For many years across many technology areas. Gartner has published annual "Hype Cycle" graphics that track various "solutions" based on a model Gartner developed for a technology's adoption lifecycle.

Just recently, Gartner published a Hype Cycle graphic for "suppply chain strategies." As with all Hype Cycles, this one tracks technologies/solutions from their rise up from introduction to maximum hype, after which comes the dreaded "trough of disillisionment," as reality meets the hype.

For some ultimately beneficial technologies, progress is then made during the "Slope of Enlightenment," and for some subset of those eventual widespread adoption as they reach the "Plateau of Productivity."

The new Hype Cycle for supply chain strategies is shown below:

This Hype Cycle is a little odd, in that its seems to mix supply chain processes or strategies (e.g., supply chain segmentation) and  technologies (e.g., supply chain control towers). SCDigest also notes there is a separate Hype Cycle for supply chain execution technologies and another for supply chain planning technology.

The Gartner press release on this Hype Cycle focused on the placement of Internet of Things in the supply chain as approaching the botton of the trough.

"IoT is in the trough because we see that many companies are implementing the technology, but they struggle to define the best opportunities for using its measurement and tracking capabilities," said Mike Burkett, vice president distinguished analyst at Gartner.

We will also note artificial intelligence still has a long way to go before reaching maximum hype before the intevitable period of disillusionment.

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