Become a Frontier Firm PoC
Why Frontier Firms?
Microsoft’s research and industry analyses show that becoming a Frontier Firm is one of the strongest competitive moves an
organization can make in an AI‑driven economy.
Frontier Firms aren’t defined by size or industry, they’re defined by mindset, ambition, and execution.
Reason |
What It Means |
Supported By |
|---|---|---|
| Higher ROI | 3× higher AI returns | microsoft.com |
| Better Performance | 71% of Frontier Firms thriving | linkedin.com |
| Scalable Intelligence | AI as a utility → unlimited capability | daveburrell.co.uk |
| Human‑led, Agent‑operated | Massive capacity gains without more headcount | assets-c4a...zurefd.net |
| Operational Resilience | Better governance, data, risk management | linkedin.com |
| Consistent AI Platform | Microsoft’s long‑term, evolving platform | cps.co.uk |
| Stronger Culture | Upskilled workforce, improved engagement | microsoft.com |
| Enterprise-Scale Impact | AI embedded across the entire business | microsoft.com |
Why “Become a Frontier Firm PoC”?
Customer Perspective
This PoC closes the gap, it:
- Grounds Copilot in clear roles, processes, and information architecture.
- Aligns AI use with Responsible AI and security.
- Gives leaders a confident, time‑bound plan to move from experimentation to impact.
AI adoption is outpacing
organizational readiness.
Leaders are asked to improve
decision‑making, reduce risk, and show ROI; fast.
Many teams pilot Copilot
without the structure, governance.
Workflows needed to turn
experiments into repeatable,
secure, and scalable outcomes.
This PoC closes the gap, it:
- Grounds Copilot in clear roles, processes, and information architecture
- Aligns AI use with Responsible AI and security
- Gives leaders a confident, time‑bound plan to move from experimentation to impact.
AI adoption is outpacing
organizational readiness.
Leaders are asked to improve
decision‑making, reduce risk, and
show ROI; fast.
Many teams pilot Copilot
without the structure, governance.
Workflows needed to turn
experiments into repeatable,
secure, and scalable outcomes.
Purpose of the PoC
- Assess your organization’s digital and AI maturity using the Frontier Firm model (100–500).
- Give leaders and teams hands‑on experience with Assistant‑first and Human–Agent teamwork in Microsoft 365 and Copilot.
- Design a target state for how your organization should work using modern collaboration, knowledge flow, and AI‑aligned practices.
- Identify and prioritize Copilot and agent‑based workflows tailored to your roles, scenarios, and business goals.
- Strengthen resilience, innovation, and operational performance through practical use of Microsoft 365, Copilot, and modern work principles.
- Provide a clear 0–90–180–365‑day roadmap with actions, KPIs, and Responsible AI governance.
- Support marketplace-ready adoption by filling the current gap for Frontier Firm-aligned PoCs on Microsoft Marketplace.
Engagement overview
Engagement length
4–6 weeks structured PoC,
delivered across four proven
phases:
- Baseline & Maturity Assessment
- Design & Scenario Prioritization
- Hands‑On Prototyping
& Pilot - Roadmap & Executive
Briefing
Target audience
Designed for business and technology leaders responsible for transforming collaboration, knowledge flow, and AI adoption, including:
- Executive leadership & digital
workplace owners - IT, security, and Responsible
AI stakeholders - Process owners and high‑impact roles in knowledge‑intensive
workflows - Pilot teams involved in real‑world scenarios and validation
Deliveries & expected outcome
- Frontier Maturity Assessment with score (100–500) and gap‑to‑goal insights
- Modern Work & AI Design Pack for Teams, SharePoint, Viva, and Copilot
- 3–5 validated Assistant‑First /Agent‑Based scenarios based on real processes
- KPI Dashboard (Secure Score, MFA, Copilot usage, metadata quality, DLP)
- Responsible AI Governance Framework with principles and guardrails
- Actionable 0–90–180–365‑day roadmap for adoption and scale
Prerequisites
- Frontier Maturity Assessment with score (100–500) and gap‑to‑goal insights
- Modern Work & AI Design Pack for Teams, SharePoint, Viva, and Copilot
- 3–5 validated Assistant‑First /Agent‑Based scenarios based on real processes
- KPI Dashboard (Secure Score, MFA, Copilot usage, metadata quality, DLP)
- Responsible AI Governance Framework with principles and guardrails
- Actionable 0–90–180–365‑day roadmap for adoption and scale
4–6 weeks structured PoC,
delivered across four proven
phases:
- Baseline & Maturity Assessment
- Design & Scenario Prioritization
- Hands‑On Prototyping
& Pilot - Roadmap & Executive
Briefing
Designed for business and
technology leaders responsible
for transforming collaboration,
knowledge flow, and AI
adoption, including:
- Executive leadership & digital
workplace owners - IT, security, and Responsible
AI stakeholders - Process owners and high‑impact roles in knowledge‑intensive
workflows - Pilot teams involved in real‑world scenarios and validation
- Frontier Maturity Assessment with score (100–500) and gap‑to‑goal insights
- Modern Work & AI Design Pack for Teams, SharePoint, Viva, and Copilot
- 3–5 validated Assistant‑First /Agent‑Based scenarios based on real processes
- KPI Dashboard (Secure Score, MFA, Copilot usage, metadata quality, DLP)
- Responsible AI Governance Framework with principles and guardrails
- Actionable 0–90–180–365‑day roadmap for adoption and scale
To ensure a successful PoC, the
organization should have:
- Designated pilot groups and clear process / project ownership
- Access to relevant Teams, SharePoint, and data sources for real‑world testing
- A security baseline enabling Copilot usage (MFA, DLP, access
- A defined change & communication lead for the pilot period governance)
- Willingness to test using real files, real processes, and real scenarios
Core Outcomes
Become a Frontier Firm PoC
Build a resilient, innovative, and adaptive organization with Microsoft 365 & Copilot.
KPI Framework, Responsible AI & Roadmap
A measurable and sustainable implementation plan, including KPIs (Secure Score, MFA, usage, metadata, DLP), Responsible AI guardrails, and a 0–90–180–365‑day roadmap for scaling modern work and AI adoption.Maturity & Readiness
Assessment
A clear evaluation of your digital and AI maturity using the Frontier Firm model (100–500), including strengths, gaps, and priority areas for improvement.
Assistant‑First &
Agent‑Based Scenarios
Three to five prioritized real‑world
scenarios showing where Copilot and AI agents can create measurable impact, validated with hands‑on exercises and real files.
Collaboration & Information
Flow Design
A practical design pack for how Teams, SharePoint, Viva, and Copilot should work together to support structured knowledge, collaboration, and communication patterns.
PoC TIMELINE
Become a Frontier Firm
The PoC is structured around five phases that define the focus of work. These phases may overlap as the engagement progresses.
Baseline
Maturity score, KPI baseline, interviews, gap analysis
Design
IA design, scenario prioritization, RAI guardrails, workflow patterns
Pilot
Copilot testing, prototypes, feedback loops, early dashboards
Extended Pilot
Expanded teams, feasibility testing, blockers, draft roadmap
Design
Final KPIs, governance, adoption plan, executive summary, and handover to line operations
These phases may overlap as the engagement progresses.
Week 1-2
Baseline
Maturity score, KPI baseline, interviews, gap analysis
- Setup the team with PoC team, stakeholders and active roles
- Mapping pain points/challenge and shadow-AI
- Prioritize scenarios
- Identify Business Case
- Conduct structured maturity assessment (Frontier score + gap chart)
- Run stakeholder interviews (leadership + high‑impact roles)
- Analyze current information flow (Solid/Liquid/Gas model)
- Baseline KPI extraction (Secure Score, MFA, usage, DLP posture)
- Establish PoC success criteria
Week 2-4
Design
IA design, scenario prioritization, RAI guardrails, workflow patterns
- Align on the “Why”
- Project & communication plan
- Prioritize activities
- Build target information architecture across SharePoint / Teams / Viva
- Create early prototypes of prioritized Assistant‑first and agent scenarios
- Create a role‑based competency plan using ADKAR
- Draft Responsible AI guardrails + data quality principles
- Run design workshops
- Validate business case assumptions with real data
Week 3-4
Pilot
Copilot testing, prototypes, feedback loops, early dashboards
- Guided Copilot sessions using real files and real processes
- Test Assistant‑first workflows with pilot groups
- Evaluate scenario feasibility (technical + organizational)
- Capture user feedback, friction points, risks, and opportunities
- Create prototype dashboards showing early improvements
- Document prompt patterns and emerging best practices
- Run coaching sessions for key roles (e.g., project managers, champions)
Week 3-5
Extended Pilot
Expanded teams, feasibility testing, blockers, draft roadmap
- Expand pilot from 1–2 teams → 3–5 cross‑functional groups
- Test Human–Agent teamwork patterns (e.g., review loops, automation)
- Validate business case with measurable early indicators
- Identify blockers to scale (skills, data, governance, security)
- Start drafting the 0–90–180–365 roadmap
- Start drafting the Responsible AI policy with risk assessment
- Consolidate findings into “What we learned so far” briefing package
Week 4-6
Design
Final KPIs, governance, adoption plan, executive summary, and handover to line operations
- Present Business Case to stakeholders
- Summarize lessons learned from PoC
- Identify risks/possibilities, blockers & challenges and mitigation plan
- Align on roadmap
- Finalize KPI model (Secure Score, MFA, usage, metadata, DLP)
- Define governance model (RAI, lifecycle, data quality)
- Build adoption plan with role‑based pathways
- Produce PoC summary for leadership
- Deliver final report
Book Become a Frontier Firm PoC
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