Preparing your team to POC a SaaS product

Preparing your team for a Proof of Concept (POC) evaluation of a SaaS product involves several important steps to ensure a successful assessment. Here's a guide to help you get started:

1. Define Objectives and Goals:

•   Clearly outline the purpose of the POC and what you aim to achieve.
•   Define specific goals, such as testing certain features, assessing performance, or evaluating user experience.

2. Identify Stakeholders:

•   Identify key team members who will be involved in the POC evaluation, including technical, business, and user representatives.
•   Assign roles and responsibilities to ensure everyone knows their contributions.

3. Understand Requirements:

•   Communicate the organization's requirements and expectations to your team.
•   Ensure that everyone understands why this SaaS product is being evaluated and how it aligns with your business needs.

4. Provide Context:

•   Educate your team about the SaaS product's purpose, features, and benefits.
•   Explain how the product fits into your current workflows and strategies.

5. Training and Familiarization:

•   Conduct training sessions for team members who will be directly involved in the POC.
•   Familiarize them with the SaaS product's interface, functions, and how to interact with it.

6. Create Evaluation Criteria:

•   Collaborate with your team to establish specific evaluation criteria and metrics.
•   Ensure that everyone understands how these criteria align with the overall objectives.

7. Setup and Environment:

•   Ensure the necessary infrastructure is in place for the POC, such as required software, hardware, and data.
•   Set up test environments and ensure they mirror your real-world scenarios.

8. Document Procedures:

•   Create clear and detailed guidelines for the POC process, including steps to follow, data to collect, and how to record findings.
•   Provide templates for recording test results, feedback, and observations.

9. Communication Channels:

•   Establish communication channels among team members for sharing insights, updates, and findings during the POC.
•   Regularly schedule check-ins or meetings to discuss progress and address any challenges.

10. User Involvement:

•   Involve end-users or representatives who will be using the SaaS product in the evaluation process.
•   Encourage them to provide feedback and insights about usability and functionality.

11. Risk Assessment:

•   Identify potential risks or challenges that could arise during the evaluation process.
•   Discuss strategies for mitigating these risks and how to handle unexpected issues.

12. Time Management:

•   Create a timeline that outlines key milestones, deadlines, and checkpoints for the POC.
•   Ensure that everyone is aware of the timeline and the importance of adhering to it.

13. Review and Reflection:

•   Set aside time to review the POC plan and objectives with your team.
•   Encourage open discussions about expectations, challenges, and potential improvements.

14. Continuous Learning:

•   Emphasize that the POC is also a learning experience for the team.
•   Encourage them to document lessons learned and insights for future reference.

By following these steps, you'll be well-prepared to conduct a POC evaluation of the SaaS product with your team. Remember that effective communication, clear guidelines, and collaboration are key to a successful evaluation process.