PROOF Over Process: A Better Mid-Market Framework

This leaves them in a tough situation — failure isn’t an option, but traditional approaches aren’t designed to help them avoid it. Mid-market companies end up wasting $500K–$2M annually on failed transformation initiatives.

Through the decade he spent building Limestone Digital, Mark has figured out how mid-market companies can get the customized treatment they require without taking on enterprise-level risk they can’t afford.

Key takeaways:

• The methodology-heavy approaches used by large consulting firms might work for enterprises, but they don’t always align with mid-market budgets and timelines.
• Using the PROOF Framework, mid-market companies can select partners who deliver the custom solutions they require while avoiding enterprise-level risk.
• Companies that modernize quickly using this outcome-focused approach can deploy AI at scale while competitors remain trapped in digital transformation.

Wandering without a destination

When mid-market companies partner with large consulting firms for their modernization projects, they often find themselves working within the methodology-heavy approaches these firms are built to deliver. 

These firms naturally focus on their proven methodologies rather than specific business outcomes. For example, Mark highlights the widespread emphasis on the Agile methodology. This approach breaks transformation into smaller chunks, focusing on short sprints, progress visualization, frequent team check-ins, and regular reviews to guide future phases.

A process focused on rapid development and continuous improvement can be highly beneficial. But without a specific goal, even the most sophisticated methodology can become counterproductive. It makes it difficult to know how projects are progressing, when they’re complete, and if they are delivering the intended value. 

Many mid-market companies find themselves in contracts guided by established frameworks but without specific success criteria. These open-ended agreements might work for enterprises. However, for mid-market companies, they can inadvertently lead to extended development cycles that consume resources without delivering concrete business value. 

“You start pivoting and pivoting without a huge amount of thought,” Mark observes. “And then you end up having invested a ton of resources without anything to show for it.”