← Field Ready by Jason Landers
Mutual Action Plan
POV MAP Builder
Build a real Mutual Action Plan for your active evaluation. Fill in what you know, generate the document, and share it with your AE and customer. Takes about 5 minutes.
Why this MAP is built the way it is
One sentence for the objective.
Most MAPs open with a paragraph of context that nobody finishes reading. If you can write the POV objective in one sentence, the scope is right. If you can't, it isn't. The customer and the AE should be able to read it and know immediately whether this evaluation is tracking to what they actually care about.
Every criterion needs an owner.
Criteria the SE writes are the SE's to prove. Criteria the customer writes are theirs to validate. That distinction determines the entire tone of the results conversation. When ownership is assigned upfront, you move from "we believe we demonstrated this" to "you agreed this was the bar."
Ask them to write the criteria with you.
The moment a customer edits even one criterion, they own the evaluation. Their internal credibility becomes tied to whether the POV succeeds. That is when a champion gets activated. Most SEs miss it because they show up to kickoff with a finished template instead of a half-empty one.
Milestones are sorted chronologically.
When milestones are in date order, both sides can see at a glance whether the evaluation is on track. Out-of-order milestones get skimmed and ignored. Enter dates as you go and the builder handles the sorting.
Most MAPs skip the Definition of Done entirely.
"We will review results and decide" is not a definition of done. A real one names the meeting, the attendees, the person who owns the decision, and what the next step is when they reach it. Without that, the evaluation ends whenever the customer decides it ends, which is rarely the moment you want.
Write the escalation path before you need it.
Something goes wrong in every POV of any complexity. A blocker, scope creep, a stakeholder who goes quiet. When both sides have agreed in advance how to handle it, the response is depersonalized. It becomes a process issue rather than someone's fault. That distinction saves relationships.
Separate contact entries for SE and AE.
When the customer's primary contact needs to escalate something, they need to know whether to reach the SE or the AE. A single "vendor team" entry creates ambiguity that costs real time. People work with people, not org charts.
Send the draft before kickoff, not after.
Send a version with the criteria sections partially empty and ask the customer to fill them in on the kickoff call. That one move changes how both sides treat the document. Most SEs never do it.
1
Deal Basics
One sentence. What specific problem is this evaluation proving you can solve?
Get an AI prompt for this
Paste into Claude, ChatGPT, or Gemini
I need to write a one-sentence POV objective for an evaluation with [COMPANY NAME].
Step 1 -- Check connected sources first:
Search any sources you have access to before using my notes below:
- My email or calendar for messages from [COMPANY NAME] contacts describing what they are trying to solve
- Any CRM records, call notes, or account documents that capture the problem they described in their own words
- Any discovery call transcripts or recordings for this opportunity
Step 2 -- Use my notes to fill gaps:
[PASTE YOUR DISCOVERY NOTES, CALL NOTES, OR OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION]
Write a single sentence that:
- Names the specific technical or business problem being evaluated
- States what success looks like in measurable terms if possible (e.g. reduce, eliminate, prove, demonstrate)
- Is written from the customer's perspective, not the vendor's
- Avoids product names and feature language
Example format: "Prove that [solution] can [specific outcome] for [team/context] within [timeframe]."
Give me 2-3 options and I will choose the most accurate one.
If the customer helped define the scope, their words should anchor this sentence.
2
Success Criteria
Co-created with the customer
Each criterion should be specific and measurable. If you can't define what "pass" looks like, neither can the customer.
3
Key Milestones
The dates and owners that keep this evaluation on track. Include both technical milestones and decision checkpoints.
4
Key Contacts
5
Customer Logo (optional)
Link to the customer's logo image. Will appear in the PDF header. Use a publicly accessible URL (e.g. from their press kit or website).
6
Additional Notes (optional)
Anything else to include in the MAP. Background context, agreed scope boundaries, special terms, links to related documents.
7
Definition of Done
The specific moment when the evaluation ends and a decision is made. Not "the trial ends" -- a defined review meeting with an owner.
Get an AI prompt for this
Paste into Claude, ChatGPT, or Gemini
I need to write a Definition of Done for a POV with [COMPANY NAME].
Context:
- POV end date: [DATE]
- Champion name and title: [NAME, TITLE]
- Executive sponsor: [NAME, TITLE if known]
- What we are proving: [PASTE POV OBJECTIVE]
Step 1 -- Check connected sources:
If you have access to my email, calendar, or CRM notes for this account, check whether we have already discussed or agreed to a review meeting or decision process with the customer. If so, use that as the basis.
Step 2 -- Draft from context above:
Write a Definition of Done that:
- Names the specific review meeting (date, attendees, format)
- States who will present the results and to whom
- Defines what happens next after the review (next step if positive, next step if not)
- Uses plain, professional language the customer could read and agree to
Keep it to 2-4 sentences. Specific and concrete, not vague.
A good Definition of Done names a meeting, not just a date. If you haven't agreed on one yet, this prompt will help you draft a proposal to share with the customer.
If something goes wrong during the POV (blockers, scope creep, silence), who resolves it and how?
Get an AI prompt for this
Paste into Claude, ChatGPT, or Gemini
I need to write an Escalation Path section for a POV Mutual Action Plan with [COMPANY NAME].
Context:
- SE on our side: [NAME]
- AE on our side: [NAME]
- Customer champion: [NAME, TITLE]
- Executive sponsor (if known): [NAME, TITLE]
- Likely risk areas: [e.g. technical blockers, security review delays, stakeholder availability, scope changes]
Write an escalation path that covers:
1. How technical blockers are handled (who owns them, timeframe to resolve, when to escalate)
2. How scope changes or additions are managed (who must agree before proceeding)
3. What happens if communication goes quiet for more than [X] days
4. The escalation chain on both sides if something cannot be resolved at the working level
Write it in plain language that both sides can read and agree to. Keep it practical and specific -- not a legal clause, but a clear working agreement. 3-5 sentences is enough.
The escalation path works best when it's agreed before problems arise. Consider sharing this section with the customer's champion before kickoff.
Mutual Action Plan
● Active Evaluation
POV Objective
Success Criteria
| Criterion | Owner | Status |
|---|
Key Milestones
Key Contacts
Definition of Done
Escalation Path