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Getting to Pilot-Ready (in Six Weeks)
EDU A011S

Course Information

Description

IIn this 6-week module, students will be introduced to a streamlined approach to organizing successful Pilot Programs that can spearhead innovation. This approach is heavily influenced by principles, theories, and best practices espoused in the Lean Startup, Continuous Discovery, Design Thinking, Backward Design, and the Diffusion of Innovation. The processes supporting product definition, validation, iteration, impact measurement, and speed-to-market are essential to be able to gather meaningful data, fine-tune product design, optimize go-to-market strategies, attract early adopters/influencers, and work towards sustainable, scalable change. This course gives students a playbook for planning a successful Pilot Program in formal and informal learning environments.

The Pilot approach that we will be using can be applied to ed-tech, digital tools, or media-based products, as well as new services, curricula, or programs. Students will have an opportunity to participate in “live” case studies with expert change makers/entrepreneurs, role-play pilot scenarios with peers, experiment with a variety of AI productivity/generative tools, test data collection methods, strategize pilot customer support options, and preview/discuss plans as they evolve. We will cover the advantages, challenges, dependencies, and potential risks related to piloting on location and/or online. Finally, we will review communication strategies that help to set expectations with pilot participants, keep sponsor/funder informed and engaged, facilitate monitoring of pilot issues/progress, capture compelling stories/testimonials, collect relevant data/insights, convert a pilot to a sale, and ultimately ensure satisfactory results for all involved. At the conclusion of this course, students will be ready to launch a well-orchestrated Pilot Program with a personalized Pilot Playbook.

School Graduate School of Education
Credits 2
Cross Reg

Available for Harvard Cross Registration

Department Education
Course Component Lecture
Instruction Mode In Person
Subject Education
Grading Basis HGSE Student Option (Letter Graded, Sat/Unsat)
Learning Goals The focus of this course is on experiential and product-focused learning experience. (Note; The term "product" in this context is meant to be generic- encompassing a range of possibilities e.g.: ed-tech tools, web apps/platforms, teacher resources, curricula/courses, workshops, media, games, services, programs, and physical educational objects.) Students will be introduced to and practice a streamlined approach to organizing a successful Pilot Program for new education products in formal/informal learning environments that draws from recent research, business strategy, and best practices utilized successfully in multiple industries worldwide that can be tailored to promote education innovation. Each step of the approach, students will be encouraged to consider mulitple perspectives as they define priorities, make choices, and refine plans. Through experimentation and reflection, students will gain new insights about the capabilities, affordances, and issues associated with utilizing AI productivity and generative tools. By the end of six weeks, each student (working individually or as a team) will have a personalized Pilot Playbook ready to implement as well as a deeper understanding of potential pilot strategies, risks, challenges, and opportunities.
Career Focus This course is designed to meet the needs of educators and entrepreneurs at all stages of their practice, who seek to bring innovation into formal and informal learning environments. For entrepreneurs, this will be an opportunity to create a strategic plan and prepare for a beta trial or pilot introduction of your product in a school or district or other organization using the latest tools, techniques, and best practices. If you’re interested in entrepreneurship, but don’t have a product idea or prototype yet, that’s OK. You can team up with the other student(s) who are further along in their entrepreneurial journey. For school leaders or teachers acting as change agents, you will be ahead of the curve and prepared to host the next Pilot Program in your school or district. By joining a team in our class or individually making plans to introduce a product into your organization, you’ll gain a deep understanding of the strategic planning process, critical success factors, potential pitfalls/risks, and mitigation strategies involved in organizing a successful Pilot Program within your organization.