Article · 10 min read

Gartner Hype Cycle Research Methodology

Gartner Free Beginner

The hype cycle names the exact trap in your question: the peak of inflated expectations, the trough of disillusionment, then the slow real climb to a productivity plateau. It gives you shared language for where a trend sits and why the loudest moment is usually the least reliable. Use it to check whether excitement reflects value or just a peak.

• Peak visibility rarely coincides with proven value
• Many technologies survive the trough and reach a real plateau, some do not
• Judge a trend by its trajectory toward productive use, not its current buzz