APN Partner Case Study Kit FAQ...................................... 2 Examples… .......................... 3 Anatomy of a Case Study… ..4 Case Study Templates… .......5 1 FAQ FAQ Q: What is a customer reference? A: A customer reference is a marketing asset in which a customer speaks positively about a partner. A reference can take many forms, including case studies, video testimonials, blog posts, summary statements, etc. Q: What is a case study? A: A case study is a written document that explores a customer challenge, a partner solution, and the benefits of that solution. It is a type of customer reference. Q: What does AWS require in a case study? A: Individual AWS programs will provide details about specific requirements for case studies. Case studies should be identified in writing to AWS as being either public (can be shared with public audiences) or non-public (can only be shared with AWS and its third-party auditor for the purpose of the audit or demonstrating to AWS that the partner is meeting program requirements). Q: Why should partners create case studies? A: Case studies showcase the value that partners offer to customers. Case studies are key for partners to establish rapport and credibility with AWS and its customers. Additionally, APN partners may leverage their case studies to attract new customers. Case studies demonstrate how partners maintain a strong AWS-based practice as well as their ability to deliver for customers. Q: How does the APN use partner-created case studies? A: The APN requests partner-submitted case studies to gain a comprehensive and detailed understanding of partners’ customer engagements, problem-solving, and deployment of AWS services. When fulfilling tier requirements or applying for a new Competency or Service Delivery designation, partners submit case studies. The relevant APN team and auditors review these case studies. They verify that the partner has built a functional ecosystem, solution, or workload area. The teams review the AWS Well-Architected framework to ensure that customers have the most secure, high-performing, resilient, and efficient infrastructure possible. Private diagrams and case studies will not be used for any marketing purposes or external use. The AWS Sales organization may show public case studies to customers. 2 Examples Here are some examples of partner-created case studies: Crowdskout – Click here to read Mesosphere – Click here to read Siemens – Click here to read Autodesk Forge – Click here to read Here are some examples of case studies created by the AWS Partner Network References team: Crayon – Click here to read Salesforce – Click here to read Xebia – Click here to read Klika Tech – Click here to read 3 Anatomy of a Case Study We recommend that partner-created case studies include the following information: Executive Summary - 3-5 sentences Briefly describe the customer’s business. Summarize the customer challenge, the partner solution, and the benefits of the solution. About the Customer - 1 paragraph Describe the customer’s business and industry. Customer Challenge - 1-4 paragraphs Describe the customer’s business challenge or IT need. Explain what might happen if the challenge were not addressed. Why AWS - 1-2 paragraphs Explain why the customer chose to use AWS as the cloud platform for its solution. Why the Customer Chose the Partner - 1-3 paragraphs Explain why the partner was uniquely qualified to take on the customer challenge. Describe why the customer chose to engage with the partner. Partner Solution - 2-6 paragraphs Detail how the partner solved the customer challenge. Include the primary AWS services used in the solution and how they are used. (Optional) Include architecture diagrams. Results and Benefits - 1-4 paragraphs Describe the outcome of the solution. IMPORTANT: Provide specific metrics about the benefits of the solution. For example, include the amount time that the customer saved, the percent reduction in the customer’s IT costs, etc. Next Steps (optional) - 1 paragraph If the partner and customer plan to continue working together, describe their plans. About the Partner - 1 paragraph Describe the partner’s business and industry. Include mention of any APN programs that the partner is part of as well as their tier level and type (Technology or Consulting). 4 Case Study Templates 2- page case study template - Click here to download 3- page case study template - Click here to download 4- page case study template - Click here to download 5
