proof-of-concept

A proof of concept (PoC) is a time-boxed exploration to quickly validate technical feasibility and determine direction before committing to full implementation. It uses minimal viable code to evaluate new technologies or test integrations and guide decision-making.

To start a PoC, outline a single technical question, set a strict time budget like 3 days, identify risks, and document expected outcomes. Build a minimal artifact to answer the question and record results for stakeholder decision-making.

You need a PoC when evaluating new technologies, testing integrations, or demonstrating feasibility to stakeholders. It reduces waste by applying time-boxing and clear success criteria to validate approach before committing resources to full implementation.

The best way to define success criteria for a technical evaluation is to outline a single question and document expected outcomes before starting. Clear success criteria guide time-boxed exploration and produce actionable findings for go/no-go decisions.

Time-boxing a feasibility prototype limits exploration scope to reduce waste, meaning minimal viable code may not reflect production scale. The limitation requires clear success criteria and decision-driven documentation to ensure actionable findings despite restricted time.