Why brilliant innovations often struggle to gain widespread societal acceptance 🚧

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When a new technology or product is introduced, not everyone starts using it at the same time. People adopt new things at different speeds. Let’s look at how this works, what the “chasm” is, why it matters, and how companies can overcome it to succeed.

What Is the Technology Adoption Lifecycle?

The technology adoption lifecycle shows how different groups of people start using a new product over time. It is shaped like a bell curve.

Figure 01: Technology Adoption Lifecycle


Table 01: How different groups adopt new technologies over time

This table shows how different groups adopt new technologies over time. It begins with a small group of Innovators (2.5%) who love trying new things first, followed by Early Adopters (13.5%) who are open to new ideas but need some proof. The Early Majority (34%) waits until the technology is proven useful, while the Late Majority (34%) adopts only when many others have already done so. Lastly, Laggards (16%) are the most resistant and often adopt technology last, if at all.

What Is the Chasm?

The chasm is a big gap between the early adopters and the early majority. Early adopters are excited by new things and are willing to take risks. The early majority, however, are more careful. They want to see that something really works before they use it themselves.
The reason for the chasm in technology adoption lies in the contrasting values and expectations of early adopters and the early majority.

Why does this chasm exist?

  • Different Mindsets
    Early adopters seek novelty and are comfortable with risk. The early majority wants proven solutions and values reliability over innovation.
  • Expectations
    Early adopters are forgiving of bugs and incomplete features, while the early majority expects a polished, complete product with robust support.
  • Scalability
    Early adopters are often niche users, but the early majority requires the product to scale both in terms of production and support infrastructure.
Many innovative products fail to cross this chasm.


Focus on a Niche “Beachhead” Market
Instead of targeting everyone, pick a specific segment where your product solves a pressing problem. Tesla started with luxury sports cars (the Roadster) for wealthy, tech-savvy enthusiasts before moving to broader markets.

Deliver the Whole Product Solution
Go beyond the core product to offer everything the early majority needs: support, training, integrations, and complementary features. Apple’s iPhone succeeded not just because of the device, but also due to the App Store, customer service, and accessories.



Figure 02: Whole Product Solution


Use Feedback Loops for Continuous Improvement
Gather user feedback and rapidly iterate to address concerns and improve the product. Mobile apps use in-app surveys and analytics to refine features and boost user satisfaction.


Tesla is a standout example of a company that successfully crossed the chasm in the electric vehicle (EV) market. It began with a niche focus, launching the Roadster to appeal to wealthy, tech-savvy early adopters who valued performance and innovation. With the introduction of the Model S, Tesla delivered a whole product solution offering not just a car but also a supporting charging network, regular software updates, and a premium user experience. This built trust and loyalty among early adopters, who became vocal advocates and helped influence the early majority. To further expand into the mainstream, Tesla launched the Model 3, targeting the mass market by addressing key concerns such as price, driving range, and charging infrastructure. This strategic progression led to widespread EV adoption and ultimately pressured the entire automotive industry to invest in electric mobility.

Google Glass represents a notable instance of a technology that ultimately failed to cross the chasm in the consumer wearables market. It initially targeted tech-savvy early adopters, known as "Explorers," who were eager to experiment with cutting-edge augmented reality and hands-free computing. While offering innovative features like voice commands and instant photo/video capture, its "whole product solution" was incomplete and fraught with issues: it lacked a robust app ecosystem, encountered significant privacy concerns from the public, and its high price made it inaccessible to the masses. Instead of fostering advocacy, early adopters often faced social stigma, being labeled "Glassholes," which actively eroded public trust and generated widespread skepticism rather than excitement. These fundamental issues prevented any meaningful expansion into the mainstream consumer market, as the product failed to address crucial societal and practical concerns beyond its initial novelty. Consequently, Google Glass was withdrawn from the consumer market, eventually pivoting to a much smaller, specific enterprise niche, rather than achieving widespread public adoption.



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