Gartner® & Obsolescence

Let's be honest, at Demand Driven Technologies, we're not fans of Gartner®. In 2011, we introduced a methodology called "DDMRP" to the market. In 2019, in its "hype cycle," Gartner® labeled DDMRP as "Obsolete Before Plateau."

This label was designed by Gartner® to designate technologies or methodologies that have no future, or that never even see the light of day.

Gartner®'s foresight on this subject is questionable, given the market's reception of our solutions. Our rapid growth is proof that we have provided our clients, which are very successful companies, with practical and effective solutions that enable them to grow in an increasingly uncertain environment.

Time and again, our customers testify to their successes in improving service, reducing inventory, and responding more quickly to market expectations.

We have also inspired others. Until 2015, we were the only solution offering DDMRP—today there are about 45. It is interesting to see so many software publishers rushing to adopt a methodology designated by Gartner® as "obsolete."

Nevertheless, the analyst who defined DDMRP as "obsolete" years ago is sticking to his guns. If he waits long enough, he'll end up being right...

In 2025, Gartner® continues to superbly ignore demand-driven tactics and does not recommend pull flow in general (not technological enough?) – on the other hand, all the talk is about AI, of course.

A problematic business model?

Gartner®'s role is to advise large companies on the choice of methodologies and technologies to adopt. For example, Gartner® will offer CSCOs (Chief Supply Chain Officers) support to help them navigate the complexities of their diverse missions. In the example below, the "Gartner Priorities Navigator ^TM ”(a trademark, of course) will serve as a guide. Among the areas of advice, Gartner® will provide support in evaluating end-to-end supply chain technology and selecting suppliers – this is the tile at the bottom left.

What strikes you when browsing the Gartner® website are the "Call To Action" buttons. You are constantly invited to sign up and become a customer—the two screenshots above are examples of this.

Gartner® also organizes events around the supply chain—major gatherings such as the Supply Chain Planning Summit and Supply Chain Symposium. These events bring together participants from "large" companies and "large" publishers as exhibitors. Why "large"? Because it's expensive...

If you are an innovative startup challenging established software vendors, you have no chance of making yourself known to large companies through these Gartner® events.

In fact, when you realize that Gartner® is a publicly traded company, you start to wonder about the motivations behind the advice it gives...

Experts in obsolescence?

Of course, this advice is agnostic and unbiased—but often points to solutions that appear in the "Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Supply Chain Planning Solutions"—and more specifically in the top right corner, the "leaders" sector.

The fact that these solutions are often too complex, time-consuming, and costly to implement, and struggle to deliver real tangible gains is beside the point—they are leaders.

Why are they leaders? Mainly because they have been on the market for a long time.

However, isn't being on the market for a long time a risk of obsolescence? Are the methodologies on which these solutions are based, dating back to the 1980s, 1990s, or 2000s, suited to today's world? Isn't there a problem of technical debt?

After designating DDMRP, and by extension DD Tech, as "Obsolete before plateau," isn't Gartner® itself an organization facing a serious risk of obsolescence?

The company's share price has fallen from $584 to $236 over the past year—a 60% destruction of value for its shareholders.

Ironically, Artificial Intelligence so highly praised by Gartner® may not be unrelated to this phenomenon. It is very effective at compiling marketing arguments put forward by market players on the web and turning them into attractive summaries and polished slides. Analysts are no longer needed for this.

There is undoubtedly a modern approach to analysis and consulting to be invented. An approach that is open to innovation and start-ups. An approach that listens to the successes and results achieved by companies that adopt new paradigms. Will Gartner® be able to reinvent itself to meet these challenges?

In the meantime, feel free to attend our own user conferences. They are free of charge, leading companies share their successes and challenges in a practical way, and methodological and technological innovation is fueled by the participants, who are real practitioners!