pilot program

A new idea at a large company that either management has no faith in it being successful (hence they implement it on a small scale) or is a brilliant idea that one unit can convince management to do (although management will take the credit when it goes company-wide). Either way the folks running the pilot program will receive the least support and the utmost scrutiny from supervisors and jealous snarkyness from their coworkers. Much like real test pilots although there is less chance of death (usually).