Ideas progress in stages, with the initial stage being the ‘new idea’, often met with resistance and scepticism. Over time, these ideas gain traction, moving from ‘fringe’ to ‘cutting edge’, then ‘successful’, and eventually becoming the ‘standard’. The progression doesn’t stop there; what was once a standard can become ‘common’, then ‘expected’, and finally ‘required’.
However, the progression can also go in reverse. Ideas can move from being ‘required’ to merely ‘expected’, then ‘common’, ‘standard’, and back to ‘successful’. The decline continues to ‘cutting edge’, ‘fringe’, and finally, the idea becomes ‘obsolete’.
This cycle of idea adoption is not only applicable to products or services but also to cultural norms and societal expectations. Understanding this progression can be instrumental in predicting how an idea will fare in the market or society. It can also aid in determining the right time to introduce a new idea or when to let go of an old one.
The progression of ideas is not linear, and the stages are not set in stone. An idea can leapfrog stages or get stuck at a particular stage. Furthermore, the same idea can be at different stages in different markets or societies. Recognising the fluidity of this progression is crucial to successfully navigating the world of ideas.
Go to source article: http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2015/09/how-idea-adoption-works-the-idea-progression.html