When all of these factors are considered and the strategy is formalized, as a vital link in the greater business strategy and operating plans, the firm is ready to begin implementation. The execution plan that supports this phase should include setting up pilots for testing and verification. This technique will be covered in detail in Chapter 10. However, we advise that these pilots be well defined and relatively quick. Three months is usually more than adequate to test the pilot hypothesis and gain enough information to make adjusts to the deployment plan. To minimize the risk, these pilots could also include simulations of actual conditions, so real values can be determined before putting too much at stake. Acceptance or rejection will depend on documented results. With the accumulation of the test results, acceptance and rejection will be based far less on simple compliance and speculation and more on elements that support the new strategy and guarantee a reasonable return on investment.