Harness the Six Ds: Your Blueprint to Surf, Not Sink, During Disruption

Watch as entire industries blink in and out of existence: the music industry shattered by filesharing and Spotify, taxis upended by Uber, and the once-dominant Kodak toppled by a cascade of digital cameras, smartphones, and social networks. What’s going on is more than chance—it’s a series of predictable steps known as the Six Ds. First, a process is digitized—turned into ones and zeros. For years, nothing seems to change, as results are too small to notice. But soon, the pace doubles, and disruption explodes—old business models collapse, employees scramble, and innovations seem to come from nowhere.

Next, what once cost money becomes free: demonetization. Classifieds (Craigslist), long-distance calls (Skype), and basic photo sharing (Instagram) all went from paid to 'included.' Then, even the products themselves vanish—what happened to physical maps, CD players, or hotel booking agents now replaced by apps tagged to phones? Finally, barriers fall—democratization means nearly anyone, anywhere can access what was once rare or expensive, whether that’s making music, building a product, or riding across town on demand.

Economists and organizational scholars now study the Six Ds as a predictive tool, helping startups find explosive opportunities, and warning legacy firms to either reinvent themselves or face extinction.

Take out a sheet of paper and sketch where your work, field, or favorite hobby might stand on the Six Ds journey. Is there something that’s already digital, or still physical but likely to change soon? List two ways core services could become free or move to an app. Then, pilot one change—offer a freebie, collaborate on a platform, or digitize a stubborn process. These experiments will help you learn faster, stay nimble, and maybe even build the next breakout success before the old guard realizes what hit them.