Plan your evaluation
Write down the workflow, systems, operating owner, and evidence needed to make your decision. Use the same scope for every supplier, and ask which parts of the demonstration are included in the proposed package.
Strategy and operating models
Separate a desired outcome from the technology proposed to achieve it. Identify the staffing, authority, and handoffs that must exist for the approach to work.
Evidence and incentives
Ask which claims are supported by observations and which are opinions or forecasts. Consider the scope, date, and commercial context of a source before adopting its conclusion.
Applying an idea
Choose a small test that could change your mind. Define the result, cost, implementation effort, and exception that would make an approach unsuitable.
Questions to ask
- Which assumption would change this recommendation?
- What evidence supports the claim in an environment like ours?
- How could we test the idea before committing widely?
Related buying guides
A security product pilot that answers the buying question ↗A documented feature is not the same as a licensed feature ↗