Pilot Design & Evaluation for Law Firms

Define the Decision First

Before the pilot begins, leadership should know what decision the pilot is intended to inform.

Should the firm purchase the product? Expand access? Refine the workflow? Apply the technology to a particular practice?

That decision shapes every aspect of the pilot design.

The Evidence Model

Capture More Than Opinions

Effective pilots gather evidence from multiple perspectives to inform a clear recommendation. A satisfaction survey alone rarely tells leadership what it needs to know.

Usage DataHow frequently and in what ways are pilot users engaging with the solution?

Task PerformanceDoes the technology produce useful results on representative work?

User FeedbackWhat do users report about their experience, confidence, and willingness to continue?

Business FitDoes the solution align with the firm's workflows, systems, governance, and strategic direction?

Together, these four channels create a more reliable basis for decision-making than any single measure.

At the end of the pilot, Crestpoint helps synthesize findings and identify the appropriate next move:

ExpandReady for broader deployment

RefineHas merit but needs adjustment

RetestNeeds different users or conditions

ReconsiderEvidence does not support moving forward

Pilot Design Elements

User Selection

A pilot group should reflect the people who will eventually use the technology. Balance champions, skeptics, practices, and experience levels so feedback is more useful.

Real Work Scenarios

Artificial demonstrations rarely reveal how a product behaves in practice. Define realistic use cases and test scenarios based on actual legal work.

Evaluation Criteria

Establish what success looks like before the pilot begins so the results can inform a clear recommendation.

Timeline & Structure

Define the duration, checkpoints, and feedback mechanisms that keep the pilot on track and producing useful evidence.

Pilot Design & Evaluation