Crossing the Chasm

Based on the classic bell curve distribution of technology adoption, Crossing the Chasm is a concept for how different groups of customers are willing to adopt a new technology.

The Technology Adoption Life Cycle

• Innovators are technology enthusiasts. They actively pursue new products and technologies and are willing to sacrifice convenience or product performance.

• Early adopters, like innovators, are also visionaries. However, they do not pursue technology for its own sake; instead, they aim to achieve a breakthrough in business.

• The early majority are more pragmatic than early adopters. While they are generally open to innovation, they first want to see some proof that it is working.

The late majority is already conservative. They believe more in tradition than in progress and, hence, will rely heavily on established technology only.

• Finally, laggards are total skeptics. They avoid new technology whenever possible and worry about its unintended consequences.

While initially developed in the agricultural domain, the model has been widely adapted for many areas of technology.

Crossing the Chasm

As an extension of the above model, Geoffrey Moore emphasized the challenge that companies face when they are introducing disruptive innovations: They need to grow beyond just the early enthusiasts & visionaries and overcome the chasm to convince customers in the mainstream market:

To achieve that, it is important to deliver a holistic product experience rather than focusing on pure technology. The pragmatic customers of the early majority will demand products without any major flaws, with a well-designed experience and relevant complimentary services.

To increase the chances of success, a company should segment the target market, identify its ideal customer profile, and focus on these customers first.