POC first. Production when ready.
Software POC Development
A focused first version that proves your product concept — technically, commercially and with real users — while establishing the technical foundation for what comes next.
What is a software POC?
A software proof of concept (POC) is a working piece of software built to answer specific questions — can this be built, will it work with these systems, does this experience make sense — before committing to full development. It is deliberately narrow: it implements the riskiest parts of the product, not every feature.
Where our approach differs is what happens to the code. Many POCs are built as throwaway demos and then discarded, which means paying twice. We scope and architect POCs around the real product roadmap, so validated parts become the starting point for production — and any intentional shortcuts are documented.
Don't commit to the entire product before you know what works. Start with a focused POC built with the future product in mind.
What a POC can validate
- Technical feasibility — can the core capability be built with acceptable performance?
- Integrations — do the third-party systems, APIs and data sources behave as documented?
- User experience — do real users understand and complete the core journey?
- Multi-platform delivery — can one backend serve web, mobile and TV clients?
- Architecture — will the foundation support growth in users, data and features?
- Business case — is there enough evidence for stakeholders or investors to fund the next phase?
When to build one
When should you build a POC?
A POC is most valuable when there's meaningful uncertainty and a meaningful budget at stake. Typical situations:
Before raising or committing funds
You need a working demonstration for investors, a board or budget holders — not slides.
When integrations are uncertain
The product depends on systems or APIs you don't control, and the documentation may not match reality.
Before going multi-platform
You plan web, mobile and TV apps and want to prove the shared architecture with one or two first.
Before replacing a legacy system
You want to prove a modernization approach on one real slice before planning the full migration.
When stakeholders disagree
Something people can click through resolves debates that documents can't.
When adding new technology
AI features, new video formats or a new platform — prove it works in your context first.
Terminology
POC vs prototype vs MVP
The three terms are often used interchangeably. In practice they answer different questions. Terminology varies between teams and projects — what matters is agreeing what your first version must prove.
| Aspect | POC | Prototype | MVP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main purpose | Technical and business validation | UX and concept visualisation | Real product launch |
| Working software? | Yes — core flows really work | Often clickable, not functional | Yes |
| Production-ready | Not necessarily | No | Yes, depending on scope |
| User testing | Limited / targeted | Often UX-focused | Real users |
| Architecture | Designed for validation and future direction | Often lightweight or none | Production-oriented |
| Typical next step | Production roadmap or MVP | Build a POC or MVP | Iterate and scale |
Our POC process
Five stages from idea to evidence
- Stage 1
Understand
Objectives, users, constraints and existing systems. What decision will the POC inform?
- Stage 2
Define
Success criteria, scope, user journeys, architecture and what's explicitly out of scope.
- Stage 3
Build
Short iterations with regular demos. Riskiest pieces first.
- Stage 4
Validate
Stakeholder demos, user sessions and technical testing against the success criteria.
- Stage 5
Expand
Findings, risks and a production roadmap — then continue, adjust or stop.
How long does it take? POC scope and timeline depend on complexity — the number of journeys, platforms and integrations involved. We agree a realistic timeline once scope is defined, rather than promising a fixed number of days for every project.
What you receive
POC deliverables
Depending on scope, a POC may include:
- POC scope definition
- User flows
- Technical architecture
- UI implementation
- Core frontend functionality
- Backend / API foundation
- Database structure
- Selected integrations
- Authentication foundation
- Sample / demo data
- Deployment environment
- Technical findings
- Risks & limitations
- Recommended next phase
- Production roadmap
- Future module estimates
Deliverables vary by POC scope and are agreed before development begins.
Examples & technology options
Examples of POCs we build
Illustrative examples of the kinds of questions a POC answers. For documented projects, see our case studies.
OTT multi-platform POC
One CMS and catalogue API feeding a web player and a Roku or Fire TV app, with entitlements and DRM playback — proving the shared backend before building all platforms. OTT development
Enterprise portal POC
A customer portal reading live data from an ERP through a new API layer, proving performance and permission rules before a full portal build. Web applications
Mobile app POC
A core mobile flow with device hardware (camera, location or Bluetooth) and offline sync, distributed to stakeholders via test builds. Mobile apps
AI feature POC
An AI-assisted search, summarisation or recommendation feature tested on your real data, with quality, cost and latency measured. Technology
After the POC
What happens after the POC?
A POC ends with a decision, and every outcome is useful:
- Continue — we turn the production roadmap into a project plan and build the full product on the validated foundation.
- Adjust — findings change the scope or approach; we revise the roadmap before investing further.
- Hand over — your in-house team continues with the source code, documentation and architecture notes.
- Stop — the idea doesn't hold up. That's a far cheaper discovery now than after a full build.
Ways to continue
POC FAQ
Questions about POC development
How quickly can a POC be built?
It depends on scope and complexity. A POC focused on one journey and one integration is much smaller than one covering several platforms. We agree a timeline once the scope and success criteria are defined.
Can the POC become the production application?
Often, yes. We architect with the future product in mind. Some parts may need hardening — security review, test coverage, scalability work — and we document exactly what before you decide on the next phase.
How is a POC different from an MVP?
A POC validates whether something works and is worth building; an MVP is the smallest version you release to real users. A POC often comes first and informs the MVP scope.
What information do you need to start?
A description of the idea or problem, who it's for, any existing systems or designs, and what decision the POC should support. A formal specification is helpful but not required.
How is a POC priced?
A POC is scoped separately based on your requirements. After an initial conversation we propose scope, approach and timeline before any commitment.
Plan your POC
Ready to find out what works — before building everything?
Share your idea, specification or existing system. We'll review it and propose what a focused POC should prove, what it should include and how it connects to the full product.
- Talk directly with an engineer
- NDA available before you share details
- Clear POC scope agreed before development
- Continue into full development — or not