How to run a successful POC with Aikido
Maarten De Schuymer avatar
Written by Maarten De Schuymer
Updated over a week ago

At Aikido, we know that picking your next application security vendor is a critical business decision so we want to support you in making the best decision possible.

Getting setup

We run proofs of concept (POC) with any organization of more than 5+ end users, typically over 1-2 weeks depending on need, and suggest the following key steps:

  1. Intro & Kick Off. Get to know us, what we do, how we do it, and why we do it this way. If you haven’t already spoken to us, book in a call here. If you require a signed NDA, we can provide one to you (or review your own to sign).

  2. Registration and setting up code scanning

    1. To initiate your POC, you’ll need to create your workspace, using your git provider to sign up. If you’ve already created a workspace, then great!

    2. Get your code scanning up and running. More information.

  3. POC period

    1. Upon completing step 2, your trial will be extended for an additional 1-2 weeks, as per our agreement.

    2. Sometimes you need more time before getting started - no worries. Your account will revert to a “Free” plan until you’re ready to run your POC - none of your details will be lost and you won’t be locked out.

  4. Support. You and your team can access the Aikido team in 1 of 3 ways:

    1. In-app support via chat (bottom right of screen) - we usually respond in <3 minutes during European business hours (our tech team often man these!)

    2. Slack/Teams - we’re happy to set up a direct channel with you and your team in Slack or MS Teams (speak to your Aikido point of contact)

    3. Dev Docs - our comprehensive help center covers all you need to know to get started, set up, and troubleshoot: https://docs.aikido.dev/

  5. Evaluation. Throughout your POC, consider the following suggested evaluation criteria commonly used by customers. Feel free to incorporate your own criteria as well.

Evaluation Criteria (Typical)

  1. Ease of use & setup

    1. Was Aikido easy and fun to set up? Did it make sense?

    2. Did our team onboard easily onto Aikido?

    3. Was it clear, concise, and compelling?

  2. Capabilities

    1. Is Aikido broad and deep enough for our needs?

    2. Does it meet our requirements?

    3. Did Aikido's noise-cancelling algorithm improve focus and prioritisation compared to others you've seen?

    4. Do the integrations support our workflows and real estate (Slack, Jira, etc.)?

    5. Are the reporting and compliance features sufficient?

  3. Comparisons

    1. How does Aikido compare to our existing stack / provider? And to others we’ve seen?

    2. How does Aikido’s pricing and terms compare? Are they fair and reasonable?

    3. How does Aikido’s security issues reporting compare to others - does it “noise cancel” effectively versus others?

  4. Support

    1. Is there sufficient and good quality support for me and my team?

    2. Are the response times and quality of responses reasonable and good?

    3. Does my team feel comfortable and trust the work of Aikido’s support teams?

  5. Costs & ROI

    1. Is it a reasonably priced and good value-for-money product?

    2. Can I demonstrate ROI to my stakeholders and teams? Eg through increased security posture, reduced dev time on security issues, and better training?

    3. How does the ROI of Aikido compare to our existing stack / other vendors?

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