The Pilot Paradox: Everyone wants change—yet hardly anything changes

At the regular meeting of the AG-CommTech Cluster on Organization & Processes, Christina Rettig presented findings from her dissertation. Her key observation: Companies are investing heavily in digital initiatives, AI pilots, and innovations—yet work practices and organizational structures rarely change permanently. In an interview, she explains why digital transformation often remains at the pilot stage, what role communication plays in this, and why communicators will be increasingly in demand as change architects in the future. .

AG CommTech: Christina, you mention the “pilot paradox.” What exactly is that?

Christina Rettig: The “pilot paradox” describes a contradiction that many organizations are familiar with: Digital transformation is demanded, promoted, and highlighted everywhere. At the same time, surprisingly little of it becomes permanently embedded in the organization. There are pilot projects, prototypes, and successful individual initiatives. But when you take a closer look, the question arises: What has actually changed in terms of work practices and decision-making processes? This is precisely where things often turn out to be surprisingly thin on the ground.

AG CommTech: That sounds like a sobering assessment.

Christina Rettig: Yes and no. First of all, you have to distinguish between digitization and transformation. Not every digital initiative is necessarily transformative. If a team uses AI or automation to make an existing process more efficient, that’s perfectly legitimate. Transformation only begins when the ways people work together change. And it’s precisely this step that is often not taken.

AG CommTech: For your dissertation, you studied companies in the pharmaceutical industry. Why this industry in particular?

Christina Rettig: Because it actually has the ideal conditions for transformation. The pharmaceutical industry invests enormous sums in research and development, operates on long-term innovation cycles, and has an excellent network. In addition, regulatory agencies now actively support digital innovations. From a theoretical perspective, one might have expected this industry to drive digital transformation particularly successfully.

AG CommTech: Did this expectation prove to be true?

Christina Rettig: Surprisingly, no. Companies are investing heavily in new technologies. AI, data platforms, and automation solutions are at the top of the agenda. But processes are only adjusted when they hinder the use of technology. Governance focuses primarily on risk minimization rather than enabling innovation. Investments tend to go toward individual projects rather than fundamental infrastructure. And organizational changes are often avoided for as long as possible.

AG CommTech: Why?

Christina Rettig: The answer is surprisingly simple: The existing business model still works too well. As long as money is being successfully made with the established structures, the pressure to change is limited. After all, transformation initially means uncertainty. It challenges existing power dynamics. That’s why people often do everything they can to protect the existing system, while at the same time publicly claiming to be transformative.

AG CommTech: This brings to mind many discussions about the use of AI in communications departments.

Christina Rettig: Absolutely. There, too, we often see people experimenting with technologies while ignoring the actual consequences. New tools are relatively easy to implement. It becomes more difficult when roles and responsibilities need to be changed. But that is precisely where it is decided whether digitalization will actually lead to transformation.

AG CommTech: What patterns did you notice particularly often in the interviews?

Christina Rettig: Four points in particular caught my attention. First, transformation is often communicated very aggressively by executives, while resources and leeway are allocated much more cautiously. Second, real progress often arises informally—through personal networks or chance encounters between committed individuals. Third, new impetus often comes from smaller, more agile players. And fourth, pilot projects tend to remain on the periphery of the organization, while the core business remains as untouched as possible.

AG CommTech: This raises the question: What role does communication play in this context?

Christina Rettig: A much greater one than many organizations realize today. Communication isn’t just responsible for explaining or highlighting transformation. It can help clarify the actual consequences of change. Who will take on which responsibilities in the future? Which routines will have to be abandoned? What new skills will be needed? These questions are often asked too late, even though they are crucial to success.

AG CommTech: During the discussion, the traditional distinction between communication, HR, and change management was called into question.

Christina Rettig: And rightly so. Many companies still treat these areas as separate worlds. In practice, however, they are intertwined. When we talk about new roles, new forms of collaboration, or new leadership requirements, we automatically find ourselves at the intersection of communication, change, and human resources development. The interesting question, therefore, is not: Who is responsible for this topic? But rather: How can we successfully shape it together?

AG CommTech: What does this mean, specifically, for communications departments?

Christina Rettig: That they need to broaden their self-concept. The future lies less in producing messages and more in empowering other stakeholders. Communication is increasingly becoming an enablement function. Communicators facilitate dialogues, develop narratives, support leaders, and help teams establish new ways of working. This requires different skills than traditional sender-receiver communication.

AG CommTech: Which skills are becoming more important?

Christina Rettig: Moderation, facilitation, strategic consulting, and the ability to work on an equal footing with business units and executives. Anyone who wants to guide change must understand the language of business. It’s no longer enough to simply develop communication strategies. You have to understand the dynamics of a transformation and be able to actively shape them.

AG CommTech: If you could give communications professionals just one piece of advice—what would it be?

Christina Rettig: Don’t just focus on the technology. Most organizations engage in intense discussions about tools, platforms, and applications. But the real challenge lies in the consequences. Those who address questions about new roles and workflows early on significantly increase the likelihood that a pilot project will actually lead to transformation.

AG CommTech: And when will the pilot paradox be overcome?

Christina Rettig: When a pilot project is no longer viewed as an experiment, but as a starting point for genuine organizational change. The success of a digital initiative is not measured by whether the technology works. It is measured by whether people work differently, make decisions differently, and whether the organization develops new capabilities on a lasting basis.