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Evolution CharacteristicsWardley Mapping Body of Knowledge
Compare how 15 characteristics change across the four stages of evolution: Genesis, Custom, Product, and Commodity.
| Characteristic | Genesis | Custom | Product (+rental) | Commodity (+utility) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ubiquity | Rare | Slowly increasing consumption | Rapidly increasing consumption | Widespread and stabilising |
| Certainty | Poorly understood | Rapid increases in learning | Rapid increases in use / fit for purpose | Commonly understood (in terms of use) |
| Publication Types | Normally describe the wonder of the thing | Build / construct / awareness and learning | Maintenance / operations / installation / features | Focused on use |
| Market | Undefined market | Forming market | Growing market | Mature market |
| Knowledge Management | Uncertain | Learning on use | Learning on operation | Known / accepted |
| Market Perception | Chaotic (non-linear) | Domain of experts | Increasing expectations of use | Ordered (appearance of being linear) / trivial |
| User Perception | Different / confusing / exciting / surprising | Leading edge / emerging | Common / disappointed if not used or available | Standard / expected |
| Perception in Industry | Competitive advantage / unpredictable / unknown | Competitive advantage / ROI / case examples | Advantage through implementation / features | Cost of doing business / accepted |
| Focus of Value | High future worth | Seeking profit / ROI? | High profitability | High volume / reducing margin |
| Understanding | Poorly understood / unpredictable | Increasing understanding / development of measures | Increasing education / constant refinement of needs / measures | Believed to be well defined / stable / measurable |
| Comparison | Constantly changing / a differential / unstable | Learning from others / testing the water / some evidential support | Feature difference | Essential / operational advantage |
| Failure | High / tolerated / assumed | Moderate / unsurprising but disappointed | Not tolerated, focus on constant improvement | Operational efficiency and surprised by failure |
| Market Action | Gambling / driven by gut | Exploring a "found" value | Market analysis / listening to customers | Metric driven / build what is needed |
| Efficiency | Reducing the cost of change (experimentation) | Reducing cost of waste (learning) | Reducing cost of waste (learning) | Reducing cost of deviation (volume) |
| Decision Drivers | Heritage / culture | Analysis & synthesis | Analysis & synthesis | Previous experience |
Ubiquity
GenesisRare
CustomSlowly increasing consumption
ProductRapidly increasing consumption
CommodityWidespread and stabilising
Certainty
GenesisPoorly understood
CustomRapid increases in learning
ProductRapid increases in use / fit for purpose
CommodityCommonly understood (in terms of use)
Publication Types
GenesisNormally describe the wonder of the thing
CustomBuild / construct / awareness and learning
ProductMaintenance / operations / installation / features
CommodityFocused on use
Market
GenesisUndefined market
CustomForming market
ProductGrowing market
CommodityMature market
Knowledge Management
GenesisUncertain
CustomLearning on use
ProductLearning on operation
CommodityKnown / accepted
Market Perception
GenesisChaotic (non-linear)
CustomDomain of experts
ProductIncreasing expectations of use
CommodityOrdered (appearance of being linear) / trivial
User Perception
GenesisDifferent / confusing / exciting / surprising
CustomLeading edge / emerging
ProductCommon / disappointed if not used or available
CommodityStandard / expected
Perception in Industry
GenesisCompetitive advantage / unpredictable / unknown
CustomCompetitive advantage / ROI / case examples
ProductAdvantage through implementation / features
CommodityCost of doing business / accepted
Focus of Value
GenesisHigh future worth
CustomSeeking profit / ROI?
ProductHigh profitability
CommodityHigh volume / reducing margin
Understanding
GenesisPoorly understood / unpredictable
CustomIncreasing understanding / development of measures
ProductIncreasing education / constant refinement of needs / measures
CommodityBelieved to be well defined / stable / measurable
Comparison
GenesisConstantly changing / a differential / unstable
CustomLearning from others / testing the water / some evidential support
ProductFeature difference
CommodityEssential / operational advantage
Failure
GenesisHigh / tolerated / assumed
CustomModerate / unsurprising but disappointed
ProductNot tolerated, focus on constant improvement
CommodityOperational efficiency and surprised by failure
Market Action
GenesisGambling / driven by gut
CustomExploring a "found" value
ProductMarket analysis / listening to customers
CommodityMetric driven / build what is needed
Efficiency
GenesisReducing the cost of change (experimentation)
CustomReducing cost of waste (learning)
ProductReducing cost of waste (learning)
CommodityReducing cost of deviation (volume)
Decision Drivers
GenesisHeritage / culture
CustomAnalysis & synthesis
ProductAnalysis & synthesis
CommodityPrevious experience
15 of 15 characteristics shown
Explore More of the Body of Knowledge
Evolution characteristics are one part of the Wardley Mapping framework. Explore climatic patterns, doctrine, and gameplay next.