Threshold Effect

QUOTE

A Turkish Proverb says…

“The more efficient a force, the more effectively it can be applied to work against itself.”

(American author.)

CONCEPT

Threshold Effect

The Threshold Effect refers to a point at which a relatively small change or increase in a variable can cause a significant and often disproportionate effect.

This concept is akin to the tipping point, where the accumulation of small actions or changes suddenly leads to a large impact.

The Threshold Effect highlights the non-linear nature of many systems, where incremental changes don't always produce proportional outcomes, and a critical threshold can trigger a rapid, significant change.

STORY

Quick Response … or Anything But?

Originally developed in 1994 by a Japanese company to track automotive parts, QR codes were a technical solution for a specific industry need.

For years, their use remained largely confined to manufacturing and logistics.

However, the potential of QR codes to store a large amount of data in a small, scannable image began to be recognized more broadly in the late 2000s.

Despite this, their adoption in consumer markets was slow. The primary hurdle was the need for a smartphone with a camera and a QR code reading app, which were not widely used at the time.

In the early 2010s, the dramatic increase in smartphone usage, along with improvements in camera technology and the native integration of QR code readers into smartphone operating systems, set the stage for a QR code revolution. Even though QR codes were easily accessible, adoption was still slow. (Ironically, QR stands for “Quick Response.”)

Then a wold-changing even happened: the COVID-19 pandemic.

The need for contactless transactions and information sharing made QR codes an ideal solution. Restaurants replaced physical menus with QR codes, events used them for contactless ticketing, and businesses employed them for seamless, touch-free payments.

The statistics underscore this surge: A 2020 survey revealed that 83% of respondents in the United States had scanned a QR code at least once that year, a significant increase from previous years.

The same survey indicated a 94% recognition rate among consumers, highlighting the widespread adoption of this technology.

Seemingly overnight, a technology that lay dormant for years suddenly became ubiquitous, propelled by a convergence of technological advancements and a sudden shift in global circumstances.