The Ultimate Guide To Proof Of Concept For Software Development

In a world driven by innovation and technology, the term “proof of concept” has become increasingly common. As an entrepreneur or developer, you might have been struck in a situation where you think the existing technology failed to bring in the desired results for your business. While you may have outstanding ideas to facelift your IT infrastructure, your ideas can be overlooked or underestimated by your team, investors or stakeholders. 

To make your idea thrive, you must determine the visibility and feasibility of the ideas and prove that your idea is technically viable. You need insights to know what to implement and what not in terms of technology, finance and infrastructure to persuade your stakeholders.  

How do you do that?  

The answer lies in Proof of Concept, aka PoC. A Proof of Concept is a way to validate a concept or idea before investing significant time and resources into its development. It serves as a crucial step in the innovation process, allowing you to test the feasibility and potential success of their ideas.  

In this article, we will demystify the concept of proof of concept, explore its key importance, and how to write a proof of concept. So, if you’re curious about how to turn your ideas into reality, join us as we dive into the world of proof of concept.

Proof of Concept Vs Prototype: Know the difference 

Before we begin understanding what Proof of Concept is, let’s be clear that it is not the same thing as a prototype.

Think of a Proof of Concept as a type of small test prior to the project to test the idea, which shows that a product concept is both functional and can be developed. 

Creating prototypes helps the development team visualize how a product will function. It’s a working model of the end product. It shows the design, navigation, layout, etc. To clearly state the difference, a Proof of Concept shows that a product can be made, while a prototype shows how it’s made. A Proof of Concept shares knowledge with the team, allows them to investigate emerging technologies, and of course, shows the stakeholders that the concept works. 

Once the Proof of Concept convinces everyone that the project is viable, a prototype is developed as a selling point for the client. So, while they’re different, a Proof of Concept and a prototype are not mutually exclusive. 

What is a Proof of Concept?

Proof of Concept Definition 

“Proof of C refers to testing an idea or concept to prove its feasibility. It’s a proven way to know if the idea can really be turned into a success. Proof of Concept can be in the form of a bite-sized video, podcast, slide deck or a simple document describing the early stages of the product prototype.” 

An effective Proof of Concept proves that the proposed software product is viable and will be successful, and it helps a project manager identify gaps in processes that might interfere with success. Proof of Concept also elicits feedback from everyone involved in the project. It can help to find the weaknesses of the product and to understand if and how your idea is relevant. 

The proof of concept in software development is so important because it’s a test project to evaluate before work begins on an actual project. Proof of Concept verifies that the theoretical concepts applied to a project will have real-world applications. A proof of concept in software development explains how the project should work based on a detailed description of requirements and specifications. The Proof of Concept, ideally, is a complete satisfaction of those functions that need to be realized. Proof of Concepts does not produce deliverables but checks the feasibility of software being considered for development. 

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Use cases for proof of concept development

• When there is a need to check the value of a software product idea
• To ensure that the chosen method of software development is efficient
• To determine whether the proposed software product idea matches the needs of the intended users
• To find out the limitations of the software for a specific problem and demonstrate its functionality

How to Write a Proof of Concept? 

The process of creating a PoC in software development has some essential steps, which can be modified depending on the type of software or PoC being created.

1. Plan the effort

When you’re building a software proof of concept, remember that while it is an important project, it is not the final project. So, plan the invested time, effort, and resources accordingly. A typical software Proof of Concept should not take more than two weeks to complete and a team of two-three developers to work on it. There are also several third-party tools available today that can be used to create a proof of concept in a matter of a few days. 

2. Scope of the project

Even if the proof of concept in software development proves to be viable, that proof is worthless if the scope is not correct or is missing the end objective. So, it’s important to keep the scope of the software Proof of Concept focused on resolving the specific problem(s). Keeping too wide a scope will become counter-productive. 

3. Pick Your Resources

Make sure you pick a team with the right skills to make a proof of concept because you will be checking the long-term viability of an idea or a vision. So, you need a project manager with the perfect mix of business and technical experience, as well as developers who can quickly translate an idea into a more tangible product. 

Asking the right questions can help you find the right technology partner for your business. Read this blog to divulge into our perfect questionnaire that can go a long way in finding them. 

4. Select the right metrics

To have accurate feasibility measurements, you need a clear set of project metrics that will collect the project’s most pertinent information and determine its success or failure. The best way to go about doing this is to interview the client using targeted questions that lead the project to the intended objective. 

5. Gather feedback from intended users

Once you have a ready document with a description of the software and the functions it should perform, the next step is to get feedback from users, or if you’re so lucky, the actual customers. The POC in Software development is not a product demo, but you need an environment similar to the one you expect to have at full implementation. 

This doesn’t mean it needs to be a full-scale environment, but it should function in the same way. Offer users your product as a solution to a specific problem and explain how it’s meant to work. Be open to the feedback and suggestions you receive, as these will go a long way in helping you improve the final software product. Be prepared that some of your guesswork will be broken. 

6. Course correction

Now your proof of concept for software development is ready to be finalized. You’ve received user/ customer feedback and have a better picture of how users will interact with your project. It is necessary to understand that this is a preliminary evaluation of the software proof of concept and that some of the suggestions received will be insightful. In contrast, others may not have actual value. Thus, based on the information received, it is necessary to consider what can be changed to make the project more convenient. If the feedback you received was largely and strongly negative, then it might be a good idea to stop the proof of concept development process. Or at least pause it until you can come up with a new, improved version. 

Proof of Concept Examples 

1. Walmart 

One of the notable examples of proof of concept is Walmart’s blockchain technology application in their food supply chain. Walmart was keen on tracing the food products that are prone to food diseases and it partnered up with the tech giant IBM to put things into motion. 

They demonstrated two Proof of Concepts for this project. One in the US for tracing mangoes and the other in China to test pork. The project proved to be successful, and the blockchain-powered solutions made the food tracing process easier and faster. 

The Proof of Concept gave Walmart a chance to get a better insight into the project and helped them decide if the project was worth their time, effort and investment.  

2. Amazon Go 

Amazon Go is known for its technological advancements such as machine learning, Artificial Intelligence and sensor technology. The tech giant is keen on building self-driving cars and automated check-in and check-outs at retail stores. 

Amazon Go created a Proof of concept to test the viability of the technology and gain confidence that the technology would be in demand among their customers. It launched Amazon Go, after a couple of rounds of trying different technologies and testing it out on their employees. 

3. Armoured Car by Leonardo Da Vinci 

                                                                                                              Image source LeonardoDaVinci.net 

A historical example of Proof of Concept is Leonardo Da Vinci’s Armoured car. The Armoured car was capable of moving at 360 degrees and was equipped with war weapons. The above picture demonstrates how Da Vinci built the car in a stage-by-stage process.  

Final Thoughts

Proof of concept in software development has always been a topic of much debate in almost every software development company. The person or team who thought of a product idea is convinced of its eventual success, while other stakeholders are wary of investing in a new concept that may or may not work. But the truth is that the more experienced a software professional or software development company is, the more likely they will be interested in the proof of concept.

Once the initial pilot is ready, it should be able to confirm the success of the new software product to lay the way for an official rollout. A software development proof of concept helps prove a concept not only for the development team but also for customers.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ): 

1. How will the POC impact our current operations? 

Proof of Concept can impact your organization in many ways and some of them include; 

• Discovering feasible solutions to your technical problems 
• Evaluating Return on Investments (RoI) for the new projects 
• Determining market requirements and reshaping your project based on the needs of your end users.

2. How does a PoC differ from a prototype?  

While many of us think that both the prototype and proof of concept are the same, there is a slight line that blurs them. A proof of concept in software development depicts that the project can be built, whereas the prototype shows how exactly the project can be made. 

3. Why do organizations typically start their RPA journey with proof of concept? 

For organizations that understand the benefits of RPA but have no clue as to where to start, Proof of Concept can be a saviour. You can easily demonstrate the technical value, viability, and efficiency of the project and persuade the stakeholders to invest in your RPA initiative.