- Published
- 8 October 2026
- Last reviewed
- 8 October 2026
State what the trial should reveal
A trial needs a question that can change a decision. Describe the work, the proposed technology and the uncertainty you want to examine. Avoid running a trial simply to produce a positive demonstration.
In the fictional example, a team considers an AI assistant for first drafts of internal summaries. It wants to learn whether a reviewed draft is useful compared with its current template-based approach.
Define scope and permissions
Specify the participants, fictional or approved inputs, period and tool environment. Confirm the responsible owner and the permissions needed. Keep the trial separate from a decision to deploy more widely.
State what the trial may not do, such as sending a message or updating a live record automatically. Agree how a participant can stop the exercise and who will review a problem. Operational trials need the organisation’s own assurance process.
Measure the whole task
Plan to record drafting time, review time, corrections and remaining issues. Define a consistent way to compare the options. A faster first draft may not reduce the total effort needed to produce a usable result.
Use several fictional examples, including an unclear input. Record differences in the test conditions and avoid claiming a general benefit from a small practice sample. Include feedback about usability and confidence in the review process.
Decide and document the next step
Summarise the observations, limitations and unresolved questions. Decide whether to stop, adjust or seek approval for further investigation. Identify the decision maker, action owner and review date.
Download the template and complete it with fictional observations. Keep an intended benefit separate from a measured result. This template supports learning and discussion, not certification or an automatic approval to introduce a technology.
Source and practice note
NIST AI risk-management resources provide general context for evaluating AI use. The original RDE trial template can also support discussion of other emerging tools. The fictional examples and exercises are original RDE learning material.
Cover image: AI-generated illustrative scene created specifically for this resource.
Download and complete the exercise
Download the editable Word document
Printable PDF and editable Word document. Version 2.0, 8 October 2026. Personal and internal organisational adaptation permitted with Jefferson Otonbara Imgbi author credit retained.