Common pitfalls to avoid during the POC development process

Main reason businesses turn to outsourced software development

A proof of concept (POC) brings your product to life. It validates the ideas behind the product and gives it value in a highly saturated market. These days, almost anyone can create software. But this is not enough to succeed. Software must prove its value to consumers, even if your ideas may be the opposite of what they want.

A PoC allows developers to test their software before building a full-scale product, learning what users like, what they don't like, and other important information. According to the Harvard Business Review, 65% of new software fails. The key to success is using PoC before launching the product to create products that consumers find useful and want to use.

1. Common PoC Pitfalls Developers Need to Avoid to Succeed

Creating a PoC in software is imperative for its development, although it must be done with care and consideration. Improper use of a PoC can lead you down the path of software traps. If you want to be victorious after creating new software, it is imperative to use a proof of concept correctly. Read on to learn about the most common pitfalls and how to avoid them when venturing into new software development.

2. Know the objectives of the software

A proof of concept without clear objectives is a waste of time for your company and the stakeholders involved in creating the software. Avoid aimlessly hoping for a great product and define your software, including its benefits to users and how they should interact with the product. Understanding the goals of your software allows you to develop a well-defined PoC that clearly outlines your goals for the future.

3. Focus on the user experience

The market is competitive. If your software doesn't meet consumer expectations, it will be another failed product, forgotten upon release. Avoid this failure by focusing your product and PoC on user experience. Focusing on user experience gives an edge over competitors and can help differentiate your software from others. Additionally, focusing on what matters to the end user can be a selling point for your software.

4. Always test the software

Testing software through proof of concept reduces risk because designers have the opportunity to determine how consumers will respond to the product before investing large sums of money in it. Proof of concept helps detect errors and improve them for the benefit of the user. Many software developers fail because they rush through the development phase and give up on creating the PoC.

They lack essential information that could have allowed them to create a more effective software product for the consumer. Obtaining valuable feedback from consumers, including information regarding features they like or dislike, is truly one of the most valuable components of PoC.

5. Listen to User Feedback

Collecting user feedback is one of the most important ideals of a PoC. The statement “the customer is always right” has never been more true than in software development. If customers aren't happy with the product, they won't use it, that's all.

Dissatisfied customers can also publicize the “horrible product,” which can cause a product to fail before it even launches. Listening to customer feedback on the software allows you to create a product they want, need, and will use.

6. Focus on the five Ws

It’s time to familiarize yourself with the five Ws, if you haven’t already. Understanding the five Ws can improve your PoC and final product concept. Every PoC should focus on the five Ws: why, what, who, with and when.

A PoC that addresses the five Ws details the important information decision makers need to approve a product, including the purpose of the product, what it can and cannot do, who it is for, the tools needed to use the software and when they can expect to see the finished product.

7. Put aside the fear of failure

Creating a new software product is taxing for all developers. Never fear failure more than success. This burden falls on far too many new developers; don't be next. Never let the fear of failure stop you from developing and designing your product and revising and reinventing its features as necessary.

Learn from your mistakes and you'll do better the second time around. Embrace failure and let it help you build a product that users want and need.

8. Create powerful software using a proof of concept

Every day, hundreds of thousands of new software products are released onto the market. Most of them are doomed to failure. The competition is simply too strong for a product to survive if it doesn't measure up. Even if the ideas you have in mind seem phenomenal to you, others may not find them as warm. A PoC allows developers to know what consumers – the people who will use the software – think before it is released. This increases its chances of survival. In today's world, only the strongest survive. Using a PoC gives your software muscle.

There is simply no way to avoid a proof of concept if you want to develop software that consumers appreciate, value and desire. It is an essential part of software development, which offers a multitude of benefits contributing to the overall success of the product. It serves as a feedback tool, a viability and usability test, and a tool that shows stakeholders how well the product is working.

Using a PoC before developing the full version of the software has huge benefits for developers. A PoC saves time, minimizes financial risks, improves communication between stakeholders and strengthens collaboration during the project, resulting in a more viable end product.

9. Avoid the pitfalls of proof of concept

Developing a proof of concept is an essential part of the software creation process. With a PoC, developers have the information they need to build software that consumers love before wasting their time and money on trial and error. Developers should learn to recognize the most common pitfalls during the development phase of a PoC, many of which have been described in this article. By avoiding these pitfalls at all costs, you'll be on your way to creating incredible software.