Pilot Paralysis: When do we See the Scale?

Housing providers are tasked with constantly identifying and implementing new technologies and practices that can unlock the next level of efficiency, and higher levels of satisfaction for their residents. As such, pilots are a large part of the industry landscape, and a prevalent way for providers to continue to analyse the benefits of new strategy before investing precious time and resources in a full-scale roll out. However, as sector resources continue to be spread thin, a common condition has become more and more prevalent, often referred to as “pilot paralysis”.

What is pilot paralysis?

Pilot paralysis is a common term used to summarise the sectors tendency to identify solutions that return promising results when trialed across a small number of homes or residents, but the lack of a following scaled-up rollout. The phenomenon is particularly prevalent when discussing emerging technologies and digital advancements, even those that are not necessarily budget-intensive. Although stretched resources are certainly a factor, cultural and systemic issues are also key barriers to taking the lessons learned on a small sample or case study and applying the benefits across a wider element of the housing stock.

A report from the Disruptive Innovator Network (DIN) last year examined the dangers of pilot paralysis in relation to IoT technology, a technology the report argued had already demonstrated its beenfits to the sector, but had yet to be implemented at any degree of scale. The authors, Matthew Gardiner and Dr Philippe Demougin, described a sector “alive with potential, but stretched, fragmented, and searching for a way through.”

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“It’s not a technology problem,” the authors wrote. “It’s a systems problem.” Without strategic alignment, clear ownership and staff capacity to act, even the best innovations risk becoming “expensive white elephants – useful in theory, but marginal in practice.”

Stop Piloting, Start Doing

Housing Executive: Future Foundations will be hosting a panel discussion dedicated entirely to the prevalence of pilot paralysis in the sector, and how can providers can ensure that their innovation sees widespread improvements across their housing stock, rather than limiting the benefits to a single case study or sample size. The panel will feature a number of professionals combining in-depth knowledge of both the social housing and technology sectors.

Stop Piloting, Start Doing — AI, IoT and Visualisation is the second talk taking place in Zone Two: Tech, Data & Innovation at the conference, and will bring together Dave Loudon, Housing Partner at Triple Value Impact and the founder of Digital Bark, Phil Pemberton, Asset Management Consultant and formerly part of Riverside Group and James Bowes, Founder of Confurr. The panel will be chaired by Stewart Davison, founder of the Proptech Peer Group, MD at Elehan Consulting and Vice-chair of Elim Housing Association, and the discussion promises to be an engaging one, covering mature solutions that have resulted in tangible benefits and the obstacles that can often stand in the way of scaled-up implementation.

You can find secure your space at Housing Executive: Future Foundations here, and find our interview with the curator of Zone Two Stewart Davison here.