Resources · Free Guide · Email Required

Your first AI pilot.
Done right.

Most first pilots fail because they're scoped too broadly, measured too loosely, or abandoned before anyone learns anything. This guide is built to prevent that.

01
Choose
02
Scope
03
Build
04
Decide
What's Inside

A pilot that ends with a decision, not a demo.

Most AI pilots stall because the team never agreed on what they were trying to prove. This playbook fixes that before you build anything — a clear path from use case selection through measurement, and a framework for what comes next.

It also covers how most pilots fail, and what to do about each one before it happens to yours.

✓
Six criteria for choosing the right first use case
✓
Eight-element pilot scope document template
✓
Week-by-week build and deploy checkpoints
✓
Seven common failure modes with prevention guidance
✓
Expand / Continue / Pivot / Stop decision framework
✓
Milestone tracker ready to fill in before you start
Four Phases
01
Days 1–15
Choose the Right Use Case
Confirm the use case against six criteria. Score it against alternatives. Name the owner. Define success in one sentence.
Output: Scored use case with written rationale
02
Days 15–30
Scope the Pilot
Write the scope document. Confirm data access. Capture the baseline. Define what would cause you to stop before you start.
Output: Approved scope document + baseline metrics
03
Days 30–60
Build and Deploy
Build the minimum that produces a signal. Get to real users fast. Instrument before launch. Build for the decision, not the demo.
Output: Working system with real users and usage data
04
Phase 4
Measure and Decide
Measure against the baseline. Run the structured review session. Make the call: Expand, Continue, Pivot, or Stop.
Output: Written results summary + decision on record
The Playbook Includes

Seven ways AI pilots die. And how to avoid each one.

Most pilots fail in predictable ways. The playbook names them directly and tells you what to do before each one becomes yours.

01
The use case was chosen for the wrong reason.
Political pressure, vendor enthusiasm, and executive excitement aren't selection criteria. Phase 1 gives you a framework that is.
02
The scope was never written down.
Verbal agreements fall apart under pressure. If the scope document was skipped, every Phase 3 decision will be contested.
03
Success was never defined.
If you can't state the success criteria in one sentence before Phase 2 ends, you won't be able to evaluate the pilot at Phase 4.
04
The pilot was built for a demo, not a decision.
A pilot that looks good in a presentation but produces no measurable impact is a proof of concept. The goal of a pilot is a decision.
05
Real users were involved too late.
Internal testing tells you whether it works. Real users tell you whether it matters. Get to real users as fast as you safely can.
06
The data wasn't ready.
Discovering in Week 5 that the data needs six weeks of cleanup is a scoping failure. Data access must be confirmed in Phase 2, not Phase 3.
07
No one owned the decision.
A pilot that ends without a clear decision is a pilot that failed. Name the decision-maker before you start and get them in the room for the Phase 4 review.
📋

Take the full playbook with you.

13 pages covering all four phases, the failure modes, the decision framework, and a milestone tracker to fill in before your pilot begins.

Download the Playbook (PDF) →

No spam. We may follow up with recommendations based on where you are in your AI journey.

13 pages. Free to use and share.

Before the Playbook

The playbook assumes you have already picked your use case.

If you're still deciding which AI opportunity to pursue, start with the Use Case Scoring Template. It produces a ranked shortlist before you commit to anything. If you're not sure your organization is ready to run a pilot at all, start with the AI Readiness Assessment.

Browse All Resources
Resource · Interactive Tool
Use Case Scoring Template
Score your AI opportunities by value, feasibility, and risk. Walk out with a ranked shortlist before you commit to a pilot.
Assessment · Free · Interactive
AI Readiness Assessment
Five dimensions, fifteen questions, instant results. Find out where your organization actually stands before you start building.
Workshop · Full Day
AI Opportunity Workshop
Takes your scored use cases and produces a concrete pilot plan with owners, timelines, and success metrics.
Want a partner, not just a playbook?

Want someone in the room while you run it?

We work alongside teams during pilots, not just before them. Use case selection through the Phase 4 decision. That's exactly what we do.

Book a Strategy Call