Table 2 Definitions for pilot and feasibility studies as articulated in our conceptual framework [1]

Feasibility study as defined in our framework:

Feasibility is a concept encapsulating ideas about whether something will work. A feasibility study asks whether something can be done, should we proceed with it, and if so, how?

Pilot study as defined in our framework:

A pilot study is a study in which a future study or part of a future study, is conducted on a smaller scale to ask the question whether something can be done, should we proceed with it, and if so, how?

Corollary: all pilot studies are feasibility studies but not all feasibility studies are pilot studies