MENTAL MODEL · M3650

Technology Adoption Lifecycle

BehaviorHigh supportPsychology

Included

Updated 2026-07-31

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INTRODUCTION

English translation pending.

CORE DEFINITION

Derived from Everett Rogers' diffusion of innovations and popularized for business by Geoffrey Moore, the lifecycle segments buyers into innovators, early adopters, early majority, late majority, and laggards. Each segment buys for different reasons, and the transition between early adopters and the early majority forms a chasm that most products never cross.

SCAFFOLDING EFFECT

psychology

Reduce cognitive load

- Segment targeting: name precisely which adopter group you are selling to right now and why. - Chasm crossing: shift the pitch from technical novelty to proven practical utility for pragmatists. - Reference selling: convert lighthouse customers into concrete evidence that cautious buyers can verify.

anchor

Anchor fast decisions

Buyers adopt in waves according to risk tolerance and peer influence, which splits one market into psychologically distinct segments. Enthusiasts chase novelty while pragmatists demand reliability and proof from peers, so the same pitch that wins early adopters stalls at the gap before the mainstream.

MINIMUM ACTION

In progress 0/1

Practice this model in one real situation:

Identify which adopter segment your current traction actually comes from. 2. Win innovators with technical vision and direct access to the team. 3. Convert flagship customers into reference proof for pragmatists. 4. Scale through channels and word of mouth once the mainstream starts to move.

Check to track your progress (stored locally)

Learning progress0%

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Source support: Explicit

link
en.wikipedia.orghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technology_adoption_life_cycleZH · Explicit
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