La réponse courte
A proof of concept takes one process, one set of real data and one group of reviewers through a short cycle of design, build, test and measure. It ends with a decision based on numbers: scale it, change it or stop. The length depends on the process and your data, and we agree it in scoping.
The steps
| Step | What happens | Who is involved |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Discover | Workshop to list candidate processes and score them on volume, rules, data and risk | Process owners and our consultants |
| 2. Assess readiness | Check data quality, permissions, controls and process stability for the chosen process | Data owners, IT and our architects |
| 3. Define success | Agree the measures, the baseline and the pass mark before building | Sponsor, finance and our lead |
| 4. Design | Instructions, knowledge, actions, approvals and the exception path | Process owner and our AI consultants |
| 5. Build | Configure a Microsoft agent or build one in Copilot Studio, connect to your sandbox | Our consultants and developers |
| 6. Test with real cases | Run real cases in review mode and compare with your team's results | Your reviewers and our team |
| 7. Decide | Compare results with the baseline and recommend scale, change or stop | Sponsor and steering group |
What we need from you
- A sponsor who owns the outcome.
- A process owner who knows the process and the exceptions.
- A non-production environment with representative data.
- Two or three reviewers able to give time each week.
- A baseline: how long the process takes now, how many people it uses and how often it goes wrong.
Choosing the process
The best first processes are frequent, rule-based and easy to check, and a mistake can be caught before it costs anything. Reconciliation, order capture, invoice capture, supplier follow-up and case triage meet that test. Strategic or highly judgemental decisions do not.
Judging success
Success is the improvement against the baseline, at an accuracy your reviewers accept, with the controls working. A proof of concept that shows an agent is not yet right for the process is also a good result: it costs little and tells you what to fix.
Début
To scope a proof of concept, book a consultation. Bring one process in mind and we will bring the readiness checklist.
Questions fréquemment posées
What is a proof of concept for an AI agent?
A short, measured trial of one agent on one process with real data and a group of reviewers, ending in a decision to scale, change or stop.
What do we need to provide?
A sponsor, a process owner, a non-production environment with representative data, a few reviewers and a baseline of how the process performs today.
How long does it take?
It depends on the process and the state of your data. We give a plan after the readiness assessment rather than a number before it.