Pilotinitiatief

Pilotinitiatief is a term used mainly in Dutch-speaking policy and organizational contexts to describe a temporary, small-scale project designed to test a new idea, service, or policy before a wider rollout. The aim is to gather evidence on feasibility, effectiveness, and acceptability while limiting risk and costs. A pilotinitiatief typically has clearly defined objectives, a finite time horizon, a defined population or setting, and predefined success criteria.

In public administration, pilotinitiatieven are used to trial innovations such as digital public services, new forms of service delivery, or regulatory approaches. In the private sector and non-profit sector, pilots test product features, processes, or business models before scaling.

Process: identify problem and objectives; design the pilot with scope and metrics; obtain resources; implement in a limited setting; monitor progress with predefined indicators; evaluate results against criteria; decide on continuation, adjustment, or termination; plan for scaling where successful.

Key features include stakeholder involvement, data collection and privacy considerations, governance and accountability structures, and explicit exit or scaling criteria. Benefits include reduced risk, evidence-based decision-making, and learning. Limitations include context-specific results, limited generalizability, potential bias in selection, and the risk that pilots never scale.

Examples include pilots of shared digital identity, new care pathways in healthcare, or mobility experiments in cities. The term emphasizes learning and iterative improvement rather than permanent change.