A proof of concept (POC) is a demonstration of the feasibility and value of a proposed solution in a real-world scenario. It helps the customer to evaluate the solution before committing to a full-scale deployment. A POC agreement is a document that defines the scope, objectives, roles, responsibilities, and expectations of both parties involved in the POC. According to the HPE Edge-to-Cloud Solutions course1, a POC agreement should include the following elements:
Success criteria: This is a set of measurable and achievable outcomes that indicate the POC has met the customer’s requirements and expectations. It should be aligned with the customer’s business goals and pain points, and reflect the key benefits and differentiators of the solution. For example, the success criteria could be based on performance, scalability, availability, security, cost, or user satisfaction metrics.
Estimated timeline: This is a realistic and agreed-upon schedule for the POC, including the start and end dates, milestones, deliverables, and feedback sessions. It should account for the time needed for planning, preparation, installation, configuration, testing, validation, and evaluation of the solution. It should also specify the duration and terms of the POC, such as the number of users, devices, or data involved, and the ownership and disposition of the equipment and software after the POC.
The other options are not essential for a POC agreement. A production bill of materials is a list of the components and quantities needed for the final deployment of the solution, which is not relevant for a POC. A production site survey is an assessment of the physical and environmental conditions of the customer’s site, which may not be necessary for a POC, especially if it is conducted remotely or in a lab. A 24/7 support is a service level agreement that guarantees the availability and responsiveness of the technical support team, which may not be feasible or required for a POC. References:
HPE Edge-to-Cloud Solutions course
HPE Proof of Concept Program
How to Run a Successful Proof of Concept
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