What is Gartner Hype Cycle? No.1 Guide

Gartner Hype Cycle is a very important concept in the world of business and technology. It provides insight into how new technologies are adopted by organizations, allowing them to make more informed decisions about their investments.

In this blog post, we will explore what Gartner Hype Cycle is and why it matters. We will look at the different phases of the cycle and how companies can use it to their advantage.

Finally, we will provide a comprehensive guide on how to use the Gartner Hype Cycle in your business decisions. So, let’s get started!

What is Gartner Hype Cycle?

The maturity, adoption, and social effects of particular technologies are graphically represented by the Gartner Hype Cycle.

The hype cycle provides a view of how a technology or application will evolve over time, from the initial “trigger” or “innovation trigger” through the “peak of inflated expectations” and eventually to the “trough of disillusionment.” The cycle then repeats itself as the technology matures and becomes more widely adopted.

The hype cycle has been used by businesses to track the adoption of new technologies and make decisions about when to invest in those technologies. It can also be used by individuals to understand which technologies are likely to have the most impact on their lives and careers.

The Gartner Hype Cycle is updated annually, and the most recent version was released in August 2018.

How Gartner Hype Cycle work

The Gartner Hype Cycle is a graphical representation of the maturity, adoption, and societal application of specific technologies. The cycle is used as a tool to predict when technology will reach its peak in terms of public interest and excitement.

The phases of the Gartner Hype Cycle are:

1. Technology Trigger: This is the phase where new technology is introduced and generates buzz. This can be due to a number of factors such as new product announcements, media coverage, or industry reports.

2. Peak of Inflated Expectations: This is the phase where the hype around a new technology reaches its peak and expectations are often unrealistic. This can lead to disappointment when the technology fails to live up to its promises.

3. Trough of Disillusionment: This is the phase where interest in a new technology starts to wane as people become disillusioned with its capabilities. This can be due to a number of factors such as high costs, lack of features, or poor performance.

4. Slope of Enlightenment: This is the phase where people become more realistic about a technology’s capabilities and potential applications. This leads to a better understanding of how it can be used effectively.

5. Plateau of Productivity: This is the phase where technology has reached widespread adoption and is being used for its intended purpose(s).

How to Use Gartner Hype Cycle

The Gartner Hype Cycle is a graphical representation of the maturity, adoption, and societal application of specific technologies. The hype cycle provides a view of how a technology or application will evolve over time, from its initial development and release to its eventual decline.

The hype cycle is divided into five parts::

1. Technology Trigger: This is the point when a new technology is first introduced and begins to generate buzz. This can be due to a number of factors, such as news reports, product launches, or even word-of-mouth.

2. Peak of Inflated Expectations: This is when the hype around the new technology reaches its peak and everyone is talking about it. At this point, there are often more promises made about the technology than can be delivered.

3. Trough of Disillusionment: This is when the reality of the new technology sets in and people realize that it cannot live up to the hype. This can lead to disappointment and even cynicism toward the technology.

4. Slope of Enlightenment: This is when people start to understand how the new technology can be used in practical ways and begin to see its potential benefits.

5. Plateau of Productivity: This is when the new technology has become mainstream and is widely accepted and used in everyday life.

Advantages and disadvantages of the Gartner Hype Cycle

The Gartner Hype Cycle is a popular tool used by businesses and analysts to understand the maturity, adoption, and business application of new technologies. However, like all tools, it has its advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages:

1. The Gartner Hype Cycle can be very helpful in assessing where new technology is in terms of its development lifecycle. This can give businesses an idea of when to adopt the technology and also help them manage expectations.

2. It can also be useful in identifying potential risks associated with new technologies. By understanding where technology is on the hype cycle, businesses can make informed decisions about whether or not to invest in it.

3. The Gartner Hype Cycle can be a valuable source of information for businesses when making decisions about which technologies to invest in. By understanding the hype around new technologies, businesses can make more informed decisions about which ones are worth investing in and which ones may not live up to the hype.

Disadvantages:

1. The Gartner Hype Cycle is often criticized for being too simplistic and for not taking into account all the factors that can affect the adoption rates of new technologies.

2. It can also be difficult to predict how long a technology will take to reach the “peak of inflated expectations” stage on the hype cycle. This means that businesses may make incorrect assumptions about when a particular technology will become widely adopted.

3. The Gartner Hype Cycle is also not always an accurate representation of the real-world adoption rate of technology. While it can provide useful insights, it should not be used as the sole basis for making decisions about which technologies to invest in.

The 5 Phases of the Gartner Hype Cycle

1. Technology Trigger:

A technology trigger is a market event that generates significant press and interest, often creating a “buzz.” This can be the release of a new product or service, an innovative new use for existing technology, or even a business model change.

2. Peak of Inflated Expectations:

Once the buzz has reached its peak, the inevitable result is a period of disillusionment as people realize that the new technology doesn’t live up to the hype.

3. Trough of Disillusionment:

This is the stage where most new technologies fail, due to unrealistic expectations and disappointment with actual results.

4. Slope of Enlightenment:

As more information and case studies become available, those who are still interested in the technology begin to develop a better understanding of its potential and limitations.

5. Plateau of Productivity:

Eventually, enough people have started using the technology successfully that it becomes mainstream and reaches the plateau of productivity, where it becomes incorporated into everyday life or business.

Examples of Gartner Hype Cycle

Gartner Hype Cycle is a graphical representation of the maturity, adoption, and social impact of specific technologies. The cycle is used as a tool to monitor emerging technologies and trends and to make decisions about when to adopt them.

The Gartner Hype Cycle can be divided into five phases:

1. Technology Trigger:

This is the phase where a technology or application starts to generate buzz. This can be due to a new breakthrough or the successful implementation of a proof-of-concept.

2. Peak of Inflated Expectations:

In this phase, early adopters begin to implement the technology or application on a wider scale, and expectations around its potential growth. often leads to unrealistic expectations

3. Trough of Disillusionment:

As more people adopt the technology or application, it becomes clear that it cannot meet all of the hype surrounding it. This can lead to disillusionment among users, and many will abandon it altogether.

4. Slope of Enlightenment:

In this phase, those who remain using the technology or application begin to understand its benefits and limitations. A more realistic view of its potential emerges, and it begins to be adopted more broadly.

5 Handoff To Early Mainstream Adopters:

Finally, the technology or application reaches the point where it is ready for mainstream adoption by larger organizations.

Conclusion

The Gartner Hype Cycle is a powerful tool to help companies measure, predict and manage the successful adoption of new technologies.

By understanding where a technology is in its lifecycle, organizations can better plan their investments, identify opportunities for growth and develop strategies to maximize their return on investment.

We hope this guide has provided you with the information you need to understand how the Gartner Hype Cycle works and how it can be used as an effective tool for your business.