Conducting a proof of concept is one of the key ways you can use to test out technology and solutions and see if they are a good fit for your business. How does the POC process work though? Let’s take a look in this blog.
Any Proof of Concept (POC) is all about determining if the system delivers on the business and technical requirements, so have outlined a sample process below.
When considering a network refresh, you might want to consider a POC to see how the proposed solution stacks up against what you already have, or against a competitor. The POC process is used to help confirm the proposed deployment is fit for purpose before a larger rollout takes place.
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The process of running a POC tends to follow a specific set of steps – and this is to ensure that all parties agree on what the outcomes of the POC should be.
Critically it’s also important to define who does what in the POC – a simple RACI can be a great help here to confirm which actions are from which party. Clarity early on sets everyone up for success!
The overall process is detailed more in the sections below.
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We tend to start any POC with a meeting to run through what we’re looking to do and the success criteria for it.
We (as supplier) and you (as customer) agree on these before we start, so we have a clear understanding of what we’re trying to achieve!
A simple paragraph is good at this time to define what everyone thinks is going to happen – something as simple as:
“The POC will run for four weeks, during which time we will install dual MX appliances and we will implement one site with SD-WAN. We will conduct testing to meet the requirements and confirm the POC as successful, or detail any issues discovered”
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The numbered requirements from the stage above are built into a test set, so the requirements are tested.
The test set typically details the expected test set to test the use cases and the expected evidence to be gathered. The test set references which requirements are being tested in each test – this allows us all to agree that a specific thing was asked for, implemented and tested.
You want to exit any POC safe in the knowledge the system did all the things you asked for, before you invest in the full solution and the test set is a record that this is the case.
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The testing can be witness testing, or just based on gathered evidence.
It is typical once the testing is complete to allow the system to sit for 2-3 weeks, so its in production for that time and prove it works both in the testing state and the production state.
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The testing stage occur once the POC has been installed.
This typically is in a few parts – the following are fairly typical, although not all required for a POC:
The testing works through the use cases, gathering evidence of test success / failure:
The above process is designed to ensure we capture what you want to achieve with the network and confirm through testing it met those requirements.
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In this blog, we’ve worked through the mechanics of how a POC is typically used to help make a buying decision.
Hopefully this blog has been useful in framing the process of a Proof of Concept. The POC does allow you to test out the technology and your selected technology partner – it’s our opportunity to work with you and get to know each other and check our mutual alignment.
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