1. Keep the first pilot short and facilitated
Do not leave participants to work out for themselves what they are expected to do. Guide them actively with our clear instructions. Lead them through two well-structured rounds and ask them directly how they experienced the process—this feedback is built into the dialogue.
2. Do not choose too small a group
In a real dialogue, not everyone will participate. If you invite only 10 to 20 people, the number of actual contributors may be too small to provide a realistic picture. Some people may leave the pilot to others, while others may not regard the topic as sufficiently important.
Invite enough people to obtain a meaningful picture and choose a topic that matters to them.
3. Keep the dialogue concise
Long dialogues and lengthy questionnaires discourage participation, especially when people are still becoming familiar with the method. It is better to choose a short dialogue with a limited number of clear questions—one, two or three questions may be enough.
Take the timing into account. When people’s attention is divided, such as just before holidays or during busy closing periods, you may need additional communication or a slightly longer response period. At the same time, experience shows that a specific and relevant topic can attract participants’ attention even during holiday periods.
4. Participate actively yourself
An empty or silent dialogue is difficult to get started. Give the pilot momentum by participating actively yourself, and do so several times. Include different types of contributions: short and long, critical and supportive, substantive and exploratory.
You can also import example contributions in advance, potentially drafted with the help of AI. This helps participants understand what is expected of them and creates momentum more quickly.
5. Manage the schedule manually
During the pilot, manage the schedule manually. This gives you control over the process and enables you to guide participants through the different stages.
Automation can become valuable later. During the pilot phase, however, it is more important to be able to adjust the process and respond immediately to what is happening.
6. Make the importance explicit
Ask a leader or project sponsor to explain in the invitation why the pilot matters. A personal appeal from within the organisation makes clear that participation is not an optional technical test, but part of a serious process.
7. Give precise instructions and invite people thoughtfully
Explain in advance what you expect from participants—for example, through a brief announcement before the invitation is sent.
There are several ways to participate in a pilot: via a QR code, a link or an invitation in the participant’s inbox. Your privacy officer will need to determine whether email addresses may be used or whether participants should receive only a generic dialogue link.
8. Move from trying to using
A good pilot does not need to prove everything. Its primary purpose is to show how the dialogue works for the functionalities you definitely need.
At a minimum, you will learn:
- How participants experience the method.
- What is needed to get participation started.
- Which questions invite people to contribute.
- How your organisation can facilitate the dialogue.
- What value the outcomes provide for the issue at hand.
From there, a logical next step emerges: first, a serious dialogue around one concrete topic; then, a sustainable collaboration; and ultimately, expansion within or beyond the organisation.
And one final tip: enjoy the process. It is wonderful to see what people can
