It’s exciting to come up with a new software concept. Team members are inspired to create something new that answers a problem by brainstorming possibilities and seeing potential. Ideation is pleasant, but if you don’t put your idea through its tests, you might not get the product you want.
Since there is no market requirement for their product, 35 %of new enterprises fail. So if you have the best product design ever, you won’t be successful if no one buys it.
A startup proof of concept, or POC, comes in handy in this situation. With a POC, you can see if there is demand in your startup idea, giving you the assurance you need to move forward with developing your business plan.
A startup proof of concept is highly valuable, whether you’re launching a mobile app, a SaaS system, or a best-selling book.
Is the concept feasible? Is it even possible? Is it anything that users will truly want to use? What resources will be utilised to build it? A proof of concept can answer all of these and other problems.
1.What is a Proof of Concept (POC)?
Proof of concept (PoC) is the process of gathering evidence and documentation to demonstrate the viability of a notion. It describes how the idealised product or service would become market-ready, how it would work, whether it is required, and who the target audience would be.
While a proof of concept can be used in a variety of industries (from marketing to medical), it is most commonly used in software development to describe a specific approach. A proof of concept (PoC) is a method of establishing whether software can be produced in the real world, what technologies should be employed in development, and whether the program will be accepted by its intended users.
2. Why is it important for startups to have a proof of concept?
You’re essentially spelling out on paper why your product will succeed in the market when you create a proof of concept. Consider it as a software business strategy. Though it may be tempting to skip making a POC, it is critical to fully point out your idea for a few reasons.
2.1 Validity
It’s critical to determine if your idea is realistic before moving on to development. Is it possible to build it on your budget? Is there any market demand for it? What would the return on investment be?
2.2 Testing in Focus Groups
So many firms spend time and money constructing something they think people want, only to tweak it later after receiving feedback that their idea wasn’t quite right. Taking a proof of concept and putting it to the test with your target audience will allow you to gain early feedback on what people desire. You may then streamline the development of your idea, saving you a lot of time and money spent on fixing the wrong problems.
2.3 Monetary creation
You’ll need to show investors that you’ve considered your idea through to the finish if you want them to back your business. Developing an early roadmap that forecasts market value, potential stumbling blocks, and how to commercialise your software concept will go a long way toward instilling investor trust in your project.
3. Why Is a Proof of Concept Necessary?
Building a proof of concept to test your idea can guarantee you reach the best version of it, saving you time and money in the process. Laying out all of the details of your idea may assist you identify any holes in your product plan that you may not be aware of.
Since a proof of concept is also free, it’s a low-risk option to get feedback on your notion from others. A proof of concept will ensure that you pursue the quickest, most direct path to success, whether you’re adding new functionality to current software or creating something entirely new from the start.
4. How to Create a Proof of Concept for Your Startup
If you want to create a proof of concept for your startup, you’re undoubtedly wondering how to go about doing so.
We’re frequently asked how long it takes to produce a proof of concept, but the truth is that it relies on your previous experience, hypothesis, and the type of product you’re developing. A POC can take somewhere between a few days to several weeks.
4.1 Begin immediately
The importance of a POC should never be overlooked. When you’re looking for product ideas, it should be one of the first steps you take.
Many startups have created proofs of concept later than they should have and then tweaked the results to meet their product cycle. This strategy never works out and might lead to your stakeholders being deceived.
4.2 Recognize your target market and their issues.
If you want to know if your product will sell, you must first figure out who will buy it. Conduct market research to determine who your customers will be.
Where do they call home? What exactly do they do for a living? What are their interests? What platforms do they use for social media? When you understand your target market, you’ll understand how your product can make their lives easier.
It is frequently a good idea to speak directly to the people who comprise your target audience. Ask them what problems they are having and how your product can assist them.
Even if you decide not to create a proof of concept, it is always a good idea to carry out extensive research into your target market.
4.3 Determine your solution
Knowing your customers’ pain points will allow you to fine-tune your prospective product to help them as much as possible.
Does your initial product concept make your customers’ lives easier? If the answer is no, you may need to make some changes. Remember, you don’t want to launch a product that no one will use.
Consider the cost of your solution, the resources required to launch it, and its scalability. All of these factors must be considered.
At this stage, your ideas don’t have to be ideal. It is preferable to have a number of half-realised concepts than one perfect idea.
4.4 Choose your metrics
How will you know whether or not your proof of concept is a success? You should think about the performance targets you need to track at this point. These objectives will be determined by the product you want to sell and the solution you want to offer.
If you plan to launch a mobile app, for example, you can opt to start a waiting list where users can sign up for further information. This means you may set a target of X number of subscribers. This demonstrates that people are interested in what you have to offer and will give you the confidence to begin developing a prototype.
You can visualise how much time (and money) your automation platform will save if you’re building one. If you’re building an automation platform, you may calculate how much time (and money) your software will save you compared to manually doing a task. This will provide you with the information you need to determine whether or not your product will be well-received by potential clients.
4.5 Maintain a straightforward approach
One of the most common reasons proofs of ideas fail is because they delve into too much detail. This can make them difficult to understand, especially if you’re expecting to utilise yours to attract investors. Your POC should be brief and to-the-point.
Is there a maximum length for a POC? Again, it’s difficult to say. It’s best if you can keep it as short as possible. If you’re not sure, have another member of your team or a proofreader check over it to see if there’s anything that may be cut.
Begin with a single hypothesis and work your way to proving it correct. Keep things simple and straightforward, and you’ll be accomplished.
4.6 Don’t be concerned if your POC fails
Proof of concepts don’t always function as well as they should. It’s possible that the market isn’t ready for a product, or that while it’s feasible now, it won’t be in the future. In fact, 50% of all proof of concept experiments fail the first time.
Many companies discover that they need to develop numerous separate proofs of concept before they may realise success. It’s fine if a proof of concept doesn’t yield a favourable result. After all, it’s important to find out now rather than later when your product is released. After then, you can either try again or move on to something else altogether.
5. Benefits of developing a startup proof of concept
5.1 Assist you in assessing issues
Before launching a product, you and your team can use a startup proof of concept to identify potential risks and concerns. You can then decide whether to make product adjustments or go back to the drawing board.
5.2 Assist in getting your team on the same page.
Proof of concepts can assist your team become more aligned and familiar with your potential product. A POC, for example, can demonstrate your sales and marketing team the product’s unique selling qualities as well as who your competitors are. You can also utilise a POC to solicit input from personnel who were not engaged in the product’s development.
5.3 Assist in determining whether or not your concept can adapt and grow.
A proof of concept can assist you in determining how scalable your notion is. Is it, for example, easy to mass-produce in the future? What would you do if you needed to introduce new market-specific features?
5.4 Assist you in obtaining funding
Finally, a POC can be an excellent tool for attracting investors. Before providing you with cash, potential investors will want to see that you’ve done your homework, and a POC is a great method to show them that you’ve done your homework.
6. Conclusion
Proof of Concept is the initial step toward the finished product. If you value your time and money, this is an essential step to take. Make sure you get out of the roof, meet your target market, analyse their pain issues, and evaluate the utility and viability of your suggested solutions to these concerns before hiring the ideal startup developers and investing in UX/UI design, prototyping, and app development.
No worries if the outcomes aren’t encouraging; it’s better to discover now rather than later after months of effort. Remember that the startup industry is all about failing quickly (and learning quickly).
Let TechDel know if you need help conducting a Proof of Concept for your app concept, and our app developers will gladly assist you.
TechDel is the best mobile app development company based in London. We have a team of talented developers and designers who can design the best iOS, Android, native and hybrid apps for your firm. For more details, please visit TechDel Mobile App Services.
