How to Execute a Successful Pilot Program
This is part two of a two-part series about evaluating and leveraging vegetation intelligence for utilities. This section walks through how to execute a successful pilot program to ensure long-term success in real world scenarios. Part one of this series covered how to assess different vegetation intelligence technologies and how to determine the right partner.
Once you’ve selected a vegetation intelligence technology and partner, the next step is put it to the test—and that’s where a pilot program comes in. It is crucial to look at a pilot program as more than a trial run—it’s an opportunity to observe how the solution works under real-world conditions. It is also a chance to test how well it integrates with your current workflows like work order management systems and outage management systems before implementing on a larger scale. Most importantly, it allows your team to understand how the solution can fit into your long-term goals, and support proactive decision making when testing use cases that can deliver the biggest operational impact. A successful pilot program is essential for ensuring your vegetation management strategy stays ahead of any challenges by identifying how workflows can be optimized and implemented on a larger scale.
Why pilot programs matter
Pilot programs validate real-world performance. They can help:
Validate the solution’s accuracy, actionability and scalability
Build confidence among stakeholders
Optimize your current workflows and address any roadblocks before full implementation
How to design an effective pilot program
Start with these four key steps to design your program.
| Steps | Important Considerations | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Define your goals and objectives. | Are you looking to optimize your vegetation management budget? Reduce insurance premiums? Document a wildfire mitigation plan? Tie your objectives to measurable outcomes. Are you hoping to achieve cost savings? |
| 2 | Choose pilot areas carefully. | For example, high-risk wildfire zones or storm-prone regions. Focusing on areas with a history of outages or regulatory scrutiny can provide unique insights. |
| 3 | Establish benchmarks. | Use metrics to measure the pilot’s impact. These could be outage reduction, resource allocation efficiency, or improved SAIDI/SAIFI scores can clearly show success. |
| 4 | Engage your stakeholders. | Involve your team, such as your field crews, arborists, and decision-makers early. Their feedback will be invaluable in assessing the technology’s ease of use and how it integrates into your current systems. |
Executing your pilot program
A well-considered pilot program collects data and tests the solution’s ability to deliver actionable results. During a pilot, OG&E used vegetation intelligence to reduce their storm preparation time from two days to 30 minutes, identifying 80 critical spans in half an hour.
Here are some things to consider when executing your pilot:
Does the tool reliably identify high-risk circuits or spans?
Are the insights easy to implement, and do they translate into effective field actions?
Can the solution handle more extensive networks or complex terrains if expanded?
Are your stakeholders informed throughout the pilot? Use visual reports to demonstrate progress and build confidence in the solution’s value.
Measuring success
Sho-Me Power, a transmission operator based in Missouri saved $600K by focusing on high-risk areas during their pilot program alone. This represented 75% of their vegetation management budget and allowed them to reallocate resources to critical areas. This shows that the success of a pilot also depends on precise, data-driven evaluation. Key metrics you can track include:
Cost efficiency: Was there a measurable reduction in vegetation management expenses?
Risk mitigation: How effectively did the solution identify and address high-risk areas?
Reliability: Did the pilot lead to fewer outages or improved grid resilience?
Planning for scale
One utility operations expert shared, “A successful pilot proves the value of the solution and builds a foundation for long-term collaboration and adaptability.” Once a pilot concludes, it’s time to reflect on what worked and how you’d like to move forward. Here are some options:
Identify areas where the solution excelled and refine current workflows to address the challenges discovered during the pilot.
Discuss how you can tailor the solution further based on findings made during the pilot and your workflow needs with your vendor.
The path forward
Challenges in the utilities sector are growing more complex with extreme weather, regulatory pressures, and aging infrastructure demanding innovative solutions. By leveraging vegetation intelligence technology, your team can shift from reactive to proactive management that enhances reliability, reduces risks and optimizes resources. Here’s how you can take the next steps to build a more resilient and efficient vegetation management program:
Assess your existing vegetation management workflows and identify areas for improvement. Are you relying on outdated cycles or lacking clear insights?
Sample multiple solutions and use a pilot program to test promising technologies in real-world conditions.
Look for a partner who offers long-term collaboration, actionable insights, and seamless integration with your existing workflows.
Build on the success of your pilot program by scaling the solution across your network and refining it to meet your changing needs.
These steps will future-proof your operations by helping a vegetation management program that positions your utility and team for success in an uncertain future.
If you’d like to read further, download the Playbook for Operationalizing Advanced Vegetation Intelligence to learn more from utility leaders at ATC, ComED, and OG&E on evaluating, integrating, and scaling vegetation intelligence in your operations.
If you missed part one of this series, read up on how to evaluate vegetation intelligence technology and partners to complement setting a pilot program up for success.
