POC scope
- Vendor and product
- What we are testing
- The specific uncertainties the POC exists to resolve.
- What we are NOT testing
- Keeps scope from expanding into an implementation.
Proof of Concept Plan & Scorecard
A POC without written success criteria becomes an extended demo that everyone enjoys and nobody can draw a conclusion from. Deciding in advance what would make this a failure is what turns a trial into evidence.
What you get
- Success criteria defined before the POC starts
- Realistic test scenarios using your own data
- A scorecard completed by participants, not by the vendor
- A go / no-go decision record
How to use this template
- 1
Write success criteria first. What specifically must work, and to what standard, for this to be a pass? Criteria written afterwards get fitted to whatever the POC happened to show.
- 2
Use your own data and your awkward cases. Vendor demo data is curated. Use your real data including the messy records, the unusual workflow, and the integration that always causes trouble. Those are what determine whether it works in production.
- 3
Time-box it hard. Two to four weeks. POCs that drift become shadow production systems, and at that point the decision has been made by inertia rather than evidence.
What's inside
Here's a preview. Unlock the free download to get all 4 sections (3 more below).
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Frequently asked questions
How long should a proof of concept run?
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Two to four weeks including setup. Longer POCs drift into shadow production, at which point switching away becomes disruptive and the decision has effectively been made by inertia rather than by evidence.
What makes a POC useful rather than a long demo?
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Written success criteria with measurable pass conditions agreed before starting, your own real data including the awkward cases, participants doing their actual work, and a scorecard completed independently at the end.
Should the vendor run the POC?
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They should support setup, but your own people must do the testing and the scoring. A vendor-driven POC demonstrates the product working in the hands of someone who knows every workaround, which is not the question you are trying to answer.