AI Pilot Project — From Use Case to Go-Live in 6 Weeks
70% of all AI pilot projects in Mittelstand (German SMBs) never go live. Not because the AI fails, but because the scope, criteria, or responsibilities weren't clear. These five steps prevent that.
Step 1: Use Case with Measurable Pain
Bad: "We just want to try out AI."
Good: "Our support team answers 80 inquiries/day, each taking an average of 6 minutes. We want to reduce that to <2 minutes/inquiry."
Rule of thumb: If you can't express the pain in euros or hours, it's not a pilot — it's research.
Step 2: Success Criteria BEFORE Project Start
Define two numbers before any code is written:
"Quick Success" (A signal that the pilot is worth continuing)
"Scaling" (A signal that the pilot goes into full operation)
Example: Quick Success = 40% of inquiries resolved automatically. Scaling = 70%.
Step 3: Limit Scope to 4–6 Weeks
A pilot that lasts longer than 8 weeks is no longer a pilot — it's a disguised project. If you don't gain insights within 6 weeks, the use case was too broad.
Step 4: Clear Operational Responsibility
Who maintains it after go-live? Who checks if the AI is still providing accurate answers? Who shuts it down if something goes wrong? You need these three roles identified by name before the project starts.
Step 5: Realistic Budget — and Termination Criteria
Pilot fixed price with XH Group: starting from €4,900. More important than the price: the termination criterion. If the pilot fails to meet the Quick Success metric, it's shut down. No follow-up costs, no "let's continue for another 4 weeks" extensions.
Frequently asked questions
What happens if the pilot fails?
You'll receive a lessons learned report: What was the real bottleneck, why didn't AI work here, which alternative might fit. No well-run pilot is wasted time.
Do we need internal AI knowledge for a pilot?
No. You need a subject matter expert who knows the process and a decision-maker who can approve quickly. We bring the AI expertise.
How quickly will we see initial results?
First working version after 2–3 weeks, pilot evaluation after 4–6 weeks.
Contact
Let's talk about your AI project
30-minute free intro call. We'll review your use case and honestly tell you whether AI moves the needle here.