Back to planner home
Menu

Save your progress

Customise your Planner, collaborate with colleagues, track step status, and add notes.

Track your trial

Forgot your access link?

Click here
Illustration Triangle Illustration Triangle
Trial initiation

Pilot processes and documentation

In this pre-trial stage, clinical trial teams test and refine systems, processes and documents.

The pilot stage of a clinical trial, also known as a pilot study or pilot trial, precedes the launch of a full-scale trial. This early stage typically lasts a few weeks. It involves a limited number of participants (often ten or fewer) who test or provide feedback on various aspects of the trial, including the intervention being tested, the trial design and processes, or relevant documentation.

With the insight and evidence this stage provides, the research team is able to refine their protocol, optimise procedures, allocate resources and address potential challenges early on. This level of preparation can increase the likelihood of success and impactful outcomes later in the trial.

A pilot stage or study will help you ‘beta’ test multiple aspects of your trial, from your data management systems to your documentation and communication with participants. It will allow you to map your participant pathway from recruitment and screening to enrolment.

You may also gain insights into the length and scope of the overall trial, which may be shortened, lengthened or otherwise modified depending on the pilot data.

External resources

A curated list of resources from trusted sources on the web.

Save your progress

Customise your Planner, collaborate with colleagues, track step status, and add notes.

Track your trial

Forgot your access link?

Click here