The Pebble and the Avalanche

Chapter TwoStarting Revolutions: What to Take Apart

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Disaggregation goes beyond simply taking things apart, and this chapter explains the details—how disaggregation works, what it does, and how to decide whether a particular innovation is important.

This chapter follows the same general outline I’d use to write up an analysis of an innovation. It’s modified, of course—instead of discussing just one innovation, I’ve included some examples, and I’ve added all sorts of explanations. Still, if you want to analyze an innovation, write your own version of this chapter and you’ll cover all the important points. (You’ll need to read the next chapter, too.)

Here are the steps to analyze an innovation:

Step 1: Sort the Innovation

What is it, exactly, ...