Bridget McCormack on Avoiding “Pilot Purgatory” At American Arbitration Association

Why It Matters

A structured, metrics‑driven innovation pipeline turns costly pilots into scalable solutions, accelerating AI‑enabled dispute resolution and delivering measurable client value.

Key Takeaways

• AAA uses a funded innovation platform to vet pilot ideas.
• Structured funnel filters 100+ concepts to enterprise‑value projects.
• Metrics focus on operational impact and client value creation.
• Failed pilots inform decisions to license versus build technology.
• Partner selection crucial for trustworthy multi‑agent dispute‑resolution system.

Summary

Bridget McCormack explains how the American Arbitration Association (AAA) sidesteps the dreaded “pilot purgatory” by embedding experimentation within a formal, funded innovation platform. The organization treats every new concept as a candidate in a structured funnel, moving ideas from ad‑hoc testing to enterprise‑grade solutions through clear stages and governance.

The AAA’s funnel has already evaluated more than a hundred proposals, using a predefined set of metrics that prioritize operational impact and client value. Those metrics help decide which pilots merit further investment, which should be abandoned, and which can be licensed from external vendors. The process also surfaces hard‑won insights about the firm’s technical capabilities and strategic gaps.

McCormack highlights concrete examples: “We had over a hundred ideas suggested… some didn’t make it through our funnel, and that’s okay.” She stresses that the ultimate goal was to build a trustworthy multi‑agent system capable of delivering transparent, reasoned awards in disputes, a task that demanded a carefully chosen technology partner.

For other enterprises, AAA’s disciplined approach demonstrates that a funded, metric‑driven innovation pipeline can turn experimental pilots into scalable, revenue‑generating products while minimizing waste. Selecting the right partner for core technologies further ensures that the final solution meets both reliability and regulatory expectations.

Original Description

Bridget McCormack, president and CEO of the American Arbitration Association (AAA), explains how the organization avoided “pilot purgatory” and moved from experimentation to enterprise-wide impact. She discusses the leadership and strategic focus required to turn promising pilots into scalable, lasting results.

Read the full interview here: https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/quantumblack/our-insights/modernizing-a-100-year-old-business-model-with-ai

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