POC Success Criteria
Situation
The POC is starting, but the customer has vague goals, unclear acceptance criteria, or multiple stakeholders defining success differently.
What the customer may say
"We'll know it works when we see it."
What you should say
"Let's make success observable before we begin. We should define the required use cases, pass/fail criteria, data needed, owners, and decision date so everyone evaluates the same outcome."
What not to say
"We'll figure out success criteria as we go."
Follow-up question
"What must be true at the end of the POC for you to recommend moving forward?"