leave with: a customer decision map and a defensible pilot measurement plan
allow: 45 minutes
define the problem at the point of use
describe the person or organisation facing the problem and the current response. is the proposed value a clearer operating decision, improved reliability, less waste or another measurable result? identify which outcome the customer can observe and what they can reasonably attribute to your product.
separate the industry trend from the specific opportunity. the iea’s energy and ai report examines both the electricity needs of ai and its possible applications in energy. that context can inform a question, but it does not establish demand for an individual venture. read the iea report ↗
find the buyer and the operating owner
map who sees the problem, who controls the relevant information or equipment, who approves changes and who pays. a useful product may still struggle if the benefit accrues to one party and the cost falls on another.
ask what the customer can change after using the product. a dashboard that reveals a problem needs a route to a practical action. explain who takes that action, how it fits the existing process and what happens when a recommendation cannot be followed.
make the pilot a test of value
- baseline: document the current operating situation and its measurement limits.
- proposed change: specify the decision or workflow the product would improve.
- comparison: agree how to distinguish the effect from other changes over the period.
- delivery: identify integration, support and on-site work, alongside the software.
- commercial result: establish who will judge the benefit and what would justify ongoing payment.
- responsibility: agree appropriate technical oversight and the limits of the test before work starts.
explain why value continues
our interest is in technology businesses with a credible recurring model. show what the customer needs after installation or an initial analysis: continued monitoring, useful decisions, workflow support or another recurring benefit. separate this from one-off implementation work.
explain the cost and dependence behind delivery. access to operational data, equipment relationships and local support may determine whether the model can scale. do not call a business repeatable until you can explain what changes for the next customer.
identify what travels to the next market
a south african starting point can expose an important problem. expansion still requires understanding the next buyer, operating environment, alternatives and requirements. distinguish reusable product capability from local work that must be established again.
we assess the intended impact and the business carrying it together. measurable benefit, continuing customer value and a credible international route matter more to our thesis than an energy label alone. the examples here are assessment questions, not a claim about lab2sky’s portfolio.
less electricity use is not automatically a product effect
worked example · illustrative
a fictional energy-monitoring pilot records lower electricity use in its second month. production volumes also fell and the weather changed. the team cannot attribute the full difference to its software. it first agrees a relevant baseline and comparison with the customer and a qualified technical lead.
what this changes: a dashboard is useful only if someone can make a practical decision from it. the pilot therefore tracks the recommended action, who could take it, what actually changed and the limits of the measurement. a commercial discussion also needs the buyer and ongoing delivery cost.
put it to work
allow: 45 minutes
leave with: a customer decision map and a defensible pilot measurement plan
- name the operating problem, the person who can act, the budget owner and the action your information would enable.
- define the baseline, measurement period and factors that could change the result independently of the product.
- agree safe test boundaries, authorised data access and the technical oversight appropriate to the actual installation.
- separate installation income from recurring service value. include integration, support and local delivery in the economics.
these are lab2sky’s working questions and assessment approach. examples are illustrative unless explicitly identified otherwise. how we write our guides