Proof of Concept Request Form

A proof of concept is a big commitment, and one of the most effective ways to reduce the risk of a software purchase. Many vendors and experts will agree to some level of proof of concept for free. Others are firm on requiring some type of up front payment for the exercise, in which case you can usually negotiate that those funds be applied to the full purchase if the proof of concept is successful.

Before you submit the request:

In our experience observing, and in some cases assisting, with hundreds of proof of concept projects we’ve found that both sides of the project require preparation. You as the customer need to be well prepared with easy to understand documentation that defines exactly what you expect to be built. The scope of this documentation may encompass the entire business objective that the full purchase will cover, in which case you need to be explicit about which portion should be built out for the proof of concept. In some cases, it may be better to create an edited version of the documentation that is restricted to items relevant to the proof of concept.

The most successful proof of concept projects carry a clear checklist and/or rating system for how the concept will be evaluated prior to the vendor beginning their portion of the build out. In many cases, these criteria are defined in collaboration with the vendor in order to leverage their field of expertise.

We can help you prepare for the engagement:

If you need assistance preparing for a proof of concept project, our team can help. We have business analysts and other experts standing by to help you prepare all of the necessary materials before you engage a vendor. You can get help preparing for a proof of concept here.

What to expect after you submit the proof of concept request:

After you use the form below to 1) provide your contact information, 2) confirm the status of your documentation, 3) define the business objectives, and 4) list the vendors you would like to participate, we will then contact each of the vendors on your behalf to share your request. We are happy to be as involved as you would like us to be. In some cases can be a helpful sounding board throughout the proof of concept process. In other cases we may recommend an expert from our network to assist you. Where possible, we may seek compensation from vendors for referring the project and we are open to discussing any of those details with you.