Model Context Protocol (MCP)

• You want interoperability across tools, models, and vendors.
• Security teams demand clear boundaries and auditing for tool access.
• Developer velocity is slowed by bespoke integrations.

Adopting MCP can cut integration time and reduce security review effort. PMs weigh ecosystem maturity versus custom control. It influences vendor flexibility and how quickly new data sources become available to agents.

Pilot MCP on low-risk tools first. Map roles/permissions, log every call, and maintain compatibility tests when upgrading providers. In 2026, use MCP adapters to swap tools without touching prompts, and include them in your eval harness to catch regressions.

A PM stack adopts MCP for analytics and ticketing tools. Integration time for new tools drops from 3 weeks to 4 days, and security reviews shorten because auditing is standardized.

• Assuming protocol compliance guarantees safety—still need permissions and validation.
• Not version-testing adapters, leading to silent breaking changes.
• Ignoring latency overhead introduced by the abstraction layer.