Many enterprises benefit substantially by completing a technology pilot before signing a service provider's contract. However, the test must include measureable objectives and ensure business unit requirements are met. Here are the recommended actions needed to successfully complete a pilot test based on the experiences of one medium-sized IT group:
- Construct the test document and validate it with participants.
- Break the pilot test into a series of clear action items.
- Assign a project leader to track testing and coordinate tasks.
- Test key SLA guarantees to ensure they are achievable.
It is not atypical for a technology choice to pass enterprise technical requirements but still fail to provide the requisite business benefits. As a result, Company Y focused on ensuring the pilot met their technical needs and supported their new video applications.
