What is a POC?
A proof of concept (POC) is a short, intensive application development effort Designed to prove the viability of a typical engineering automation application, the viability of the underlying technology, and the solution approach. It is typically a three-week effort that involves resources from the end-user’s application consulting and the business units.
The POC is usually Designed to cover a broad portion of the application at a shallow level, as well as a small portion of the application at a deeper level. Certain tasks in the POC may be Designed to prove the technical capabilities of the underlying tools or to explore particularly tricky or risky parts of the solution approach.
The result of a POC is a demonstration that provides a vision for the ultimate targeted solution. It often looks like a completed application, even though it really is not.
Why do a POC?
The purpose of a POC is:
•Enable the end-user to learn more about
•The technology
•The solution approach
•Your personnel and solution approach
•Enable you to learn more about:
•Your end-user"s product
•Your end-user"s work-flows
•Your end-user"s personnel mix
•Your end-user"s organization
•Test any technical challenges
•Resolve early-stage show-stoppers
•Prove the effectiveness of the technical approach
•Confirm the solution architecture
•Create a vision demonstration of the ultimate application
•To help communicate a coherent vision of the ultimate solution to others at your company
•Usually resonates better than showing canned demonstrations of other systems because it speaks directly to your end-user"s products and processes.
Preparation
Proper preparation helps you take full advantage of the POC effort. Some things to consider:
•What application scope will show off the opportunity?
•What scope will test the solution architecture and technology?
•What CAD Models, Rules, example quotes, example drawings, etc. can your end-user supply?
•What personnel will be assigned to work on the POC
•When will the meetings be and who should attend?
•The final demonstration and report is most important
•What do you want to learn from the POC – what are the goals from your perspective?
Resources
It is important to allocate the appropriate amount of the end-user"s business resources to the POC. The appropriate amount depends on the goals, but at a minimum, during the first few days you will need access to your end-user"s engineers so that you can understand the product Design Rules, inputs, outputs, etc. At the end, you will need help testing the application and preparing it for presentation. You may want to have personnel oversee or help with the POC throughout as a way to gain more educational benefit from the POC.
Typical Schedule
Typically, we schedule the POC as a 3-week effort with on-site time during the first and last week.
•2-Weeks prior to the start of the POC
•POC Planning Pre-Call
•Discuss the POC scope & preparation
•Day 1
•Morning
oFinalize Scope
oDetermine resource allocation
oPlan assignments
oFinalize meeting and report-out schedule
•Afternoon
oGet started!
•Day 5
oInterim Check-Point Meeting
•Day 11
oReview accomplishments during the second week
oPlanning for bringing it all together
•Day 14
oPreparation for final presentations and report-out
oMake videos for long-term record
•Day 15
oFinal report
Another option, if you really want to get your hands dirty, is to use the first week for training and then your end-user can work along with you for the POC effort.
