Reimagine: Pilot Projects

When was the last time you were involved in a successful pilot project? (A small-scale initiative that is used to explore the viability of an idea.)

Maybe you’re thinking, “I’ve never been a part of a pilot project that was actually successful!” 

Unfortunately, pilot projects–a great way to test out new ways of working–frequently putter out, whether from not giving the pilot enough time or attention, or not measuring the results of the pilot correctly.

Today, I’m going to address the top reasons why pilot projects fail, and hopefully convince you why pilot projects are effective tools for workplace change–if done correctly!

And keep reading to see what I’d have to say to my children’s future employers (today is “Take A Child to Work Day” and the kids are spending it with Andy at the Pentagon!)

What is a pilot project, anyway?

A pilot project is a project management tool that allows leaders to test out change on a small scale before implementing a new way of doing something organization-wide. Whether it’s a new product, a change in org structure, or a shift in working hours or location, pilot projects allow leaders to manage the risk of a big change.

Take Hybrid Work as an example. Instead of implementing sweeping changes about where-to-work company-wide, leaders might try out a hybrid approach with just one division or team. That allows them to address any issues and work out kinks before making a change permanent. 

Pilot projects sound like a great tool for organizational change–and they are! So why do pilot projects often cause more headaches than they solve?

Not even trying. Too often, organizations identify a problem or see an area that could use improvement or a new approach. But piloting something new feels overwhelming, and they assume that whatever they try just won’t work. It’s akin to saying “our employees would love the flexibility of distributed work, but we have too many other fires to put out–we just can’t tackle a change that big right now.” The idea fails before the organization even gives it a try.

The “wing and a prayer” approach. Every pilot project needs an individual or small team designated to lead, guide, and monitor the pilot project. But often, orgs simply say “try this new approach!” without giving teams the resources they need to be successful. Creating a pilot project point person can go a long way to keep the pilot going instead of fizzing out or running into too many roadblocks.

No measurement is bad measurement. All pilot projects need clearly defined metrics by which the pilot will be measured as a success or a failure. Whether the metrics aren’t defined in the first place, or the organization fails to gather data throughout the pilot, they’re left with a “feeling” about whether or not the new approach worked but no actionable data to make an accurate assessment.

Mixing up pilot failure vs. idea failure. This one is super important: just because the pilot project failed doesn’t necessarily mean the idea, change, or new approach was a failure. A poorly-run pilot could mask the benefit the change could actually bring to the organization, which a well-run pilot would revealed. Likewise, a pilot project can be run really well, but the change isn’t actually what’s best for the larger organization - that doesn’t mean the pilot project has to be considered a failure. There’s even a third option: you really need to find small changes or adaptations to address what isn’t working instead of implementing sweeping change.

Finally, the most important way to ensure a successful pilot project turns into a successful change for your organization is to continue to encourage adaptation. No pilot project is going to be perfectly replicable across an entire organization, and an ongoing openness to adapting will help you take the idea from pilot to wide-scale change successfully.

Working Well and Living Well

While my kids are at “Take A Child to Work Day” with their dad, and I have a few minutes of quiet, I’d like to share some ideas for what I hope to see when they step into the workforce - this was inspired by Erin Grau at Charter and you can read more letters from other parents at a link below. 

Dear Future Employer of My Children,

As a mother, I've spent countless hours helping my children learn the value of balance.

• not just the joys of balancing on the playground

• or balancing their desires with the needs and wants of other people 

• but the similar always-adjusting dance of juggling work and life with grace

None of those things will ever be perfect, but if my children are fortunate, they will have the opportunity to engage in each of those honorable pursuits for a long time (good fun, healthy relationships, meaningful work!).

To be clear, I want these things not just for my children but for all of our children, who are really a shared responsibility.

First and foremost, let's talk about the pace of work. We have such important problems to solve in the world - we can’t afford to waste a minute.

But by that, I do not mean that we should rush and panic and never rest.

We are only going to achieve our greatest goals by working at them sustainably: by acknowledging that humans aren’t machines, that we can work hard, but we can’t work endlessly; that we damage our people and hurt our mission by expecting people to work so ineffectively.

There are so many exciting things going on in the world - solutions we’ve never thought possible, ability to connect with people we never could have dreamed of meeting.

So, dear future employer, let's not stop at token nods to all this potential: let's actively unlearn, undo past wrongs, and create a workplace where everyone is valued and heard - one balanced step at a time.

Let’s not wait until today’s children are in the workplace to make these things a reality. We have critical things to work on - everyone deserves better systems, a better planet, and a more human workplace where they can experience work as one, of many, important parts of their whole lives.

Reimagining how we work is possible, it is within reach, and it is necessary today.

Mothers certainly aren’t always right, but in this case, I’m pretty sure I am.

Signed,

Elizabeth Knox - Mom to Everett (11), Elena (8), Dorothea (8), Jack (9)

You can read more letters from other parents at this link

P.S. Follow me on LinkedIn for more insight about reimagining how we work and live!