Cognitive Scaffold

Preparing your thinking workspace

arrow_back_ios_new
MENTAL MODEL · M0738

Hockey Stick Effect

Hockey Stick Effect
BusinessHigh supportMarketing
Included
account_tree

Version 1.0.0 · Updated 2026-07-30

CORE DEFINITION

Refers to data that, after a long flat period (the blade), suddenly experiences a sharp turn and exponential growth (the handle), resembling a hockey stick.

SCAFFOLDING EFFECT

psychology

Reduce cognitive load

Identifying growth inflection points. It describes the growth trajectory of many successful companies (e.g., SaaS companies): heavy upfront investment and slow growth, but once a critical point is broken, returns explode. It encourages patience during the flat period.

anchor

Anchor fast decisions

The performance curve sharply rises at the end of a period (month-end/quarter-end/year-end), resembling a hockey stick. The mechanism comes from assessment deadlines, target stocking, and bonus-driven artificial concentration.

MINIMUM ACTION

In progress 0/3

Practice this model in one real situation:

Check to track your progress (stored locally)
Learning progress0%
account_treeGenealogyexpand_more
menu_bookReferencesexpand_more

Source support: Explicit

  • link
    wiki.mbalib.comhttps://wiki.mbalib.com/wiki/Hockey-Stick_EffectZH · Explicit
    verified

RELATED MODELS

Related model

Net Promoter Score, NPS

The Net Promoter Score is a market research metric, typically a survey questionnaire that asks respondents to rate the likelihood of recommending a company, product, or service to friends or colleagues. The questionnaire consists of a question and a score. The higher the score chosen by the user, the higher the likelihood of recommendation. The Net Promoter Score was first published in the Harvard Business Review in 2003.

arrow_forwardRelated model

Product-Market Fit, PMF

Popularized by Marc Andreessen

arrow_forwardRelated model

Unit Economics

In economics, a consumer unit is defined as either (1) all members of a particular household who are related by blood, marriage, adoption, or other legal arrangements; (2) a person living alone or sharing a household with others or living as a roomer in a private home or lodging house or in permanent...

arrow_forward