Proof of Concept Template
The proof of concept template below is free to preview and install in Zealos. Define success criteria, timeline, and stakeholders for a structured product evaluation with a prospect.
Preview: Proof of Concept Plan
Proof of Concept Plan
Agree on this plan with the prospect BEFORE starting the POC. An undefined POC is a free trial with no commitment to buy.
POC Overview
Field | Details |
|---|---|
Account | [Company Name] |
Executive Sponsor | [Name, Title] |
Technical Lead (Buyer) | [Name, Title] |
AE (Seller) | [Name] |
SE (Seller) | [Name] |
POC Duration | [X weeks] |
Start Date | [Date] |
Decision Date | [Date] |
Objectives
What does the prospect want to validate during this POC?
[Objective 1: e.g., Validate that the platform can handle their deal pipeline workflow]
[Objective 2: e.g., Confirm integration with their existing CRM]
[Objective 3: e.g., Demonstrate time savings for the sales team vs. current process]
Success Criteria
Every success criterion must be measurable and agreed upon in advance. Vague criteria like "the team likes it" are not success criteria.
Criteria | Metric | Target | Measurement Method |
|---|---|---|---|
Pipeline visibility | Time to generate pipeline report | Under 2 minutes | Timed user test |
CRM integration | Data sync accuracy | 99%+ records synced | Audit comparison report |
Team adoption | Active daily users | 80% of pilot group | Product analytics dashboard |
Time savings | Hours saved per rep per week | 3+ hours | Before/after time tracking |
Evaluation Timeline
Week | Activities | Milestone | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|
Week 1 | Environment setup, data import, training | Pilot team onboarded | [SE] |
Week 2 | Active usage against use cases | Success criteria test begins | [Buyer + SE] |
Week 3 | Integration testing, edge cases | Integration validated | [Buyer IT + SE] |
Week 4 | Results review, stakeholder demo | POC results presented | [AE + SE] |
Technical Requirements
Environment provisioned with sample data by [date]
SSO / authentication configured by [date]
CRM API access granted by buyer IT by [date]
Pilot user accounts created for [X] users by [date]
Training session scheduled for [date]
Risks & Mitigations
[Risk 1: e.g., Buyer IT team unavailable for integration] → [Mitigation: Pre-schedule all IT touchpoints]
[Risk 2: e.g., Low pilot user engagement] → [Mitigation: Weekly check-ins with team lead]
[Risk 3: e.g., Scope creep beyond agreed criteria] → [Mitigation: Refer back to this document]
Post-POC Decision Process
Agree on this upfront. A POC without a defined decision process is just free consulting.
Decision maker: [Name and title]
Decision date: [Date — no more than 1 week after POC ends]
Decision criteria: [Met all success criteria = proceed to contract]
If "yes": [Contract negotiation begins by Date, target close by Date]
If "no": [Debrief call to understand gaps and determine if retry makes sense]
POC Participants
Name | Company | Role in POC | |
|---|---|---|---|
[Name] | [Buyer Co.] | Executive Sponsor | [email] |
[Name] | [Buyer Co.] | Technical Lead | [email] |
[Name] | [Buyer Co.] | Pilot User | [email] |
[Name] | [Seller Co.] | Account Executive | [email] |
[Name] | [Seller Co.] | Solutions Engineer | [email] |
About this template
An unstructured proof of concept is where deals go to die. This POC plan template helps your sales and solutions engineering team align with the prospect before a single line of code is configured. Define clear objectives, set measurable success criteria with specific targets, agree on an evaluation timeline with weekly milestones, document technical requirements, and — critically — establish what happens after the POC ends. Who makes the decision? By when? What does a "yes" look like? A well-planned POC converts at 3x the rate of an ad hoc trial. Use this template for every technical evaluation, pilot program, or proof of value engagement.
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