Whether a development team is proposing a new internal tool or presenting a potential product for a customer, a proof of concept is a critical early step for validating that the team fully grasps the underlying problem and is on the right track to creating a viable solution. Developing an effective POC that clearly demonstrates the effectiveness, value and ROI of the proposal without being overwhelming or taking too much time is as much an art as a science.
A well-considered and carefully crafted POC can help a dev team and project stakeholders be confident about the path ahead—before investing significant resources that can’t be recouped. Below, 20 members of Forbes Technology Council share tips for creating a solid POC that clearly presents the key points and benefits of your proposed solution.
1. Begin With Design Thinking
For a solid POC, begin with empathetic design thinking to understand your audience. Frame the problem accurately and secure buy-in from key stakeholders, covering business and functional scenarios and ROI expectations. Ensure the POC meets the needs of the functional, technical and marketing teams. Use real-time scenarios instead of fictional data to enhance relevance and impact. – Sudheer Kotagiri, HTC Global Services
2. Adhere To These Three Rules
Leaders looking to build and scale a POC should adhere to three rules. They must prove that the POC is valuable for the enterprise, develop a quantitative way to measure that value, and ensure there is sound technology, foresight and structure in place to make the POC scalable. POCs are not meant to be experiments; they must have a direct application to the problem a company is looking to solve. – Jiani Zhang, Capgemini Engineering
Forbes Technology Council is an invitation-only community for world-class CIOs, CTOs and technology executives. Do I qualify?
3. Create Prototypes Or Wireframes
When creating a POC, form a hypothesis with the essential data, and then create prototypes or wireframes using tools such as Figma. This strategy allows you to secure early feedback on your idea, minimizing investment and enabling a “fail fast” approach for quicker iteration and learning. – Vikrant Labde, Cuelogic Technologies
4. Define Your Hypothesis, Metrics And Exit Criteria
When you are crafting a proof of concept, three things are important. 1. Have a clear hypothesis that you want to test in your POC. 2. Define metrics to measure and evaluate your hypothesis. 3. Set clear exit criteria that are tied to your hypothesis and measured through the metrics. – Praveen Gujar, LinkedIn
5. Keep It Simple And Focused
A key tip for a solid proof of concept is to keep it simple and focused. Define the problem clearly, develop a prototype and gather data through early engagement with end users. This step is crucial as it validates the feasibility of your idea, builds stakeholder trust and helps you avoid costly mistakes. – Andrey Kalyuzhnyy, 8allocate
6. Highlight One Of The Audience’s Pain Points
In your proof of concept, showcase genuine empathy by highlighting a real pain point of the audience. Demonstrating how your solution solves this problem in a unique but simplified way will make your POC relatable and compelling, which will sell your audience on the concept. – Parul Batra, neuro42
7. Ensure It’s A Fit For The Customer’s Environment
The most effective and valuable proof of concept is the one that works within the customer’s environment, infrastructure, technology stack and security constraints. For example, a software product may work well in a commercial environment, but it may not work in a hardened federal government environment. Find a customer who’s willing and able to take the security journey with you. – Amina Elgouacem, NEOSTEK
8. Ensure A Short Feedback Cycle
The best way to miss the mark with a POC is to do it without the customer. You want to lay the groundwork for a solid product, so you need an extremely short feedback cycle with your target user. For a successful partnership, define the POC’s scope clearly to avoid scope creep, and ask for payment! If your user has no skin in the game, it’s often too easy for them to drop the project halfway through. – Sam Mugel, Multiverse Computing
9. Have The Prospect Document Their Success Criteria
I’ve been doing POCs for more than 10 years, and I have identified the following steps for success. Focus closely on understanding the prospect’s pain points. Before starting, ask them to write down their success criteria—what are they expecting to see to make a decision? While you’re creating the POC, work closely with your prospect. Find champions and empower them to keep the momentum going. Also, keep decision-makers updated throughout the process. – Chafik Belhaoues, Brainboard, Inc.
10. Clearly Describe The ‘Why’
A well-articulated target audience description can make all the difference in the effectiveness of a proof of concept. Describing the “why” in terms of the users will focus the concept review on whether the final product meets the users’ needs and move the discussion away from subjective opinions. A clear target also facilitates a fast ramp from a greenlight into production. – Dave Rosen, Wimo Games, Inc.
11. Address The Main Problem Using Minimal Features
Craft your POC to address the main problem it solves, using minimal features. This focused approach not only proves viability, but also allows stakeholders to quickly grasp the concept’s significance and practical impact. This practical demonstration is critical for stakeholders to see the potential impact, aiding in faster decision-making and stronger support for the concept. – Harshida Acharya, Fulfillment IQ
12. Be Sure To Demonstrate The Product’s Scalability And Adaptability
Craft a proof of concept that not only demonstrates your product’s functionality, but also emphasizes its scalability and how it can be adapted to meet diverse users’ needs. This step is pivotal for gaining stakeholder buy-in and paving the way for successful implementation and expansion. – Rick Kelly, Fuel Cycle
13. Ensure Alignment With The Overall Company Strategy
Ensure close alignment with the overall company strategy and linkage to an impactful business use case. This ensures you can easily tie the outcomes to the ways you are contributing to the company’s strategy and direction. It also makes the business case request for funding to move to production significantly easier for the board to approve. – Gladwin Mendez, Simplyai
14. Provide Evidence That Your Idea Has Practical Value
Illustrate the necessity of the product, then outline a roadmap for solution development, including the creation and testing of a prototype, gathering results and feedback, and presenting the proof of concept for approval. Ensure the POC provides evidence that your idea can come to fruition and work in a practical sense by gathering key insights from team members and users to help shape the product. – Shailesh Kunnath, Staynex
15. Answer ‘Why’ And ‘What’ To Clarify ‘How’
It always revolves around answering “why” and “what.” Why is the proof of concept being done—what problem will it solve? Having clarity around the “why” and “what” makes it easy to communicate the “how,” as well as the value that will come from it. The second most important element is setting the boundaries—that is, what the proof of concept will not include. Stating this leads to very clear and concise messaging. – Sameer Zaveri, Datamotive.io
16. Define Clear, Measurable Objectives
Crafting a solid proof of concept starts with defining clear, measurable objectives that are tailored to stakeholder needs. Focus on demonstrating tangible results early, ensuring alignment with business goals. This step is vital as it validates the feasibility and potential ROI, building confidence among investors and partners. – Przemek Szleter, DAC.digital
17. Understand The Market’s Needs And Demonstrate Your Idea’s Core Functionality
The first step in creating a successful proof of concept is clearly defining the problem. To do this, you must understand the market’s needs and demonstrate the core functionality of your idea. This validates your idea quickly and effectively. A well-executed POC communicates your concept’s potential, builds stakeholder confidence and garners support. It serves as a crucial step in securing investment in development. – Hadi Tabani, Liquid Technologies
18. Focus On The Unknowns
Focus on the unknowns and bypass what’s already known. A proof of concept isn’t a minimum viable product, and it doesn’t need to be polished. The goal is to validate your concept’s feasibility quickly and cost-effectively. – Victor Shilo, EastBanc Technologies
19. Test Your POC With Real Users
Start with a rapid prototype that demonstrates the core solution’s value. Then, immediately start testing your POC with real users. The more feedback you gather, the faster you’ll understand how to refine your solution. User testing helps clarify our assumptions about how people use a product, uncover real user needs and showcase usability issues, such as unclear instructions or confusing wording. – Konstantin Klyagin, Redwerk
20. Have The Customer Participate From Start To Finish
Start with the customer and make sure you understand, comprehensively, what they feel you need to demonstrate with the POC. Once that is done, make sure you close with them on the design of the POC so they can participate in the process from start to finish. You need to make sure both of you are pleased with the outcome of the POC. – Richard Ricks, Silver Tree Consulting and Services
