An evaluation pilot test refers to a trial of several aspects of the process with individuals or groups of people who resemble those expected to be included in the final evaluation. According to Bastable, these include a trial of the data collection process, analysis plan, and the instruments used in the evaluation process. The timing of the pilot should be appropriate so as to ensure that the results reflect those of the real evaluation. As such, it should be as near as possible to the actual evaluation but offer enough time for the results to be analyzed so as to ensure that any issues that arise are solved adequately.
The importance of running a pilot test before the final evaluation is to identify any potential challenges that might arise. If any problems are identified during the pilot, the necessary steps to solve them are then taken when there is still enough time. When a pilot is not conducted, and the potential challenges are identified during the real evaluation, there might be a time constraint in coming up with the solution, and this may interfere with the results of the entire process. A pilot also offers an opportunity to observe the reaction of the intended audience following the results of the evaluation. By acting on the responses, appropriate ways of making the results more relevant to the target audience can be devised in this stage. The preparedness and capability of the evaluators to embark on the real evaluation are also gauged during the pilot test.