Terms

Hype Cycle

The Hype Cycle is a graphical representation of the life cycle stages a technology goes through. From conception to widespread adaptation, it depicts the reference points in marketing and technology reporting. A branded tool created by Gartner, an information technology research and consultancy company, hype cycle serves in guiding technology decisions in accordance with their level of comfort with risk associated with every opportunity. It also provides an overall picture of the shift in emerging trends across a wide range of areas, from appearance until these trends/technologies are applied to life. It recognizes the excessive hype from the commercial promises of new technologies, and minimizes the risk of technology investment decisions. The five overlapping stages in a technology’s life cycle include technology trigger, peak of inflated expectations, trough of disillusionment, slope of enlightenment, and plateau of productivity.