I discovered the Gartner Hype Cycle a few months ago, and it’s become one of my favorite infographs. I may not agree with every detail, but the cycle they describe of Inflated Expectations – Disillusionment – Enlightenment – Productivity is something I’ve seen many times.
They got it right with micro-blogging. It’s peaked and is heading down into the Trough of Disillusionment. Expect to see pundits and mass-media trash talk Twitter in the next 12 months, before they move on to the next shiny object.
In the meantime you and I will keep finding ways to use these tools and will be ready for the next stages of Enlightenment and Productivity.
