Cognitive Scaffold

Preparing your thinking workspace

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MENTAL MODEL · M4836

Disruptive Innovation

Disruptive Innovation
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Version 1.0.0 · Updated 2026-07-30

CORE DEFINITION

New technology initially appears with inferior performance but lower price and greater convenience, serving the low-end market ignored by the mainstream. As the technology improves, it gradually moves upmarket and disrupts the incumbents.

SCAFFOLDING EFFECT

psychology

Reduce cognitive load

Rise from the edge. Incumbents often ignore the low-end market (because of low profit), which is exactly the opportunity for disruptors. Do not confront incumbents head-on at the start; enter through overlooked niche markets and evolve gradually.

anchor

Anchor fast decisions

New technology initially performs below the mainstream but is cheaper and more convenient, serving the neglected low-end; as the technology improves along the S-curve, performance crosses the mainstream threshold and then moves upmarket, eventually displacing incumbents.

MINIMUM ACTION

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Source support: Explicit

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    en.wikipedia.orghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disruptive_innovationZH · Explicit
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