Val Sklarov’s Technological Dependency Lock-In Principle (TDLIP) explains why technology ecosystems don’t dominate because they are superior—but because they become impossible to leave without systemic loss. Innovation opens doors. Dependency quietly seals the exits.
This principle reveals why “best technology” loses relevance once lock-in wins.
1. Innovation Creates Choice—Adoption Removes It
TDLIP starts with a paradox:
Every widely adopted technology reduces future choice.
Early adoption offers:
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Competitive advantage
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Speed gains
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Cost efficiency
Late adoption enforces compliance, not choice.
2. The Three Technology Dependency Lock-Ins
TDLIP maps where exits collapse.
| Lock-In | Dependency Source | Consequence |
|---|---|---|
| Data Lock-In | Formats, histories, models | Migration impossibility |
| Workflow Lock-In | Tool-specific processes | Productivity collapse on exit |
| Talent Lock-In | Skill specialization | Labor immobility |
When all three engage, technology becomes structural destiny.
3. Why “We Can Migrate Later” Is Fiction
Migration assumes symmetry.
TDLIP shows irreversibility when:
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Data loses meaning outside the system
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Processes depend on proprietary logic
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Talent identity fuses with tools
Leaving destroys institutional memory.
4. Innovation Speed vs Dependency Depth
Fast innovation deepens lock-in faster than awareness.
| Innovation-First | Dependency-Aware |
|---|---|
| Adopt best-in-class | Preserve interchangeability |
| Optimize workflows | Maintain parallel paths |
| Train deeply | Cross-train deliberately |
| Centralize stacks | Modularize dependencies |
Val Sklarov emphasizes that technology power is measured by exit pain, not entry ease.
5. Strategic Implications
For builders:
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Design for portability, not just performance
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Separate data ownership from tooling
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Resist workflow monoculture
For investors:
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Track dependency depth as risk
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Discount ecosystems without exit narratives
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Favor technologies that tolerate replacement
TDLIP reframes tech strategy as dependency governance, not innovation race.
6. The Val Sklarov Principle
“The most dangerous technology is the one you can’t turn off.”
— Val Sklarov
TDLIP explains why dominant tech stacks feel inevitable—and why inevitability is engineered.