Proof-of-Concept Management =========================== Slide 1: Proof-of-Concept Management Narration Anna: This section sets up Proof-of-Concept Management. Treat it as the frame for the decisions, handoffs, and evidence that appear in the next slides. Greg: The practical question is simple: by the end, what should a junior IT professional be able to explain, check, or document in a real workplace? On-screen text Proof-of-Concept Management Testing ideas before full commitment Slide 2: Why run a proof of concept? Narration Anna: How many times have you heard "it seemed great in the demo"? Greg: Jumping straight into production with a new tool can be risky. Anna: That's why teams run a proof of concept—to test the waters before committing budget and resources. Greg: The goal is to validate that the vendor can solve the problem and fit into existing workflows. Anna: We'll walk through setting success criteria, keeping scope tight and evaluating results so POCs lead to clear decisions. On-screen text Why run a proof of concept? Running a small trial reduces risk before signing a long contract. Teams can validate functionality, integration and user fit without a full deployment. A short experiment uncovers deal-breakers early and builds evidence to support or reject the vendor. - Because "it works on the vendor's laptop" isn't a business case Slide 3: Define success upfront Narration Anna: Proofs of concept drift when success isn't defined. Greg: Agree on measurable outcomes—page load times under three seconds or an 80% user satisfaction score. Anna: Set a short checklist of must-haves and nice-to-haves. Greg: Document the baseline so you can compare results after the trial. On-screen text Define success upfront - Agree on measurable outcomes like page load times under three seconds or an 80% user satisfaction score. - Capture a baseline so improvements are clear. - Distinguish must-have criteria from nice-to-have bonuses. Slide 4: Manage scope and timeline Narration Anna: Ever seen a two-week POC turn into a three-month mini-project? Greg: Also known as "POC creep"—feature creep's expensive cousin. Anna: Keep the scope tight with limited users, datasets and integrations. Greg: Assign a project lead, vendor contact and schedule regular check-ins. Anna: Set a modest budget and communicate progress to stakeholders so the trial doesn't sprawl. On-screen text Manage scope and timeline - Limit participants, datasets and integrations. - Example: a marketing team tests a CRM with 10 users and 100 sample leads for two weeks. - Assign a project lead, vendor contact and schedule regular check-ins. - Set a modest budget and update stakeholders regularly to avoid POC creep. Slide 5: Evaluate and document outcomes Narration Anna: When the trial ends, gather metrics and user feedback. Greg: Compare the results against the success criteria—cost per user, integration complexity and training needs. Anna: Decide whether to proceed, adjust or walk away. Greg: Don't let the vendor drag things out hoping you'll forget the initial criteria. Anna: Summarise the findings in a short report so stakeholders understand the recommendation. On-screen text Evaluate and document outcomes - Consider evaluation criteria such as cost per user, integration complexity and training requirements. - Gather metrics and feedback at the end of the trial. - Keep the vendor on schedule—don't let them drag out the trial hoping you'll forget the initial criteria. - Decide on go, no-go or adjust and rerun. Share a brief report so leadership understands the recommendation and any follow-up work. Slide 6: Common POC mistakes Narration Anna: Common pitfalls? Free trials that aren't really free. Greg: Or testing with data that's nothing like real life. Anna: Keep an eye out for POC creep and rein in vendors who keep adding "just one more feature." Greg: Avoid these traps and you'll get a clear read on the solution's value. On-screen text Common POC mistakes - Free trials that aren't really free. - Testing with unrealistic or cherry-picked data. - Letting POC creep turn into a mini project. Slide 7: ROI calculation Narration Anna: To justify a POC, track what it costs. Greg: Count staff time, licenses and infrastructure. Anna: Then compare those costs to potential savings or revenue. Greg: Share the math so stakeholders see whether the trial paid off. On-screen text ROI calculation - Track staff time, licensing and infrastructure costs. - Compare against potential savings or revenue gains. - Document assumptions so stakeholders see the math. Slide 8: Exit strategy Narration Anna: Sometimes the best decision is to cut the trial short. Greg: Define exit criteria upfront so you know when to pull the plug. Anna: Communicate the decision quickly to stakeholders and the vendor. Greg: Capture lessons learned and move on. On-screen text Exit strategy - Define criteria to end the trial early if it fails. - Communicate the decision and lessons learned to stakeholders and the vendor. Slide 9: Key takeaway Narration Anna: A good proof of concept either saves you money or makes you money. Greg: A bad one does both—for the vendor. Anna: Define success, control scope and evaluate honestly. Greg: Then you can move forward with evidence or save money by walking away. Anna: Either outcome beats committing blindly. On-screen text Key takeaway A good POC either saves you money or makes you money. A bad POC does both—for the vendor. Disciplined POC management sets expectations, controls risk and provides evidence for investment decisions.