By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
SmartData Collective
  • Analytics
    AnalyticsShow More
    data-driven image seo
    Data Analytics Helps Marketers Substantially Boost Image SEO
    8 Min Read
    construction analytics
    5 Benefits of Analytics to Manage Commercial Construction
    5 Min Read
    benefits of data analytics for financial industry
    Fascinating Changes Data Analytics Brings to Finance
    7 Min Read
    analyzing big data for its quality and value
    Use this Strategic Approach to Maximize Your Data’s Value
    6 Min Read
    data-driven seo for product pages
    6 Tips for Using Data Analytics for Product Page SEO
    11 Min Read
  • Big Data
  • BI
  • Exclusive
  • IT
  • Marketing
  • Software
Search
© 2008-23 SmartData Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: The Technology Adoption Life Cycle
Share
Notification Show More
Latest News
ai in software development
3 AI-Based Strategies to Develop Software in Uncertain Times
Software
ai in ppc advertising
5 Proven Tips for Utilizing AI with PPC Advertising in 2023
Artificial Intelligence
data-driven image seo
Data Analytics Helps Marketers Substantially Boost Image SEO
Analytics
ai in web design
5 Ways AI Technology Has Disrupted Website Development
Artificial Intelligence
cloud-centric companies using network relocation
Cloud-Centric Companies Discover Benefits & Pitfalls of Network Relocation
Cloud Computing
Aa
SmartData Collective
Aa
Search
  • About
  • Help
  • Privacy
Follow US
© 2008-23 SmartData Collective. All Rights Reserved.
SmartData Collective > Uncategorized > The Technology Adoption Life Cycle
Uncategorized

The Technology Adoption Life Cycle

PhilSimon
Last updated: 2010/05/06 at 11:57 AM
PhilSimon
6 Min Read
SHARE
- Advertisement -

Contents
Which type of organization is most likely to be on the left side of TALC? Which type of organization is most likely to be on the left side of TALC?


I have spent time this week working on new piece for Cutter on emerging technologies such as cloud computing and MDM. Interestingly, I returned to a tried and true concept: Technology Adoption Life Cycle (TALC). For those of you unfamiliar with TALC, Wikipedia defines it as a model that

- Advertisement -

…describes the adoption or acceptance of a new product or innovation, according to the demographic and psychological characteristics of defined adopter groups. The process of adoption over time is typically illustrated as a classical normal distribution or “bell curve.” The model indicates that the first group of people to use a new product is called “innovators,” followed by “early adopters.” Next come the early and late majority, and the last group to eventually adopt a product are called “laggards.”

While enterprise technologies have certainly changed in my fifteen years of working with them, one question continues continues to intrigue me:

More Read

4 Signs It’s Time for a New IT Project Manager

What Lessons Can IT and Analysts Learn from the Cinema Industry?
Enterprise 2.0 Pilots
HP Investing in the Cloud
Is Twitter Dying?

Which type of organization is most likely to be on the left side of TALC?

To simplify matters, I’ll place all organizations into three categories:

  • The Struggling Organization
  • The Self-Sufficient Organization
  • The …

- Advertisement -


I have spent time this week working on a new piece for Cutter on emerging technologies such as cloud computing and MDM. Interestingly, I returned to a tried and true concept: Technology Adoption Life Cycle (TALC). For those of you unfamiliar with TALC, Wikipedia defines it as a model that

…describes the adoption or acceptance of a new product or innovation, according to the demographic and psychological characteristics of defined adopter groups. The process of adoption over time is typically illustrated as a classical normal distribution or “bell curve.” The model indicates that the first group of people to use a new product is called “innovators,” followed by “early adopters.” Next come the early and late majority, and the last group to eventually adopt a product are called “laggards.”

While enterprise technologies have certainly changed in my fifteen years of working with them, one question continues continues to intrigue me:

Which type of organization is most likely to be on the left side of TALC?

To simplify matters, I’ll place all organizations into three categories:

- Advertisement -
  • The Struggling Organization
  • The Self-Sufficient Organization
  • The Adventurous Organization

Note that economic conditions mean that all bets are off. Many successful organizations these days lack the funds for many desirable or even necessary technological improvements.

The Struggling Organization

Over the course of my career, I’ve had many discussions with people about the challenges that their organizations face implementing new systems and why so many projects failed to hit their marks. While by no means a definitive list, consider the following:

  • the difficulty of gathering comprehensive system requirements during the discovery phase
  • the dynamic nature of requirements
  • the inevitable scope creep and resultant problems during IT projects

Issues like these have plagued both organizations for years. What’s more, they continue to manifest themselves during many (if not most) major IT projects. As a result, organizations that have historically struggled with enterprise systems will rarely—if ever—be on the left of TALC. If anything, they are the very definition of laggards.

The Self-Sufficient Organization

- Advertisement -

Often I’ll assist organizations begrudgingly upgrading systems. In these cases, the motivation is clearly the stick, not the carrot. For these organizations, previous implementation issues and future enhancements to their apps just don’t matter now (as well as in the short- and mid-terms). These types of organizations are going live in a few weeks and the focus is very much on what needs to happen to continue paying employees, running financial reports, and the like. Only well after the dust settles will “future enhancements” be broached.

In terms of TALC, organizations “getting by” are usually reluctant to take the lead on a new but largely untested technology. You’ll most likely find them in the early to late majority of TALC.

The Adventurous Organization

Then there are organizations that want to be on the leading edge–or perhaps need to be, based on some business reason. They have the following:

  • sufficient financial resources
  • sufficient human resources
  • a “risk-tolerant” culture
  • a compelling business need

These organizations are more likely to implement a largely untested technology and be on the left side of TALC. As an added incentive, at times, software vendors are willing to work with “beta clients” by providing free or heavily discounted resources. In exchange, the vendor will be able to promote the product’s implementation as a successful case study.

- Advertisement -

Conclusion

Organizations that have had problems implementing and maintaining their systems tend not to be early adopters. In other words, financial, cultural, and political reasons place the vast majority of organizations squarely in the middle of the curve. When walking is a challenge, it’s hard to imagine running.

Feedback

What do you think? Are there are other reasons that organizations often take a “wait and see” approach?

Photo from Wikipedia.

The Technology Adoption Life Cycle is a post from: Phil Simon

TAGGED: enterprise technology, it projects, technology adoption life cycle (talc)
PhilSimon May 6, 2010
Share this Article
Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn
Share
By PhilSimon
Phil Simon is a recognized technology authority. He is the award-winning author of eight management books, most recentlyAnalytics: The Agile Way. He <consults organizations on matters related to communications, strategy, data, and technology. His contributions have been featured on The Harvard Business Review, CNN, The New York Times, Fox News, and many other sites. In the fall of 2016, he joined the faculty at Arizona State University’s W. P. Carey School of Business.
- Advertisement -

Follow us on Facebook

Latest News

ai in software development
3 AI-Based Strategies to Develop Software in Uncertain Times
Software
ai in ppc advertising
5 Proven Tips for Utilizing AI with PPC Advertising in 2023
Artificial Intelligence
data-driven image seo
Data Analytics Helps Marketers Substantially Boost Image SEO
Analytics
ai in web design
5 Ways AI Technology Has Disrupted Website Development
Artificial Intelligence

Stay Connected

1.2k Followers Like
33.7k Followers Follow
222 Followers Pin

You Might also Like

4 Signs It’s Time for a New IT Project Manager

4 Min Read

What Lessons Can IT and Analysts Learn from the Cinema Industry?

7 Min Read

Enterprise 2.0 Pilots

4 Min Read

HP Investing in the Cloud

3 Min Read

SmartData Collective is one of the largest & trusted community covering technical content about Big Data, BI, Cloud, Analytics, Artificial Intelligence, IoT & more.

AI and chatbots
Chatbots and SEO: How Can Chatbots Improve Your SEO Ranking?
Artificial Intelligence Chatbots Exclusive
giveaway chatbots
How To Get An Award Winning Giveaway Bot
Big Data Chatbots Exclusive

Quick Link

  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Follow US

© 2008-23 SmartData Collective. All Rights Reserved.

Removed from reading list

Undo
Go to mobile version
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?