own right this election season. Kronomy was even smart enough to set this up as a contest between Obama and McCain supporters to see which camp could come up with the most timeline events. Kronomy could take this idea and really run with it. How many high profile links would a timeline of Joe the Plumber’s life have generated the day after the debate?

A Kronomy timeline of Barack Obama.

A Kronomy timeline of John McCain.

Whether you use one of these two approaches or not, make sure you spend sufficient time creating your sample data. Even the most useful application doesn’t seem that way when it’s empty. Even the most attractive looking application is ugly when it’s naked of data, and even the most imaginative user is not going to envision your application in its most flattering light. With just a little extra thought and effort you can put your best data forward.

Shoe photo by aussiegall