Why begin with a few
A federated program should be tested and refined before it is rolled out across the organization. A small number of pilot teams serve as a proof of concept. They validate the approach, reveal problems early, and allow adjustments while changes are still cheap.
Their results are also the evidence that persuades everyone else.
Four criteria
- Criticality. Choose areas that matter to the organization's operations or objectives, where better risk management delivers a visible benefit.
- Feasibility. Choose areas where the approach can be introduced without major disruption or heavy demands on resources.
- Engagement. Choose teams whose people are supportive. Their participation and feedback decide whether the pilot succeeds.
- Representativeness. Choose areas that resemble the rest of the organization, so that what is learned applies elsewhere.
Taken together, these point to high-impact, low-risk areas.
Willing people first
At the start, engagement deserves particular weight. Where this approach was first developed, the early adopters were unit IT directors who had said they wanted to help solve the problem.
Their feedback shaped the method and the tools, and word of their success brought other units in.
Running a pilot
- Define clear objectives, and the measures that will show whether they were met.
- Adapt the program's framework to the pilot area, while keeping it aligned with the overall approach.
- Give the people involved the training and support they need.
- Monitor progress against the measures and adjust as you go.
- Gather feedback from participants on what worked, what was hard, and what they would change.
Keep communication open throughout. Regular updates on progress and results build trust and a sense of shared ownership.
Three habits
- Start small and scale gradually. Begin with a few pilots and widen the scope as the approach proves itself.
- Encourage experimentation. Let people try new approaches and learn from what fails as well as from what succeeds.
- Celebrate and share. Publicize successes and good practice across the organization as they appear.
Pilot teams are new to this work and need help to begin. Supporting New Teams describes what to provide.