Gradually, then Suddenly

In Ernest Hemingway's 1926 novel "The Sun Also Rises", there's an exchange that encapsulates the sometimes deceptive nature of change:

“How did you go bankrupt?” Bill asked.
“Two ways,” Mike said. “Gradually and then suddenly.”

A century later, this phrase has never been more relevant. Leave it to Hemingway!

In our modern world, we are constantly surrounded by innovations that appear to erupt out of nowhere. But these sudden transformations are usually the result of an extensive undercurrent of gradual change—much of which goes unseen until it's ready to break the surface.

This principle of "gradual, then sudden" change is most apparent when we look at the evolution of technology. Often, when we experience a revolutionary product or breakthrough, it feels like it appeared overnight. But if we take a closer look, we see a long history of incremental progress leading up to that “sudden” change.

The path to transformative technologies is paved with continuous, iterative improvements, researc…