Many robot pilots end with a good demo and no decision. The pilot ran, the team liked it, and nobody could say whether it paid off. A 90-day pilot is long enough to learn something useful, but only if it is designed before the equipment arrives.
Week 0: set the baseline
Measure the current process first. Record the metrics you expect the robot to change: inventory accuracy, count frequency, labor hours per count, injury or near-miss rates in the area, or throughput on the lane in question. Without a baseline, a good result cannot be proven.
Pick a scope that can fail
Choose one zone, shift or process that is representative of the wider operation, not the easiest one. A pilot in the cleanest aisle proves little. Also decide what is out of scope, so the team does not quietly expand the pilot when results look good.
Write the success criteria before day one
- The metric that decides the outcome, with a target number.
- The minimum duration before judging, for example the last 30 days of the pilot.
- What happens if the target is missed, including who decides and what the next step is.
- What happens if the target is met, including the rollout plan and budget owner.
Review at 30, 60 and 90 days
Hold a short review at each checkpoint. Compare results to the baseline, log what went wrong and how it was handled, and decide whether the scope or the setup needs to change. Keep the review honest: a pilot that fails its criteria has still produced a useful answer.
If you want a pilot designed around your baseline and criteria, our team can scope one with you. A consultation is a good place to start.