When purchasing new premises-based technology, you’ll likely have to buy hardware like routers and switches that are physically installed. Your IT team will know upfront whether that hardware will meet the technical requirements, but there’s still quite a bit of unknown for how that platform will grow with your organization over time. That’s because an actual proof of concept (PoC) can only come after the installation, the necessary programming and other critical steps.
UCaaS Facilitates Proof of Concept Testing
However, cloud communications technology allows IT teams to test-drive tools and features within a technology platform before hardware is disabled or replaced. That’s because UCaaS and CCaaS are hosted off-site in a virtual environment, allowing your various departments and IT teams to experiment with individual departments to receive real-world feedback from their users. This enables the IT team to gather empirical evidence that the new technology fits the business’s needs without having to commit to a full-scale deployment.
Compared to a free trial, a proof of concept experiment is more complex and a better indicator of deployment outcomes because of its higher level of engagement. The solution will be physically installed, configured and tailored for that specific business and its needs.
Proof of Concept Compared to Free Trials
It provides a natural next-step between sandbox testing a free trial and total-full scale adoption across the company. Proof of Concept Testing is a crucial way to further reduce the risk of implementing a solution that does not meet expectations. It lowers the associated risks and costs of innovation.
Furthermore, by including user feedback in the research and implementation process, you lower their resistance and gain support for the new technology. End-users are far less likely to ignore or dislike a technology they wanted to bring in.
Many companies are skeptical of Proof of Concept testing because there are costs and time involved in an implementation that is purposefully not fully scaled. However, if PoC testing is properly done it will save time and effort in the long run. By seeking feedback from multiple sources, it mitigates unforeseen risks and prevents full-scale rollouts of products that will succeed in the free trial phase but will fall flat in the implementation phase.
Components of Good Proof of Concept Testing
Like other phases of new product research, there are best practices for a successful Proof of Concept test. Here are a few of them:
The PoC’s goal must be to determine a project’s viability solely based on if the data supports the resources expended by the return expected
The criteria for success or failure must be clear before the PoC starts
It must provide an assessment of the affordability of the full-scale project
The PoC must have the appropriate time, finances, manpower and talent necessary to run a proper test
There must be a pre-determined duration for the experiment
End-users must be able to give their objective feedback
End-user feedback must influence the outcome of the assessment
Unlike on-premise testing, which tends to be all or nothing, UCaaS makes siloed or piecemeal Proof of Concept testing possible for IT teams. If you want to learn more about how to run your next Proof of Concept, or how it might benefit your organization, contact us today or call us at 877-328-7767 .
If you enjoyed this article you may also enjoy:
.jpg?sfvrsn=8fe72988_1)