We all use a car for the same purpose; to get from one point to another, without getting tired. Despite the uniform use of the car, there are a zillion different kind of looks to the automobile. All is appealing to different people. The Alfa Romeo driver goes for slick Italian design, and doesn't care parts coming of the car once in a while. The Volvo driver goes for safety first, and doesn't mind he's driving in a soapbox strapped with a big rubberband.
In technology you have different kind of buyers. This has nothing to do with the purpose of the technology, but everything with the personal preferences of the individual. A simple, but effective way to categorize the buyers of technology (including software), is the "The Technology Adoption Life Cycle" (I use the version discussed in "Inside the Tornado" by Geoffry A. Moore). In this life cycle buyers are categorized by the amount of people that adopt a certain technology, in respect to the time after introduction of the technology. In a graphical overview you get a bell shaped figure (see the illustration below).
People are categorized by the time they will buy a certain piece of technology.
Innovators (technology enthusiasts)
These are the people that love technology, just for the sake of technology. They will use the coolest and the newest of all. Most of them will be employed in technology itself; the techies. They adore technology, but bring no cash. They have no money, the are not important decision makers.
Early adopters (visionaries)
They will see the possibilities new technology can bring for their company. They view technology as a very important way to differentiate their business from their competitors. The are important within their own company, they bring money.
Early majority (pragmatists)
This is a large group that believes in evolution not revolution. They will consider technology only if it's proven. They will not go for some hot new stuff, which has no proven track record. They have large legacy systems that must be maintained to perform their company's day to day operation, and not introduce something that might jeopardize that.
Late majority (conservatists)
They will adapt technology only if it's completely a common property, and mostly if it's very widely used. They go for market leaders only. Pricing is not a very big issue. Because it's very reliable, stable and statusful, they will drive that BMW.
Laggards (skeptics)
They don't believe in technology at all. Forget them. If you even started reading this tutorial, you do not belong to them.
I personally belong to the pragmatists. And most people that will perform a selection process in the scope that's described in this book, will be. Keep in mind what you are. It will determine how you will conduct the process; what selection criteria you will emphasize what vendors you will select. Keep also in mind that this document is written with a bias towards the early majority.
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