Piloting without flying by the seat of your pants

The pace of change in training in recent years has been frantic and shows no signs of slowing. There have been many innovations in methods of delivery, as straightforward lectures give way to distance learning, company‐based training or individualized contract learning. Learners are often organized into networks and expected to take responsibility for their own development. New ways of assessing training programmes are common. Innovations are usually tested in pilot programmes, to assess the effectiveness of the new design. Most successful pilot programmes have key characteristics in common. Describes what they are.