Best of OnDisruption

Guest post by Zack Urlocker

As you may have noticed, my onDisruption blog posts have become less frequent lately as I'm busy with other projects.  I will continue to post the occasional article and provide updates to past stories, but these will be less frequent than before.  For newcomers to the site, here's a list of some of the most popular postings on the site. 

If you're new to disruption this is a good way to start thinking about your own disruptive strategy.  And note that while some of these are classic technology disruptions, many leverage other forms of disruption, whether in distribution, packaging etc. 

So don't fall into the classic Silicon Valley view that disruption is only about new, faster, more complex technology.  Sometimes it's just the opposite. And while disruption is a good model, it's not the only strategy for success.  Apple's iPhone is only marginally disruptive, but its still a huge hit for the comapny.  But when disruption works, the gains can be impressive.  And the benefits accrue not only to the company, but to the careers of the individuals who make it happen and to investors who spot the trend early.

• Dealing with Information Overload
• iPhone a Hit, But Not Disruptive
• Disruption Investing: Picking the Next Apple, Not Vonage
• Who Killed the Record Industry?
• Microsoft Dismisses Google Apps as Inferior
• Are You A Sitting Duck?
• Management Lessons From Rock Guitar Wars
• XBox Guitar Hero Melts Face Off Old School Rockers
• Nintendo Wii Smacks Microsoft, Sony
• Heinken Disrupting the Beer Industry

As you formulate your own disruption strategy focus on the basics:

• What problem are you solving?
• How can you do it better than existing solutions?
• Who is underserved by the incumbents and what are the unmet needs?
• How can you deliver a "good enough" solution to a narrow but growing audience?

Let me know your thoughts on these and other articles.  I hope they will inspire to you let a thousand disruptive flowers bloom.

Zack Urlocker is a software executive and regular blogger on open source technology at TheOpenForce and InfoWorld and about music at GuitarVibe.