For the last several years, I’ve been at the forefront of a movement known as implementation science, or the science of scaling. In this work, we are trying to understand why some products, companies, and social programs thrive as they grow, while others peter out.
Why It’s So Hard to Scale a Great Idea
Five hurdles — and how to overcome them.
May 05, 2022
Andriy Onufriyenko/Getty Images
Summary.
Why do some products, companies, and social programs thrive as they grow while others peter out? According to the author, there are five causes: 1) False positives, or inaccurately interpreting a piece of evidence or data; 2) Biased representativeness of population, or not making sure your samples reflect the larger population at scale; 3) Non-negotiables that can’t grow or be replicated; 4) Negative spillovers, or unintended outcomes; and 5) Cost traps. Here, he explains and offers examples of each cause, as well as how to anticipate or avoid them.