Proof of concept: definition, value and limits
Proof of concept Updated
Definition
A proof of concept, PoC for short, checks on a clearly bounded case whether a planned automation is feasible technically and functionally. It answers one concrete question, such as whether an AI step reads unstructured receipts reliably enough. In the mid-market a PoC stays deliberately narrow so feasibility is proven in days to weeks before investing in a rollout.
Why the Term Matters
Large automation projects fail expensively when a central assumption tips only late. A proof of concept pulls the risk forward and clarifies the most critical question first. It costs little compared with the rollout and prevents budget flowing into a solution that fails on data quality or integration. Who checks cleanly decides on evidence instead of hope.
When It Is Relevant
- A central feasibility question is open and expensive if it tips.
- Data quality or an integration is uncertain.
- An AI step must be reliable enough on real inputs.
- Before a rollout, risk should be reduced provably.
When Not
When feasibility is clear anyway, a PoC is only a detour, then it goes straight to the pilot. And when the real question is not technical but organisational, such as responsibilities and approvals, no PoC helps. Then process clarification is needed, not a prototype.
Industries That Use It
- Financial services: check whether an AI step recognises payment receipts compliantly enough before broad rollout.
- Chemicals and pharma: test on one document type whether reading and checking meets quality requirements.
- Telecommunications: clarify on one contract flow whether the connection to legacy systems holds.
- Facility management: check on one ticket process whether classification and routing run stably.
Typical Use Cases
- Phrase the most critical feasibility question in one sentence.
- Set up a narrow case with real, approved data.
- Define a clear success criterion in advance.
- Build the solution only as far as the question demands.
- Decide from the result on rollout, rework or stop.
Decision Guide
| Signal | Proof of concept fits | Alternative |
|---|---|---|
| Feasibility uncertain | check narrowly | go straight to a pilot when feasibility is clear |
| Data quality open | test on real data | adopt the assumption unchecked |
| Question is organisational | clarify the process first | no PoC for responsibilities |
| Success criterion unclear | define in advance | the result cannot be judged |
Example
A mid-market company phrases the question whether an AI step reads incoming delivery notes reliably enough. It sets up a narrow PoC with real, approved documents and defines in advance which hit rate counts as success. After the test it decides on rollout, rework or stop. This describes the method, not an asserted client metric.
Service Connection
A PoC usually belongs in process automation consulting or process automation with AI, and the rollout afterwards in an RPA build.
Sources
This framing describes common mid-market practice for feasibility proofs in automation. Concrete scope, data access and success criteria depend on the case, the systems and the tools and must be checked case by case.