Build on Vespa — Validate

Vespa POC

A focused proof-of-concept engagement that proves a specific retrieval approach works on your data before you commit to a larger build or migration.

How the scope is defined

One agreed proof point shapes the whole engagement

A POC is designed to validate a specific retrieval question, something your team needs to see working before making a larger commitment.

Before committing to a migration or a production build, teams usually have a narrowly scoped technical question that needs a real answer. The Vespa POC is a short, focused engagement built around that question.

The output is a working implementation scoped to that proof point or a small set of closely related checks. It is designed to answer a real technical question with evidence, not prolong the decision.

Everything in the POC serves that validation goal.

Hybrid search

Return relevant results on your catalog or dataset with the lexical and vector signals your use case actually depends on.

Ranking behavior

Validate that a rank profile behaves correctly for your specific query patterns before a broader implementation begins.

RAG retrieval

Prove that a Vespa retrieval pipeline can produce grounded answers on your document set before you build around it.

Real-time updates

Confirm that fast-changing attributes and signals influence ranking the way your product requires.
Two scenarios

Where the Vespa POC applies

Migration

You are running Elasticsearch, OpenSearch, Solr, or a combination of a vector database and search engine. Before committing to a migration program, you want a working demonstration that Vespa handles your specific retrieval requirement correctly.

Greenfield

You are designing a new AI search or RAG system. Before committing to a production build, you want proof that the retrieval approach works on your data.
What's included

A narrow build around one technical question

The POC stays intentionally scoped. It exists to validate one retrieval approach with evidence, not to become a disguised production program.

Proof point definition

Define the single proof point with your team before the engagement starts.

Scoped schema design

Design the Vespa schema only as far as the agreed proof point requires.

Representative data slice

Index a representative sample of your data rather than overbuilding the first iteration.

Retrieval implementation

Implement the retrieval pipeline required for the agreed use case.

Functional validation

Validate correctness on your queries, documents, or ranking behavior.

Findings summary

Close with a short summary of what worked and what the sensible next step is.
What you receive

Concrete outputs your team can evaluate

Working Vespa application

A working implementation scoped to the agreed proof point.

Walkthrough with your team

A review of what was built, how it behaved, and what was learned.

Implementation notes

Notes on the validated approach so your team can reason about the next step with evidence.

Recommended next step

A short findings summary with a clear recommendation on whether to move into migration, build, or further evaluation.
Package summary

A short, bounded validation engagement

The POC does one thing well: it shows that the retrieval approach you are considering actually works on your data before you build around it.

Typical duration

2–4 weeks

Scope

One agreed proof point

Output

Working Vespa implementation demonstrating the validated approach

Goal

Clear decision on build or migration
Engagement flow

Where the Vespa POC fits

Some teams arrive here after an audit. Others come directly with a clear technical question they need answered. Either way, the POC is the right step when proof is what is missing, not clarity on direction.

Evaluate

Migration Readiness Audit

Validate

Vespa POC

Deploy

Migration to Vespa or Build on Vespa

Some teams arrive here after a Migration Readiness Audit. Others come directly when they already know they want to test Vespa on their data before committing to a larger build or migration.

Migration Readiness Audit →Migration to Vespa →Build on Vespa →
Next step

Have a specific retrieval question that needs a real answer?

If one technical question is blocking a larger build or migration, the Vespa POC is the fastest way to answer it with evidence.

Vespa POC — one proof point, bounded scope, working implementation, recommended next step.
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