Communication Best Practices
This page compiles best practices for the CTA review board presentation, drawing from CTA coaches, successful candidates, and review board judges. Organized into five areas: delivery, diagrams, Q&A handling, time management, and body language, with an anti-patterns section covering what NOT to do.
Presentation Delivery
1. Lead With the Business, Not the Technology
Start your presentation by restating the business problem and your high-level approach. Judges want to see that you understand WHY before you explain HOW.
| Good Opening | Bad Opening |
|---|---|
| ”The client needs to unify 3 BUs with different sales processes while maintaining regulatory compliance in EMEA." | "I am going to use Sales Cloud with a multi-org strategy and MuleSoft for integration.” |
2. Tell a Story, Don’t Read a Checklist
Structure your presentation as a narrative arc:
- Context — restate the business scenario in your own words (shows comprehension)
- Challenges — identify the 2-3 hardest architectural problems
- Approach — your overall design philosophy for this scenario
- Solution walk-through — walk through diagrams, explaining decisions
- Trade-offs — proactively acknowledge what you traded away and why
- Risks & mitigations — show you have thought about what could go wrong
- Summary — one-sentence recap per domain
flowchart LR
A["1. Context<br/>Business problem"] --> B["2. Challenges<br/>2-3 hardest problems"]
B --> C["3. Approach<br/>Design philosophy"]
C --> D["4. Solution<br/>Walk through diagrams"]
D --> E["5. Trade-offs<br/>What you gave up"]
E --> F["6. Risks<br/>Mitigations"]
F --> G["7. Summary<br/>7-domain sweep"]
3. Use the “Because” Framework
Every decision statement should include “because” followed by a scenario-specific reason.
| Weak | Strong |
|---|---|
| ”I chose MuleSoft for integration" | "I chose MuleSoft because the scenario has 6 external systems needing shared transformations, and the client’s IT team has MuleSoft expertise" |
| "I recommend a single org" | "I recommend a single org because all 3 BUs share customers and need unified reporting, and the data volume is within governor limits” |
4. Pace Yourself
- Aim for 40-43 minutes of your 45-minute slot, leaving 2-5 minutes for summary
- Practice with a timer until pacing is natural
- If falling behind, skip detail on lower-risk domains and summarize
- Never rush the conclusion — the “7-domain sweep” is your safety net
Diagram Creation
5. Design for Readability, Not Beauty
Judges evaluate your diagrams on a screen. If they cannot read it, it does not count.
| Rule | Rationale |
|---|---|
| Maximum 10-12 boxes per diagram | More than 12 becomes unreadable |
| Use color coding consistently | One color per system or layer (not decorative) |
| Label every arrow | Unlabeled arrows force judges to guess |
| Include a legend | Especially for color codes and line styles |
| Use Lucidchart’s Salesforce shape library | Shows familiarity with standard notation |
6. One Diagram, One Message
Each diagram should communicate a single architectural concept. Do not combine the system landscape, data model, and integration flow into one mega-diagram.
7. Show the Error Path
For integration diagrams, show what happens when the happy path fails. A single “error” arrow with a label like “retry 3x, then DLQ” demonstrates maturity.
8. Data Model Discipline
- Show only architecturally significant objects (not every custom object)
- Distinguish lookup vs master-detail vs junction
- Show external system objects and the integration boundary
- Include record volume estimates for LDV objects
Q&A Handling
9. Listen Fully Before Responding
Let the judge finish their question. Interrupting or answering a different question signals nervousness and costs rapport.
10. Restate the Question
“If I understand correctly, you are asking about [rephrased question].” This buys you thinking time and confirms you understood.
11. Structure Your Answer
Use a consistent answer framework:
- Direct answer — one sentence
- Reasoning — “because [scenario-specific reason]”
- Trade-off — “the trade-off is [what you sacrifice]”
- Mitigation — “which I address by [mitigation]“
flowchart TD
Q[Judge Question] --> L[Listen fully]
L --> R[Restate question]
R --> DA["Direct answer<br/>(1 sentence)"]
DA --> RS["Reasoning<br/>'because...'"]
RS --> TO["Trade-off<br/>'the trade-off is...'"]
TO --> MT["Mitigation<br/>'which I address by...'"]
MT --> CK{"Follow-up?"}
CK -->|Yes| Q
CK -->|No| NX[Next question]
12. It Is OK to Say “I Don’t Know”
Judges respect honesty over bluffing. If you do not know something, say: “I am not certain about the specific [detail], but my approach would be to [reasonable strategy].” Then pivot to related knowledge you do have.
13. Watch for Hints
Judges sometimes embed guidance in their questions. “Have you considered [X]?” often means they think you should have. Treat it as a gift, not an attack.
Time Management
14. Set Hard Phase Timers
Use your phone or laptop timer during the 180-minute prep phase:
| Phase | Timer | Action if Over |
|---|---|---|
| Read & analyze | 20 min | Stop reading, start designing |
| Solution design | 60 min | Freeze design, start diagramming |
| Diagrams | 50 min | Stop adding detail, start slides |
| Slides / narrative | 30 min | Stop polishing, do final review |
| Review & buffer | 20 min | Last chance to fix critical gaps |
15. The 80/20 Rule for Diagrams
Spend 80% of diagram time on the first 3 diagrams (your “Big 3”) and 20% on any additional diagrams. A polished Big 3 scores higher than 6 rough diagrams.
16. Prep Your Q&A Notes
Reserve 5-10 minutes of your prep time to jot down anticipated questions and short-form answers. Topics judges commonly probe: error handling, data migration approach, security model justification, governor limits awareness.
Body Language and Presence
17. Camera and Audio Setup
- Position camera at eye level (not looking down)
- Use a headset or quality microphone (audio clarity matters)
- Ensure adequate lighting on your face
- Close all notifications and unnecessary applications
- Test screen sharing before the exam
18. Maintain Eye Contact with the Camera
Look at the camera, not the screen, when making key points. This creates the impression of direct eye contact with the judges.
19. Use Deliberate Gestures
When walking through diagrams, use your cursor as a pointer. Move it deliberately to the area you are discussing. Avoid random cursor movements.
20. Manage Nervous Energy
- Take a deliberate breath before answering each Q&A question
- Slow your speaking pace when you notice yourself speeding up
- Keep water nearby and take sips during natural pauses
- Remember: the judges want you to pass — they are evaluating, not attacking
Anti-Patterns: What NOT to Do
These are the most common mistakes that cost candidates points, compiled from CTA coaches and judges.
| Anti-Pattern | Why It Fails | What to Do Instead |
|---|---|---|
| Reading slides aloud | Shows no understanding beyond what is written | Use slides as visual anchors, explain in your own words |
| Technology-first design | Signals solution looking for a problem | Start with business requirements, then select technology |
| Ignoring domains | Missing even one domain risks failing that domain’s section | Use the 7-domain sweep at conclusion |
| ”Enterprise best practice” | Not a justification — every scenario is different | Cite the specific scenario requirement that drives the choice |
| Over-engineering | Complexity without justification signals inexperience | Simplest solution that meets requirements; justify every added layer |
| Defensive posture in Q&A | Makes judges probe harder | Welcome questions, treat them as collaboration |
| No error handling | Signals happy-path-only thinking | Show error path on every integration diagram |
| Monologue answers | Loses judges’ attention | Keep answers to 60-90 seconds, then check for follow-up |
| Inconsistent diagrams | Different terminology across diagrams confuses judges | Use the same system names, colors, and abbreviations everywhere |
| Clock panic | Rushing the last 10 minutes undermines everything before it | Set phase timers and respect them |
The presentation killer
The single biggest anti-pattern is failing to address all 7 domains. Even a brief mention in your conclusion (“For governance, I recommend a CoE model with a CAB for release management”) is better than silence. Judges score each domain independently — a zero in any domain can fail you regardless of strength elsewhere.
Cross-Domain Connections
- Review Board Presentation & Q&A — detailed presentation structure and Q&A strategies
- Review Board Artifacts & Deliverables — what artifacts to create and how
- Communication Decision Guides — flowcharts for time allocation, diagram priority, Q&A response
- Review Board Preparation Guide — comprehensive prep strategies from CTAs
Sources
- CTA coaches (Andrew Hart, Mike Gill, Apex Hours panel)
- Ladies Be Architects community guidance
- FlowRepublic CTA coaching framework
- CTA Gang of Four mock board feedback
- Successful CTA candidates’ retrospectives (2024-2026)
- Nancy Duarte, “Slide:ology” (presentation design principles)