Thinking beyond the hype

We live in a world in which proponents of new technologies claim that they have the potential to dramatically change our lives, and these technologies seem to emerge on an almost weekly basis. Some go on to become massive market successes whilst others fail to meet expectations.

At CW, we always aim to think beyond the hype, identifying genuine technology game-changers and finding those characteristics which ensure market breakthrough.

Matt Hatton, Research VP, Gartner ‘Hyperbole and hyperventilation: the hype cyclist’s perspective on technology’
For years Gartner’s Hype Cycle has been a mainstay of understanding technology trends. Matt recently joined Gartner when it acquired his technology research and consulting firm Machina Research in 2016. In this session Matt will examine the various big technology trends to be covered in the day’s sessions, with a particular focus on technology triggers and hype.

Rosalind Singleton, Managing Director, UK Broadband & Chair, UK5G Advisory Board 'Between the Peaks; innovation outside the hype cycle'
The hype cycle doesn’t always reflect needs of businesses, or consumers. By its very nature it has to be futuristic, leaving a gap of real services needed now. How do we see those needs and wants, and encourage innovators to satisfy them?

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Ten years of discovering innovation through a collaborative community

Celebrating its tenth year, the CW International Conference (CWIC) 2018 takes its theme, Thinking Beyond the Hype from Gartner’s Hype Cycle. We’ll be looking in depth at how to think beyond the hype overall and then in CWIC's seven areas of special interest: 5G and Network Innovation; Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning; Blockchain; Future Mobility Ecosystems; Industrial IoT; Mixed Reality and Satellites.

In this blog, Faye Holland, CW board member and chair of the CWIC advisory committee, explains why this theme and these areas of special interest have been chosen as the focus of our event’s tenth anniversary. 

Gartner’s Hype Cycle has been around for over two decades, yet since then many innovations have come and even more have gone, never making it out of the trough of disillusionment. 

What is the Gartner Hype Cycle?

The Gartner Hype Cycle is a graphical representation of the life stages a technology goes through from conception to maturity and on to widespread adoption. A branded tool, created by Gartner, its stages are widely used as reference points in marketing and technology reporting and many businesses use it to guide technology decisions in accordance with their level of comfort with risk.

Here are the five overlapping stages a technology’s life cycle, according to the Garter Hype Curve:

Image taken from Gartner: Top Trends in the Gartner Hype Cycle for Emerging Technologies, 2017

1. Technology Trigger: A technology is conceptualised. There may be prototypes but there are often no functional products or market studies. The potential spurs media interest and sometimes proof-of-concept demonstrations. The hype is at its highest and there is a huge temptation to jump on the band wagon. With this temptation comes a high level of risk.
2. Peak of Inflated Expectations: The technology is implemented, especially by early adopters who chose to take the risk. There is a lot of publicity about both successful and unsuccessful implementations and the band wagon effect peaks.
3. Trough of Disillusionment: Flaws and failures lead to some disappointment in the technology. Some producers are unsuccessful or drop their products. Continued investments in other producers are contingent upon addressing problems successfully. The initial excitement is replaced with impatience for results.
4. Slope of Enlightenment: The technology’s potential for further applications becomes more broadly understood and an increasing number of companies implement or test it in their environments. Some producers create further generations of products.
5. Plateau of Productivity: The technology becomes widely implemented; its place in the market and its applications are well-understood. Standards arise for evaluating technology providers.

If you’d like to dig a little deeper, Gartner provides an introduction to the hype cycle in this video:

Why is CWIC 2018 all about going beyond the hype?

Enabling members to think beyond the hype that surrounds technological innovations - and therefore move their business in the right direction - is at the heart of what CW does. We do this by stimulating debate and collaboration, harnessing and sharing knowledge and helping to build connections between academia and industry.

For over a decade, we’ve identified and set up special interest groups – or challenge areas - to do just that. This, our tenth anniversary of CWIC, presents the ideal opportunity to explore in-depth the technologies, business models and impacts of seven of these special interest groups, each currently poised between stages one and two of Gartner’s Hype Curve:

• 5G and Network Innovation
• Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
• Blockchain
• Future Mobility Ecosystems
• Industrial IoT and the Connected Enterprise
• Mixed Reality
• Satellites

With plenty of opportunities for discussion both within the conference sessions and at the evening dinner reception at Hinxton Hall, at which all speakers will be present and Dame Wendy Hall will address delegates, CW will enable all present to think beyond the hype and take away new knowledge and ideas that will enable them to move their businesses beyond it. 

Why risk missing out? 

Register today