Paul Grainger

Data and AI solutions promise transformational value, yet most initiatives fail to reach production or deliver results. Research shows that proof‑of‑concepts help organisations assess technical feasibility, verify market needs, understand limitations and make rational budget decisions. In AI projects specifically, PoCs allow teams to 'fail fast', identify challenges early, and minimise risks. This talk will show how adopting a PoC‑to‑value approach can unlock benefits for both vendors and customers. It will demonstrate that tools must provide time‑to‑value quickly; nearly two‑thirds of users decide whether to keep a product during their first interaction, and users may take less than 40 seconds to decide. It will also highlight why change initiatives fail when end‑users are not engaged: 70 % of change programs fail due to employee resistance and lack of management support.