After an AI tool had been released for several weeks at a global insurance firm, employee feedback was reviewed by Laura Mitchell, Head of Enterprise…

The core issue is a lack of understanding among employees about the AI tool's purpose and its alignment with business objectives. This foundational communication, which sets the context and builds buy-in, is a critical component of the pre-launch phase. The pre-launch step is designed to prepare the organization by articulating the "why" behind the initiative. Failing to do so leads to the exact symptoms described: low trust and weak engagement, even when technical resources and launch-day instructions are provided.

A. Post-launch communication focuses on feedback, ongoing support, and sharing success stories, which occurs after the initial adoption problems have already surfaced.
B. Launch communication typically involves providing access, guides, and immediate support contacts, which the scenario states was done correctly.
C. Ongoing communication is for continuous updates and reinforcement, but it cannot fix a flawed foundation where the initial purpose was never established.

1. Rogers, E. M. (2003). Diffusion of Innovations (5th ed.). Free Press. The "Knowledge" stage of the innovation-decision process (p. 171), which precedes adoption, requires communication to explain what the innovation is and why it is beneficial. This aligns with pre-launch activities.

2. Kotter, J. P. (1995). Leading Change: Why Transformation Efforts Fail. Harvard Business Review. Step 3, "Create a Vision," and Step 4, "Communicate the Vision," are identified as essential early-stage activities to prevent resistance and ensure buy-in for new initiatives.

3. Microsoft. (n.d.). AI adoption and change management. Microsoft Adoption. The framework emphasizes that a key part of the "Envision" phase (pre-launch) is to define and communicate the vision and business case to all stakeholders.