Definition of Feasibility Studies

Definition of Pilot Studies

Everitt [6]

Essentially a synonym for pilot study.

A small-scale investigation designed either to test the feasibility of methods and procedures for later use on a large scale, or to search for possible effects and associations that may be worth following up in a subsequent larger study.

Thabane, et al. [7]

Feasibility studies are routinely performed in many clinical areas. It is fair to say that every major clinical trial had to start with some piloting or a small scale investigation to assess the feasibility of conducting a larger scale study

‘A pilot study is synonymous with a feasibility study intended to guide the planning of a large scale investigation’

Eldridge, et al. [8]

’In our framework, pilot studies are a subset of feasibility studies, rather than the two being mutually exclusive’.

 ‘A feasibility study asks whether something can be done, should we proceed with it, and if so, how’.

A pilot study asks the same questions but also has a specific design feature:

In a pilot study a future study, or part of a future study, is conducted on a smaller scale.

NIHR [9]

Feasibility studies are pieces of research done before a main study in order to answer the question “Can this study be done?”. They are used to estimate important parameters that are needed to design the main study. The design of a feasibility study generally involves listing those parameters which are uncertain and describing the methods for improving their precision so that the main study will have a better chance of success’.

‘Feasibility studies do not evaluate the outcome of interest; that is left to the main study. Feasibility studies for randomised controlled trials may not themselves be randomised. If a feasibility study is a small randomised controlled trial, it does not necessarily need to have a primary outcome or power calculations. Instead, the sample size is often used to estimate the critical parameters (e.g. recruitment rate) to the necessary degree of precision’.

‘Pilot studies are a version of the main study that is run in miniature to test whether the components of the main study can work together. It is focused on ensuring that the processes of the main study (e.g. recruitment, randomisation, treatment, and follow-up assessments) all run smoothly. It will therefore resemble the main study in many respects, including an assessment of the primary outcome.