How we change what others think, feel, believe and do

Diffusion Curve

Disciplines > Communication > Diffusion > Diffusion Curve

The diffusion curve shows the distribution across segments and approximate adoption over time of models.

Axes

The horizontal X-axis is time and the vertical Y-axis is numbers of people. The curve is idealized in that it assumes a Normal frequency distribution with the early majority and late majority one standard deviation either side of the mean.

It is worth noting that not all innovators are innovators in all categories or situations. People who will buy the latest gadgets at home may be quite conservative in work (or vice versa). Thus a person who has the latest camera may have a car that is a few years old and be very conservative in their approach to religious ideology.

Segments

The curve is divided into five sections, each of which may be used to describe a market segment, in that each group thinks differently and so needs different marketing and sales approaches:

Innovators: Explore what's new.
Early Adopters: Seek the leading edge.
Early Majority: Prefer the market leader.
Late Majority: Want 'cheap and easy'.
Laggards: Avoid innovations and resist change.

Business change

The diffusion curve is useful in business change as well as marketing. If you are implementing a new system, by understanding the different segments in the company, you can gradually roll out the change whilst using different persuasion methods for each group.

Diffusion Curve

Axes

Segments

Business change

See also