Comments on: Defining Proof of Concepts http://blogs.educationau.edu.au/tcotton/2007/10/08/defining-proof-of-concepts/ ...learning a8out the wor1d 0f di9ital learning. Wed, 19 Nov 2008 13:06:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.4 by: Tom Cotton’s 8109 » Redefining PoC http://blogs.educationau.edu.au/tcotton/2007/10/08/defining-proof-of-concepts/#comment-12072 Wed, 07 Nov 2007 03:34:10 +0000 http://blogs.educationau.edu.au/tcotton/2007/10/08/defining-proof-of-concepts/#comment-12072 [...] Defining PoCs [...] […] Defining PoCs […]

]]> by: Tom Cotton http://blogs.educationau.edu.au/tcotton/2007/10/08/defining-proof-of-concepts/#comment-8841 Mon, 08 Oct 2007 06:19:33 +0000 http://blogs.educationau.edu.au/tcotton/2007/10/08/defining-proof-of-concepts/#comment-8841 I think you have highlighted the problem: not many people understand that a PoC is a precursor a full blown project. It directly informs a proper project's analysis, business case and scoping aspects. Classic project management has to be safe because of to 85%-15% concept. In this framework you can't take risks. In a PoC you can. As you have correctly identified, a PoC looks at the concept. This dramatically reduces the big project risk of developing the wrong 'concept' - way before committing traditional serious project resources. I liked your "Someone might want to buy a PoC..." comment because it's made me think that a PoC outcome should be "someone might want to <em>back </em>this PoC - by funding it as a true project" I think you have highlighted the problem: not many people understand that a PoC is a precursor a full blown project.

It directly informs a proper project’s analysis, business case and scoping aspects.

Classic project management has to be safe because of to 85%-15% concept. In this framework you can’t take risks. In a PoC you can.

As you have correctly identified, a PoC looks at the concept. This dramatically reduces the big project risk of developing the wrong ‘concept’ - way before committing traditional serious project resources.

I liked your “Someone might want to buy a PoC…” comment because it’s made me think that a PoC outcome should be “someone might want to back this PoC - by funding it as a true project”

]]> by: Jen http://blogs.educationau.edu.au/tcotton/2007/10/08/defining-proof-of-concepts/#comment-8840 Mon, 08 Oct 2007 05:54:39 +0000 http://blogs.educationau.edu.au/tcotton/2007/10/08/defining-proof-of-concepts/#comment-8840 The 3 people 3 months $30k has its appeal - but it doesn't work that way. My guess that in your edna PoC you've used the input, thoughts and ideas of 30+ people that are being funded by other organisations or projects for the time they participate in or contribute to the thinking about or implementation of the PoC. Collaboration provides richness, some input into the hive mind, a better more realistic result perhaps - but it can also be more expensive to do. I think the PoC approach can be problematic, because as we know the 85/15 rule where the 15% takes 85% of the time. With proof of concept you've often worked out most of the 85% - the conceptual stuff. The 15% is the hard implementing stuff - when firewalls, accessibility, metadata compliance, internet speed etc etc all comes into play. Someone might want to buy a proof of concept, but it'd be pretty risky to sell it ;-) The 3 people 3 months $30k has its appeal - but it doesn’t work that way. My guess that in your edna PoC you’ve used the input, thoughts and ideas of 30+ people that are being funded by other organisations or projects for the time they participate in or contribute to the thinking about or implementation of the PoC. Collaboration provides richness, some input into the hive mind, a better more realistic result perhaps - but it can also be more expensive to do.
I think the PoC approach can be problematic, because as we know the 85/15 rule where the 15% takes 85% of the time. With proof of concept you’ve often worked out most of the 85% - the conceptual stuff. The 15% is the hard implementing stuff - when firewalls, accessibility, metadata compliance, internet speed etc etc all comes into play. Someone might want to buy a proof of concept, but it’d be pretty risky to sell it ;-)

]]> by: Mike Seyfang http://blogs.educationau.edu.au/tcotton/2007/10/08/defining-proof-of-concepts/#comment-8766 Mon, 08 Oct 2007 03:21:52 +0000 http://blogs.educationau.edu.au/tcotton/2007/10/08/defining-proof-of-concepts/#comment-8766 Tom, Andy is thinking about his too! His thoughts over at: http://processofinnovation.com/wordpress/?p=28 Fang Tom, Andy is thinking about his too!
His thoughts over at:
http://processofinnovation.com/wordpress/?p=28

Fang

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