The Technology Adoption Curve Explained (Everything You Need To Know)

6/22/24, 11:14 PM The Technology Adoption Curve Explained (everything you need to know)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
What are the 5 Segments of Growth

Technology Adoption?
Ready to Boost
Crossing the Chasm - The Real
Challenge
The Product
Adoption?
Making your product appealing to
the masses
Technology
Frequently Asked Questions Adoption
Curve
What is the adoption curve
concept?
What is the most important part of

the adoption curve? Explained
(everything
Meet With Our
Onboarding
you need
Experts
#1 product adoption platform. to know)

Quick setup, lasting engagement. BOOK A CALL
Join 20k+ product

Written by people > Time
Read Published Date Updated
Suay Çakırca 13 min February 16, 2022 February 26, 2024
Home / Growth / The Technology Adoption Curve

Explained (everything you need to know)
In today's constantly evolving world, the

implementation of new technologies is an
Your Cookie Preferences essential part of the average growth process of

any business.
We use cookies to optimize our website and collect
statistics on usage.
Privacy policy Cookie policy However, no matter how much of an excellent
job you do with your implementation process,
Custom
Accept all
permissions sadly, it won't mean much if your target
https://userguiding.com/blog/technology-adoption-curve 1/19
6/22/24, 11:14 PM
audience fails to adapt to these changes. After
The Technology Adoption Curve Explained (everything you need to know)
all, it's always about the people you're trying to
serve.
TABLE OF CONTENTS So, in today's article, I'll be unpacking the notion

of technology adoption, how it works, its
What are the 5 Segments of
importance, and where it should stand during
your decision-making. Ready to Boost
Product
Challenge
It's going to be a hell of a ride so let's get to it Adoption?
the masses
and start from the very beginning- as you can
Frequently Asked Questions

tell by now, I don't like no sloppy work- where I

define the Technology Adoption Curve.
concept?
What is the
the adoption curve?
Technology Adoption Meet With Our

Onboarding
Curve? Experts
#1 product adoption platform.

Join 20k+ product people >
The technology adoption curve is a term used

to define a sociological framework that
demonstrates how different people ranging in
demographics and psychological characteristics
adopt and react to new technologies and
innovative products. In other words, it shows how
various groups of people adopt the technology.
Let's try to elaborate on that a little.
I'm sure you'll agree with me when I say that

change brings obstacles. Introducing innovative
technology is vital and typical for businesses to
6/22/24, 11:14 PM
survive in the current market, but that doesn't
necessarily mean that the process is easy.
However, many enterprises make it a lot more

TABLE OF CONTENTS difficult when they ignore that every group of
adopters consists of many different user
personas differing in terms of needs and
expectations, which is only natural and a part of Ready to Boost
Product
Challenge being human. Adoption?
the masses And it's also what shapes your responsibilities
Frequently Asked Questions here: if you want the new technology
What is the adoption curveimplementation process to be impactful, it's

concept? vitally essential for you to understand these
What is the most importantdifferent
part of groups of people since this approach
the adoption curve?
will help you build a solid business strategy that
will encourage your users to adapt and react to Meet With Our
Onboarding
the innovation as quickly as possible.
Experts
After this definition, I now feel like you're on the
same page with me. If you are, let me assure you
that you and I are not the only people who
Join 20k+ product peopleappreciate

> this knowledge. Let's dig a little
deeper and look at the history of the technology
adoption curve, how it came to be, & how it's
been used over the years.
Background
Geoffrey Moore, a theorist and a management
consultant from the USA, came up with
something what he called the adoption life
foundations, and Everett M. Rogers, an American
sociologist, updated the theory after 40 years
when he developed the idea of diffusion and
innovations (will be discussed in more detail
below) This theory argues that there are 5
different recipients with dissimilar needs and
6/22/24, 11:14 PM
wants regarding each service when being
introduced to new technologies.
These 5 recipients are Innovators, Early

TABLE OF CONTENTS Adopters, Early Majority, Late Majority, and
Laggards.
Technology Adoption? According to Rogers' theory, the technology
Ready to Boost
Crossing the Chasm - The Realadoption curve is all about these 5 recipients
Product
Challenge
and how they react to a new product. Here's the Adoption?
the masses
standard bell shape curve that displays the 5

recipients and where they stand during the

process.
concept?

the adoption curve?
Meet With Our

Onboarding
Experts

When you dig a little deeper into the theory's
history, you'll see that it's an extension of an
earlier model formerly named the diffusion
process, initially published in 1957 by Joe M.
Bohlen, George M. Beal, and Everett Rogers. The
work primarily focused on the notion's impact on
agriculture and home economics -quite different
from what it's been currently used for.
The book was published with the purpose of

tracking the purchase patterns of hybrid seed
corn by farmers.
Later on, Rogers himself generalized the areas

and fields in which the theory was being used in
his wildly praised book Diffusion of Innovations
published in 1962. The new model did an
excellent job describing how new technologies
and innovations spread in various cultures in
6/22/24, 11:14 PM
differentThe
countries and how millions of people
Technology Adoption Curve Explained (everything you need to know)
react to them.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
What are the 5
Technology Adoption? Segments of
Crossing the Chasm - The Real Technology Ready to Boost
Product
Adoption?
Challenge
Adoption?
the masses
Frequently Asked Questions Innovators (2.5%)

Innovators are the group of people who make
concept?
the first segment of technology adoption,
the adoption curve? constituting a small part of the total market
(2.5%).
Meet With Our
What makes an Innovator? What are the Onboarding
Experts
characteristics?

Well, the name speaks for itself perfectly.
The Innovators category refers to those who are
Join 20k+ product peopleaction
> takers, extroverts and those who are
willing to take risks and give new technology a
shot. Often, innovators are the initiators of
change; for instance, if you're the one who
introduces a new product or a tool to your
team/organization, you can consider yourself an
innovator.
In the technology adoption life cycle, they are

the ones who love to try new things, take on
new responsibilities and have a contagious
energy that invites and encourages others to
try out new apps or products as well. They're full
of enthusiasm about freshness and new
experiences; you can be sure that they're the
first ones to upgrade their phones, try a new
6/22/24, 11:14 PM
product,The
or Technology
volunteer in beta testing of a
Adoption Curve Explained (everything you need to know)
particular tool.
They rarely have a concern for failure which

TABLE OF CONTENTS makes them perfect candidates for testing new
technology since they will be completely fine
with the possible risks that are associated with
the process thanks to their care-free mindset. In Ready to Boost
Product
Challenge addition, they are usually young, socially active Adoption?
people
Making your product appealing to with a high financial state.
the masses
Frequently Asked Questions Early Adopters (13.5%)
What is the adoption curveEarly Adopters are similar to Innovators in that

concept?
they are also comfortable taking risks and good
User
the adoption with introducing trending
curve? Product technology; however,
How
UX Growth News SaaS Search English START FOR FREE
Onboarding to
they do differ from innovators when it comes to
setting their standards; they need to build a Meet With Our
Onboarding
strong opinion of the technology they're being Experts
exposed to, before deciding to go with it and
fully support it.
But they are a fan of a lot of things, too.

They often love being the first ones to know
about new technology trends and they are very
quick to sign up for new social media platforms
before most people even get to know the names
of them, or just out of curiosity and fun, they
would be willing to test a new project
management tool or platform.
Well, they still look a lot similar to Innovators to

me. If that's what you're thinking right now, let's
dig a little deeper.
The two groups ' mindset is a big differentiator

that separates early adopters from innovators.
While innovators have no problem with failing

and everybody else seeing them fail, early
6/22/24, 11:14 PM
adoptersThe
care a little more about their
Technology Adoption Curve Explained (everything you need to know)
reputation.
Before recommending the technology to others,

TABLE OF CONTENTS early adopters always make sure that they have
gathered an adequate amount of experience
and information about the particular product so
that their word is trustworthy and their Ready to Boost
Product
Challenge reputation is safe. Adoption?
the masses
As mentioned above, they like to appear

knowledgeable and up to date when talking

about new technology. And they also find it
concept? essential to make their speech solid by
What is the most importantsupporting
part of it with experimental findings and
the adoption curve?
tests.
They are generally young people with a higher Meet With Our
Onboarding
social status and more financial opportunities, Experts
advanced education, and a higher level of
extrovert characteristics than late adopters.
Early Majority (34%)

Early Majority members are logical, practical,
and have data-driven points of view toward the
technology adoption process. They are
interested in new services and products, but it's
safe to say that they are more interested in
seeing proof of their advantages and
impactfulness. This is also where they differ from
early adopters and innovators. For them, the
efficiency and the substantial benefits of the
novation are more important than the product's
popularity.
You can think of them as the people who go

through every review site before making a
purchase online or ask around for different
opinions on a particular product; they need an
overall picture of service and a time of adoption
6/22/24, 11:14 PM
that's longer than that of innovators and early
adopters before deciding to stick with it.
It would be best to make sure while

TABLE OF CONTENTS encountering these adopters -also called
pragmatists- in this category that you have built
a pragmatic approach that shows them solid
evidence demonstrating what that specific Ready to Boost
Product
Challenge technology promises to achieve. This is because Adoption?
the Early
Making your product appealing to Majority group are typically skeptical
the masses
about change, and they might need external
support to get used to the process smoothly
concept? and efficiently.

Late Majority (34%)
the adoption curve?
Similar to the early majority, the late majority
also needs a data-oriented reason to be Meet With Our
Onboarding
convinced to adopt new technology. These Experts
people are not a fan of taking risks, and they
have a strong likelihood of questioning the need
for alterations.
Join 20k+ product peopleThey

> are very cautious, logical and are not easily
tempted by things like trends or popularity rates,
but instead, they are more interested in
examining and paying close attention to how
changes impact the current situation before
getting involved.
You might have a better picture of them in your

head if I probably say that they are the ones
who keep ignoring the update pop-ups by
hitting snooze on them and don't mind waiting
for other people to try the changes first and see
if they are happy with them.
This can be seen in their choices; they usually

choose products with a stable reputation on the
market and love to take references from others
before making a decision.
6/22/24, 11:14 PM
So, as you can understand, they are a little
harder to convince, and that's why you should
gather adequate research and strong proof to
make them believe that the new technology is
TABLE OF CONTENTS
worthwhile.
Laggards (16%)
Ready to Boost
Crossing the Chasm - The Real''And... What's in it for me?'' Product
Challenge
Adoption?
Okay, I admit that's an unusual way to start
the masses writing under a title, but you've just read a
Frequently Asked Questions sentence that Laggards use all the time.
concept? Why is that?
What is the most importantWell, the

part of answer is quite simple. Laggards are
the adoption curve?
the most prominent skeptics, resistant to
change, and are wary of new technology so it's Meet With Our
ubiquitous for them to wonder what's in for them Onboarding
Experts
before agreeing to get on board.
They tend to have traditional minds and they
make up the oldest population among other
Join 20k+ product peopleadopter

> types. They have also been found to
interact only with their close friends and kin and
are unwilling to communicate further within
different social areas.
They are stubborn and very decisive when it

comes to their wants and expectations are
easily frustrated and fast to give up with a
product if it fails to impact their lives for the
better immediately. This is what makes them the
slowest to get used to the new conditions and
unwilling to make any change -when I say
unwilling, I mean it. Laggards could go on with
the same routine if they could and not change
anything if they weren't forced to keep up with
everyone else.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Crossing the Chasm -

The Real Challenge
Ready to Boost
Product
Challenge
You might be familiar with the term “Crossing Adoption?
the Chasm,” also the name of the old bestseller
the masses
by Geoffrey A. Moore, a work that perfectly
relates to most entrepreneurs' everyday
concept? problems and challenges today. Over time, the
What is the most importantbook
part ofhas become a perfect display of the
the adoption curve?
attention and care required to get early-stage
products across the challenging chasm from Meet With Our
early adopters to mainstream customers. Onboarding
Experts

Let me elaborate a little further.
''Crossing the Chasm'' is the most critical

moment in the adoption process. Now that
you've come to the point where you know the
characteristics and actions of the 5 segments of
technology adoption, it's easier for you to
understand what each group expects from the
product to accept it fully.
Crossing the chasm moment happens when the

Enthusiasts have accepted the novation -
6/22/24, 11:14 PM
innovators and early adopters- but Pragmatists
haven't yet - you already know who they are.
And at this point, I can hear you ask, ''Why does

TABLE OF CONTENTS crossing the chasm have to be a challenge?''
Well, it doesn't. I admit it can be slightly tricky

Technology Adoption? because the gap between the thinking norms of
Ready to Boost
Crossing the Chasm - The Realthe early market -early adopters and Product
Challenge
innovators- and the mainstream market -early Adoption?
the masses & late majority and leggards- is quite wide and
Frequently Asked Questions innovation projects tend to fail if they cannot
What is the adoption curvebridge this chasm between the two groups, but
concept? it's not something impossible for you to
What is the most importantovercome.
part of
the adoption curve?
Here's how.
Meet With Our
If you focus on meeting the needs and Onboarding
Experts
expectations of the pragmatic majority at the
right time by making sure that your novation is
%100 functional and contains no errors or bugs,
you'll have done half the job already.

And, when I say functional, I'd like you to note
that your innovation doesn't have to contain a
million useful features; but the key is making sure
it HAS all the features that it promised to have.
Once you're confident about your innovation's

capabilities, the next thing to make sure is that
your primary contact or the person you choose
to lead the project is one of the Innavotors -the
most excited ones- and it would also be wise of
you to build a management team that consists
of early adopters.
And what's next?
Keep in mind that the other groups are not

exactly eager to encounter something new, on
the contrary, all they want is something that
6/22/24, 11:14 PM
works, something to make their lives easier and
is already being used by other people for they
want assurance.
TABLE OF CONTENTS They want to trust you with your ideas or new
products.
Technology Adoption? So, what you need to do here is aim for the early
Ready to Boost
Crossing the Chasm - The Realmajority's approval for it will bring your process Product
Challenge
a trustworthy reputation and good referrals Adoption?
the masses that will help you take action toward the last
Frequently Asked Questions two groups as well. Keep in mind that early
What is the adoption curvemajority members are optimistic about seeing

concept? your functional solutions and solid strategies,
What is the most importantbut
partthey'll
of still be careful about any possible
the adoption curve?
fraction.
The way to drive the existing competitors out Meet With Our
Onboarding
and convince the early majority to build trust Experts
toward you and your business is paying
attention to market segmentation and using it
as a base for broader operations.
Join 20k+ product peopleAre

> you wondering how to do that?
First, target a very particular group of

individuals that need you to solve their problem
and build a reputation until you have the
opportunity to own that market; this is the
approach that will enable the early majority who
need to be provided with a whole product
instead of settling for a few features to see you
as a leader.
Wrapping up real quick, here are the four steps

that will help you cross the chasm when
combined with research, effort, and devotion.
Understand the technology adoption

lifecycle
Define your target market
6/22/24, 11:14 PM
Provide a whole product
Know your competition and aim for
providing better service
TABLE OF CONTENTS Now that you're done with one of the most
intimidating processes of the technology
adoption journey, I assume you understand and
appreciate the importance of crossing the Ready to Boost
Product
Challenge chasm and where your product stands within Adoption?
thattoframe.
Making your product appealing Remember, it's not the first to
the masses
market, but the first to cross the chasm, who
wins.
concept?
Making your product

the adoption curve?
appealing to the masses

Meet With Our
Onboarding
Moving on to the next crucial concern along the Experts
way: understanding how to make your product
appealing to the masses so that your users
experience a smooth product adoption process.
Join 20k+ product peopleAnd,

> why should I about mass appeal, again?
Well, here's your answer.
When your product achieves mass market

appeal, it becomes easier and faster for it to
reach out to the last adopters - the laggards.
Put simply, the faster this process is, the faster
you climb the ladders of success.
So, as the name suggests, mass-market appeal

means that any product or service you're
providing is appealing and being loved by mass
markets instead of a single one. Generally;
startups, people with new ideas, or inventors
brainstorm on creating a solid strategy that
makes their product appeal to the targeted
audience & market because they are aware of
6/22/24, 11:14 PM
what it means to them: tons of profit and
success.
That's why I'm very willing to move on to the top

TABLE OF CONTENTS aspects to keep in mind when creating a
product with mass-market appeal.
Technology Adoption? Here you go. 🤝
Ready to Boost
Focus on needs. Product
Challenge
Adoption?
Onetoof
Making your product appealing the best ways to develop a product that
the masses
works and reaches out to many people is a
straightforward one: Know your audience well
concept?
and pay attention to their needs.
What is the most importantOne of

part of the benefits of communicating with your
the adoption curve?
audience -asking them questions, replying to
their feedback, etc.- is that you get to Meet With Our
understand what their needs are. When you Onboarding
Experts
achieve this, you will be more likely to connect
with these people and make them interested in
your products and services as long as you focus
on how they speak to your customers' needs.
Many entrepreneurs make the mistake of paying
too much attention to the features of their
products and neglect how these products
actually solve the pain points of customers.
Stop having a salesy attitude.
You've been a customer before. And so have I.
I'm sure you'll agree with me when I say I hate it

when a brand is always trying to sell its services
to me before even considering me as a person.
What I mean is, everybody would want to read
and listen to some unique content that isn't
entirely made of sales pitches once in a while.
The opposite scenario would only bore the
potential customer away.
6/22/24, 11:14 PM
Keep in mind that %80 of your content should be
offering valuable information that aims for
empathy and understanding toward the
customer. Only then the %20 that's left can talk
TABLE OF CONTENTS
about your brand, product, service, and what
What are the 5 Segments of they're offering.
Never stop aiming for more. Ready to Boost
Product
Challenge
Another way to achieve mass-market appeal Adoption?
the masses
again has something to do with customer

satisfaction.
What is the adoption curveYou need to examine your brand image and try
concept?
to come up with fresh methods, different ways
the adoption curve? to improve and constantly enhance your
service.
Meet With Our
The more you adapt to this approach, the more Onboarding
Experts
people will appreciate your effort and, more
importantly, benefit from it.
Choose emotions.
Join 20k+ product peopleGoing

> with emotions is by far the best way to
build a connection with a group of people, the
targeted audience, or individuals. It's a fact that
people are more easily and quickly moved to
take action by emotions than simple logic.
For instance, you have a product about animal

care, maybe an app that helps pet owners keep
track of their pet's movements around the house,
then you would be more likely to connect with
your audience by telling the story behind the
app's foundation process, maybe show a couple
of pictures with your own pets rather than listing
a bunch of facts and stats that support your
service.
That was it for me today! I hope this article

helped you understand and utilize the
6/22/24, 11:14 PM
technology adoption curve and enabled you to
realize its importance regarding your business.
See you next time and stay safe until then.
TABLE OF CONTENTS Keep engaging, finding new ways to engage,

and never stop testing!
Technology Adoption? You can also check the top tech companies in
Ready to Boost
Crossing the Chasm - The Realthe world.
Product
Challenge
Adoption?
‍
the masses

concept?

the adoption curve?
Frequently Asked Meet With Our
Questions Onboarding
Experts

Quick setup, lasting engagement.What is the adoption curve BOOK A CALL
concept?
The adoption curve concept is a theory that

classifies the user personas into numerous
categories based on their likelihood of
accepting new technology, product, or service.
It's beneficial and crucial for identifying
customers within 5 different segments:
Innovators, Early Adopters, Early Majority, Late
Majority, and Laggards.
What is the most

important part of the
adoption curve?
Crossing the chasm is the most critical moment
in the whole adoption process since it suggests
the wide gap between the mindsets of two
TABLE OF CONTENTS
highly different groups -enthusiasts and

pragmatics- and innovation projects are very
Technology Adoption? likely to fail if they cannot correctly bridge this
Ready to Boost
Crossing the Chasm - The Realchasm between them, which makes it crucially Product
Challenge
important for you to focus and pay attention to Adoption?
the masses the ways that will ease your process.
Frequently Asked Questions ‍
concept?

the adoption curve?
Suay Çakırca
Creative Content Writer
Meet With Our
I’m one of UserGuiding’s creative content writers that work Onboarding
hard every day to come up with 💯 content. I usually write Experts
about UX, onboarding, and growth.
Quick setup, lasting engagement.
Let's connect BOOK A CALL
Related Articles View All
June 14, 2024 May 29, 2024 April 30, 202
34 NPS Follow-Up Questions You Can User Adoption vs Retention vs 13 Essen

Ask Your Customers Engagement vs Activation - Let's Softwar
Define and Measure Each
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Join 1000+ teams
driving product success at speed
Ready to Boost
Product
Challenge
14-day free trial, no coding needed, 30-day Adoption?
the masses
money-back guarantee!

concept? BOOK A DEMO START FOR FREE

the adoption curve?
Meet With Our

Onboarding
Experts

Quick setup, lasting engagement. Get Resources Comparison BOOK ALatest
CALL
Started from our
Product Appcues
Blog
Updates alternative
Free
UserGuiding Happy Userflow A Skill-
Trial Customers alternative Booster For
Book a Teams:
On Board Userlane
Demo Product-Led
Newsletter alternative
Academy
Pricing Status Userpilot
5 Alternatives
alternative
Help Center to SatisMeter
Pendo for Feedback
English Customer
alternative Collection
Support
(free tools
WalkMe
Integrations included)
alternative
Policies
User 5 Alternatives
Stonly alternative
Onboarding to
Security
Tools Conpass GetFeedback
and Trust
alternative to Get
Center Aha Moment Feedback
Nickelled Today (incl.
Privacy Product
alternative free tools)
Policy Adoption
TryChameleon Product-Led
Terms of Product Tours
alternative Growth:
Service
Site Map Alican Bektas
Cookie Dives Deep in
Policy Kommunity
6/22/24, 11:14 PM The Technology Adoption Curve Explained (everything you need to know) Event
Information
Security Paddle's Born
Policy Global Series
Out: Starring
TABLE OF CONTENTS Osman Koc
🌟
What are the 5 Segments of Brand
Technology Adoption? Perception
Ready toSurveys
Boost- 7
Product
questions to
Challenge
Adoption?
ask + 2
Making your product appealing to examples
the masses Explaining
Frequently Asked Questions Product
Adoption
What is the adoption curve Curve with 3
concept? Real-Life
Examples
the adoption curve?
Meet With Our

© UserGuiding 2024 - All rights reserved. Onboarding
Experts


The Technology Adoption Curve Explained (Everything You Need To Know)

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

You might also like

The Technology Adoption Curve Explained (Everything You Need To Know)

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

The Technology Adoption Curve Explained (Everything You Need To Know)

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

6/22/24, 11:14 PM The Technology Adoption Curve Explained (everything you need to know)

What are the 5 Segments of Growth

What is the most important part of

#1 product adoption platform. to know)

Join 20k+ product

Home / Growth / The Technology Adoption Curve

In today's constantly evolving world, the

Your Cookie Preferences essential part of the average growth process of

TABLE OF CONTENTS So, in today's article, I'll be unpacking the notion

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the adoption curve

What is the most important part of

Technology Adoption Meet With Our

#1 product adoption platform.

Join 20k+ product people >

The technology adoption curve is a term used

Let's try to elaborate on that a little.

I'm sure you'll agree with me when I say that

However, many enterprises make it a lot more

Frequently Asked Questions here: if you want the new technology

What is the adoption curveimplementation process to be impactful, it's

Join 20k+ product peopleappreciate

These 5 recipients are Innovators, Early

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the adoption curve

What is the most important part of

Meet With Our

#1 product adoption platform.

The book was published with the purpose of

Later on, Rogers himself generalized the areas

Frequently Asked Questions Innovators (2.5%)

#1 product adoption platform.

In the technology adoption life cycle, they are

They rarely have a concern for failure which

Frequently Asked Questions Early Adopters (13.5%)

What is the adoption curveEarly Adopters are similar to Innovators in that

But they are a fan of a lot of things, too.

Well, they still look a lot similar to Innovators to

The two groups ' mindset is a big differentiator

While innovators have no problem with failing

Before recommending the technology to others,

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the adoption curve

Early Majority (34%)

You can think of them as the people who go

It would be best to make sure while

What is the most important part of

Join 20k+ product peopleThey

You might have a better picture of them in your

This can be seen in their choices; they usually

What is the most importantWell, the

Join 20k+ product peopleadopter

They are stubborn and very decisive when it

Crossing the Chasm -

#1 product adoption platform.

Join 20k+ product people >

Let me elaborate a little further.

''Crossing the Chasm'' is the most critical