Peer-Reviewed Journal Cited Work of Scott M. Graffius

20 February 2026

BY SCOTT M. GRAFFIUS | ScottGraffius.com

peer-reviewed-journal-cited-work-of-scott-m-graffius---frontiers-in-public-health---lwres

Temporal Engagement Across Digital Networks

Scott M. Graffius is a leading authority on temporal dynamics across social media platforms. His widely recognized "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts" research—first published in 2018 and updated annually—takes a data-driven look at a question marketers and creators constantly ask: How long does a post matter? The study measures the half-life of engagement—the point at which a post has received half of its total interactions (e.g., likes, shares, comments, etc.). That simple but powerful metric provides practical guidance. By understanding post half-life, professionals can make smarter decisions about when—and how often—to publish content.

The work has been cited by Fast Company, GoDaddy, Journal of Hand Surgery (European Volume), Marketing in the Metaverse, Ministère de la Culture, Pinterest, Inc., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, and many others—underscoring its rigor, clarity, and ongoing relevance in digital informatics.

A visual from the now-current (2026) edition is shown below and details are available here.

stacks-image-da87ec0

Frontiers References Scott M. Graffius' Research

Frontiers in Public Health—a highly cited multidisciplinary, peer-reviewed journal—was added to the list of organizations featuring Graffius' "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media" work. Excerpts are shown below.

peer-reviewed-journal-cited-work-of-scott-m-graffius---frontiers-in-public-health---excerpts-lwres

peer-reviewed-journal-cited-work-of-scott-m-graffius---frontiers-in-public-health---excerpts-lwres

See the bibliography for details including links.

About Frontiers in Public Health Journal

Frontiers in Public Health is a multidisciplinary, peer-reviewed open-access journal published online by Frontiers Media that advances research across the full spectrum of public health, including epidemiology, health policy, environmental health, and community interventions. It employs a rigorous peer review process and is indexed in major scholarly databases such as PubMed, Scopus, and the Web of Science Social Science Citation Index. As an open-access platform, it aims to disseminate high-quality research globally to researchers, clinicians, and policymakers alike, contributing to public health knowledge and practice.

Bibliography

Alomair, N., Alkhaldi, G., Alsadhan, N. M., Alkasabi, R., & Alageel, S. (2024). Public perceptions of digital mental health awareness campaign in the Arab Gulf states: A qualitative thematic analysis. Frontiers in Public Health, 12, Article 1477315. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1477315

Frontiers Media SA. (n.d.). Frontiers | Publisher of peer-reviewed articles in open access journals. https://www.frontiersin.org/

Frontiers Media S.A. (n.d.). Frontiers in Public Health. Frontiers. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health

Graffius, S. M. (2026, January 23). Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts: Update for 2026. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.32407.43689

scottgraffius-com-article-sections-v2026-about-lwres

About Scott M. Graffius

scott_m_graffius_-_blue_-_1000x1000_-lwres

Scott M. Graffius is a strategic transformation leader who drives AI, Agile, and broader business and technology initiatives to deliver measurable value across projects, programs, portfolios, and PMOs. He is an expert in the teamwork tradecraft of both human and human-AI teams, including the “exotic team dynamics” that emerge. He is also an authority on the temporal patterns of social media, including the half-life of audience engagement.

He’s a practitioner, researcher, thought leader, award-winning author, and keynote speaker who’s taken the stage at 96 conferences and other events across 25 countries.

He’s delivered over $2.3 billion in value for Fortune 500 companies and other leaders in technology, entertainment, financial services, healthcare, and beyond.

Businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities use Graffius and feature his work. Examples include Adobe, Bayer, Boston University, Ford, Gartner, Harvard Medical School, IEEE, Johns Hopkins University, Microsoft, MSN, National Academy of Sciences, Oracle, Pinterest Inc., Project Management Institute, UC San Diego, Verizon, Yale University, and others.

The following sections provide additional information on his experience, contributions, and influence.

Experience

Graffius heads the professional services firm Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions, along with its subsidiary Exceptional Agility. These consultancies offer strategic and tactical advisory, training, embedded expertise, and consulting services to the public, private, and government sectors. They help organizations enhance their capabilities and results in agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership, supporting innovation and driving competitive advantage. The consultancies confidently back services with a Delighted Client Guarantee™.

Graffius is a former VP of project management with a publicly traded provider of diverse consumer products and services over the Internet. Before that, he ran and supervised the delivery of projects and programs in public and private organizations with businesses ranging from e-commerce to advanced technology products and services, retail, manufacturing, entertainment, and more.

He has experience with consumer, business, reseller, government, and international markets.

Award-Winning Author

Graffius has authored three books.

Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions, his first book, earned 17 awards.
Agile Transformation: A Brief Story of How an Entertainment Company Developed New Capabilities and Unlocked Business Agility to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Change, his second book, was named one of the best Scrum books of all time by BookAuthority.
Agile Protocol: The Transformation Ultimatum, his third book and his first work of fiction, was released in April 2025. The book trailer is on YouTube.

International Public Speaker

Organizations worldwide engage Graffius to present on tech (including AI), Agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership. He crafts and delivers unique and compelling talks and workshops. Graffius has conducted 97 sessions across 25 countries. Select examples of events include Agile Trends Gov, BSides (Newcastle Upon Tyne), Conf42 Quantum Computing, DevDays Europe, DevOps Institute, DevOpsDays (Geneva), Frug’Agile, IEEE, Microsoft, Scottish Summit, Scrum Alliance RSG (Nepal), Techstars, and W Love Games International Video Game Development Conference (Helsinki), and more.

With an average rating of 4.81 (on a scale of 1-5), sessions are highly valued.

The speaker engagement request form is here.

Thought Leadership and Influence

Prominent businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities have showcased Graffius and his contributions—spanning his books, talks, workshops, and beyond. Select examples include:

Adobe,
American Management Association,
Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute,
Bayer,
BMC Software,
Boston University,
Broadcom,
Cisco,
Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts - Germany,
Computer Weekly,
Constructor University - Germany,
Data Governance Success,
Deimos Aerospace,
DevOps Institute,
Dropbox,
EU's European Commission,
Ford Motor Company,
Gartner,
GoDaddy,
Harvard Medical School,
Hasso Plattner Institute - Germany,
IEEE,
Innovation Project Management,
Johns Hopkins University,
Journal of Neurosurgery,
Lam Research (Semiconductors),
Leadership Worthy,
Life Sciences Trainers and Educators Network,
London South Bank University,
Microsoft,
MSN,
NASSCOM,
National Academy of Sciences,
New Zealand Government,
Oracle,
Pinterest Inc.,
Project Management Institute,
Mary Raum (Professor of National Security Affairs, United States Naval War College),
SANS Institute,
SBG Neumark - Germany,
Singapore Institute of Technology,
Torrens University - Australia,
TBS Switzerland,
Tufts University,
UC San Diego,
UK Sports Institute,
University of Galway - Ireland,
US Department of Energy,
US National Park Service,
US Soccer,
US Tennis Association,
Verizon,
Wrike,
Yale University,
and many others.

Graffius has played a key role in the Project Management Institute (PMI) in developing professional standards. He was a member of multiple teams that authored, reviewed, and produced:

Practice Standard for Work Breakdown Structures—Second Edition.
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge—Sixth Edition.
The Standard for Program Management—Fourth Edition.
The Practice Standard for Project Estimating—Second Edition.

Additional details are here.

He was also a subject matter expert reviewer of content for the PMI’s Congress. Beyond the PMI, Graffius also served as a member of the review team for two of the Scrum Alliance’s Global Scrum Gatherings.

Acclaimed Authority on Teamwork Tradecraft

Scott-M-Graffius-Phases-Of-Team-Development-2026-Update-v26010307G2-jpg-lwres

Graffius is a renowned authority on teamwork tradecraft. Informed by the research of Bruce W. Tuckman and Mary Ann C. Jensen, over 150 subsequent studies, and Graffius' first-hand professional experience with, and analysis of, team leadership and performance, Graffius created his "Phases of Team Development" intellectual property as a unique perspective and visual conveying the five phases of team development. First introduced in 2008 and periodically updated, his work provides a diagnostic and strategic guide for navigating team dynamics. It provides actionable insights for leaders across industries to develop high-performance teams. Its adoption by esteemed organizations such as Yale University, IEEE, Cisco, Microsoft, Ford, Oracle, Broadcom, the U.S. National Park Service, and the Journal of Neurosurgery, among others, highlights its utility and value, solidifying its status as an indispensable resource for elevating team performance and driving organizational excellence. In 2026, Graffius added human-AI teamwork—including the "exotic team dynamics" which emerge when advanced AI collaborates as a teammate—to his "Phases of Team Development."

The 2026 edition of Graffius' "Phases of Team Development" intellectual property is here.

Expert on Temporal Dynamics on Social Media Platforms

scott-m-graffius-lifespan-halflife-of-social-media-posts-update-for-2026-summary-visual-v26012207-jpg-lwres

Graffius is also an authority on temporal dynamics on social media platforms. His "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts" research—first published in 2018 and updated annually—delivers a precise quantitative analysis of post longevity across digital platforms, utilizing advanced statistical techniques to determine mean half-life with precision. It establishes a solid empirical base, effectively highlighting the ephemeral nature of content within social media ecosystems. Referenced and applied by leading entities—such as Fast Company, GoDaddy, Journal of Hand Surgery (European Volume), Ministère de la Culture (French Ministry of Culture), Pinterest Inc., PNAS, and Telecommunications Policy, among others—his research exemplifies methodological rigor and sustained significance in the field of digital informatics.

The 2026 edition of Graffius "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts" research is here.

Education and Professional Certifications

Graffius has a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a focus in Human Factors. He holds eight professional certifications:

Certified SAFe 6 Agilist (SA),
Certified Scrum Professional - ScrumMaster (CSP-SM),
Certified Scrum Professional - Product Owner (CSP-PO),
Certified ScrumMaster (CSM),
Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO),
Project Management Professional (PMP),
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (LSSGB), and
IT Service Management Foundation (ITIL).

He is an active member of the Scrum Alliance, the Project Management Institute (PMI), and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).

Advancing AI, Agile, and Project/PMO Management

Scott M. Graffius continues to advance the fields of AI, Agile, and Project/PMO Management through his leadership, research, writing, and real-world impact. Businesses and other organizations leverage Graffius’ insights to drive their success.

Discover Scott’s Books

Connect with and follow Scott on LinkedIn, X, YouTube, Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, Mastodon, and ResearchGate.

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List of Additional Articles

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How to Cite This Article

Graffius, S. M. (2026, February 20). Peer-Reviewed Journal Cited Work of Scott M. Graffius. ScottGraffius.com. https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/peer-reviewed-frontiers-in-public-health-journal-cited-work-of-scott-m-graffius.html

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Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

Coming soon

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Content Acknowledgements

Names, marks, and content are the property of their respective owners.

Scott M. Graffius' "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts" research was cited in a peer-reviewed paper published in Frontiers in Public Health.

The paper ("Public perceptions of digital mental health awareness campaign in the Arab Gulf states: a qualitative thematic analysis") is © copyright the authors (Noura Alomair, Ghadah Alkhaldi, Norah M. Alsadhan, Rawan Alkasabi, and Samah Alageel), published by Frontiers Media S.A.

Frontiers and Frontiers in Public Health name, mark, and content are the property of Frontiers Media S.A.

Graffius' "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts" research is copyright © Scott M. Graffius.

This article uses limited excerpts from the respective content, attributed and used under fair use for news reporting and analysis.

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Tags and Hashtags

Frontiers in Public Health Referenced Scott M. Graffius' "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts" Research
Public perceptions of digital mental health awareness campaign in the Arab Gulf states
Scientific Breakthroughs
Scott M. Graffius
Social Media Research

#Blog
#Blogs
#Facebook
#FrontiersInPublicHealth
#Instagram
#LinkedIn
#Marketing
#Pinterest
#Podcast
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#Reddit
#Snapchat
#SocialMedia
#SocialMediaEngagement
#SocialMediaMarketing
#SocialMediaResearch
#TikTok
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#X
#YouTube

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Post-Publication Notes

If there are any supplements or updates to this article after the date of publication, they will appear here.

Copyright

Copyright © Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved.

Content on this site—including text, images, videos, and data—may not be used for training or input into any artificial intelligence, machine learning, or automatized learning systems, or published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.

Tags: Frontiers in Public Health Referenced Scott M. Graffius’ “Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts” Research • Public perceptions of digital mental health awareness campaign in the Arab Gulf states • Scientific Breakthroughs • Scott M. Graffius • Social Media Research

University of Waterloo Features Graffius' "Phases of Team Development" in Course Materials

17 February 2026

BY SCOTT M. GRAFFIUS | ScottGraffius.com

university-of-waterloo-features-graffius-phases-of-team-development-in-2026---lwres

Graffius, S. M. (2026, February 175). University of Waterloo Features Graffius' "Phases of Team Development" in Course Materials. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.23551.88482

Computer Science Course Features Graffius' Work

The University of Waterloo features Scott M. Graffius' "Phases of Team Development" material on teamwork tradecraft in its Computer Science course - CS 346. Excerpts are shown below.

university-of-waterloo-features-graffius-phases-of-team-development-in-2026---excerpts-lwres

Graffius' "Phases of Team Development"

Informed by the research of Bruce W. Tuckman and Mary Ann C. Jensen, over 150 subsequent studies, and Graffius' first-hand professional experience with, and analysis of, team leadership and performance, Graffius created his "Phases of Team Development" intellectual property as a unique perspective and visual conveying the five phases of team development. First introduced in 2008 and periodically updated, his work provides a diagnostic and strategic guide for navigating team dynamics. Leaders can apply the actionable insights to help advance the effectiveness and success of teams.

It has been adopted and relied upon by esteemed organizations, such as Adobe, Bayer, Boston University, Broadcom, Cisco, DevOps Institute, Finland Government, Hasso-Plattner-Institut für Digital Engineering GmbH, IEEE, Johns Hopkins University, Journal of Neurosurgery, Mary Raum (Professor of National Security Affairs, United States Naval War College), Microsoft, New Zealand Government, Oracle, Technical University of Munich, Tufts University, U.S. National Park Service, UCSD, Yale University, and many more.

In 2026, Graffius added human-AI teamwork—including the "exotic team dynamics" which emerge when advanced AI (agentic, autonomous, or autopoietic) collaborates as a teammate. A visual from the current (2026) edition is shown below and details are here.

Bibliography

Graffius, S. M. (2026, January 3). Scott M. Graffius' Phases of Team Development - Applied to Human Teams and Human-AI Teams: 2026 Update. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.18184.89601

University of Waterloo. (2026). Home | University of Waterloo. https://uwaterloo.ca/

University of Waterloo. (2026). Teamwork. CS 346 Winter 2026: Best practices. https://student.cs.uwaterloo.ca/~cs346/1261/reference/best-practices/teamwork/

About the University of Waterloo

The University of Waterloo is a leading research-intensive public university in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, known globally for its innovation, entrepreneurship, and experiential learning. Founded in 1957 with a focus on co-operative education, Waterloo has grown from a small engineering school into a vibrant institution of more than 42,000 students and a network of over 260,000 alumni in 160 countries, attracting world-class scholars across disciplines. Its hallmark co-op program — the largest of its kind — blends academic study with real-world work experience through partnerships with thousands of employers, giving students a competitive edge in the job market. Waterloo also fosters cutting-edge research excellence, from quantum computing and nanotechnology to interdisciplinary environments addressing global challenges. Today, Waterloo continues to build on its strengths in research, co-op education, and innovation.

About Scott M. Graffius

Scott M. Graffius is a strategic transformation leader who drives AI, Agile, and broader business and technology initiatives to deliver measurable value across projects, programs, portfolios, and PMOs. He is an expert in the teamwork tradecraft of both human and human-AI teams, including the “exotic team dynamics” that emerge. He is also an authority on the temporal patterns of social media, including the half-life of audience engagement.

He’s a practitioner, researcher, thought leader, award-winning author, and keynote speaker who’s taken the stage at 97 conferences and other events across 25 countries.

He’s delivered over $2.3 billion in value for Fortune 500 companies and other leaders in technology, entertainment, financial services, healthcare, and beyond.

Businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities use Graffius and feature his work. Examples include Adobe, Bayer, Boston University, Ford, Gartner, Harvard Medical School, IEEE, Johns Hopkins University, Microsoft, MSN, National Academy of Sciences, Oracle, Pinterest Inc., Project Management Institute, UC San Diego, Verizon, Yale University, and others.

The following sections provide additional information on his experience, contributions, and influence.

Experience

Graffius heads the professional services firm Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions, along with its subsidiary Exceptional Agility. These consultancies offer strategic and tactical advisory, training, embedded expertise, and consulting services to the public, private, and government sectors. They help organizations enhance their capabilities and results in agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership, supporting innovation and driving competitive advantage. The consultancies confidently back services with a Delighted Client Guarantee™.

Graffius is a former VP of project management with a publicly traded provider of diverse consumer products and services over the Internet. Before that, he ran and supervised the delivery of projects and programs in public and private organizations with businesses ranging from e-commerce to advanced technology products and services, retail, manufacturing, entertainment, and more.

He has experience with consumer, business, reseller, government, and international markets.

Award-Winning Author

Graffius has authored three books.

Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions, his first book, earned 17 awards.
Agile Transformation: A Brief Story of How an Entertainment Company Developed New Capabilities and Unlocked Business Agility to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Change, his second book, was named one of the best Scrum books of all time by BookAuthority.
Agile Protocol: The Transformation Ultimatum, his third book and his first work of fiction, was released in April 2025. The book trailer is on YouTube.

International Public Speaker

Organizations worldwide engage Graffius to present on tech (including AI), Agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership. He crafts and delivers unique and compelling talks and workshops. Graffius has conducted 96 sessions across 25 countries. Select examples of events include Agile Trends Gov, BSides (Newcastle Upon Tyne), Conf42 Quantum Computing, DevDays Europe, DevOps Institute, DevOpsDays (Geneva), Frug’Agile, IEEE, Microsoft, Scottish Summit, Scrum Alliance RSG (Nepal), Techstars, and W Love Games International Video Game Development Conference (Helsinki), and more.

With an average rating of 4.81 (on a scale of 1-5), sessions are highly valued.

The speaker engagement request form is here.

Thought Leadership and Influence

Prominent businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities have showcased Graffius and his contributions—spanning his books, talks, workshops, and beyond. Select examples include:

Adobe,
American Management Association,
Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute,
Bayer,
BMC Software,
Boston University,
Broadcom,
Cisco,
Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts - Germany,
Computer Weekly,
Constructor University - Germany,
Data Governance Success,
Deimos Aerospace,
DevOps Institute,
Dropbox,
EU's European Commission,
Ford Motor Company,
Gartner,
GoDaddy,
Harvard Medical School,
Hasso Plattner Institute - Germany,
IEEE,
Innovation Project Management,
Johns Hopkins University,
Journal of Neurosurgery,
Lam Research (Semiconductors),
Leadership Worthy,
Life Sciences Trainers and Educators Network,
London South Bank University,
Microsoft,
MSN,
NASSCOM,
National Academy of Sciences,
New Zealand Government,
Oracle,
Pinterest Inc.,
Project Management Institute,
Mary Raum (Professor of National Security Affairs, United States Naval War College),
SANS Institute,
SBG Neumark - Germany,
Singapore Institute of Technology,
Torrens University - Australia,
TBS Switzerland,
Tufts University,
UC San Diego,
UK Sports Institute,
University of Galway - Ireland,
US Department of Energy,
US National Park Service,
US Soccer,
US Tennis Association,
Verizon,
Wrike,
Yale University,
and many others.

Graffius has played a key role in the Project Management Institute (PMI) in developing professional standards. He was a member of multiple teams that authored, reviewed, and produced:

Practice Standard for Work Breakdown Structures—Second Edition.
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge—Sixth Edition.
The Standard for Program Management—Fourth Edition.
The Practice Standard for Project Estimating—Second Edition.

Additional details are here.

He was also a subject matter expert reviewer of content for the PMI’s Congress. Beyond the PMI, Graffius also served as a member of the review team for two of the Scrum Alliance’s Global Scrum Gatherings.

Acclaimed Authority on Teamwork Tradecraft

Graffius is a renowned authority on teamwork tradecraft. Informed by the research of Bruce W. Tuckman and Mary Ann C. Jensen, over 150 subsequent studies, and Graffius' first-hand professional experience with, and analysis of, team leadership and performance, Graffius created his "Phases of Team Development" intellectual property as a unique perspective and visual conveying the five phases of team development. First introduced in 2008 and periodically updated, his work provides a diagnostic and strategic guide for navigating team dynamics. It provides actionable insights for leaders across industries to develop high-performance teams. Its adoption by esteemed organizations such as Yale University, IEEE, Cisco, Microsoft, Ford, Oracle, Broadcom, the U.S. National Park Service, and the Journal of Neurosurgery, among others, highlights its utility and value, solidifying its status as an indispensable resource for elevating team performance and driving organizational excellence. In 2026, Graffius added human-AI teamwork—including the "exotic team dynamics" which emerge when advanced AI collaborates as a teammate—to his "Phases of Team Development."

The 2026 edition of Graffius' "Phases of Team Development" intellectual property is here.

Expert on Temporal Dynamics on Social Media Platforms

Graffius is also an authority on temporal dynamics on social media platforms. His "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts" research—first published in 2018 and updated annually—delivers a precise quantitative analysis of post longevity across digital platforms, utilizing advanced statistical techniques to determine mean half-life with precision. It establishes a solid empirical base, effectively highlighting the ephemeral nature of content within social media ecosystems. Referenced and applied by leading entities—such as Fast Company, GoDaddy, Journal of Hand Surgery (European Volume), Ministère de la Culture (French Ministry of Culture), Pinterest Inc., PNAS, and Telecommunications Policy, among others—his research exemplifies methodological rigor and sustained significance in the field of digital informatics.

The 2026 edition of Graffius "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts" research is here.

Education and Professional Certifications

Graffius has a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a focus in Human Factors. He holds eight professional certifications:

Certified SAFe 6 Agilist (SA),
Certified Scrum Professional - ScrumMaster (CSP-SM),
Certified Scrum Professional - Product Owner (CSP-PO),
Certified ScrumMaster (CSM),
Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO),
Project Management Professional (PMP),
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (LSSGB), and
IT Service Management Foundation (ITIL).

He is an active member of the Scrum Alliance, the Project Management Institute (PMI), and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).

Advancing AI, Agile, and Project/PMO Management

Scott M. Graffius continues to advance the fields of AI, Agile, and Project/PMO Management through his leadership, research, writing, and real-world impact. Businesses and other organizations leverage Graffius’ insights to drive their success.

Discover Scott’s Books

Connect with and follow Scott on LinkedIn, X, YouTube, Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, Mastodon, and ResearchGate.

Sign up for Miro—it's free!

(Want more features? You can always upgrade to a paid plan.)

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List of Additional Articles

How to Cite This Article

Graffius, S. M. (2026, February 175). University of Waterloo Features Graffius' "Phases of Team Development" in Course Materials. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.23551.88482

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.23551.88482

Content Acknowledgements

University of Waterloo features Scott M. Graffius' "Phases of Team Development" intellectual property on teamwork tradecraft in Computer Science course - CS 346.

This article includes limited excerpts of content from the University of Waterloo, attributed and used under fair use for news reporting and analysis.

University of Waterloo name, mark, and content are the property of the University of Waterloo.

Graffius' "Phases of Team Development" is copyright © Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved.

Tags and Hashtags

Phases of Team Development
Scott M. Graffius
University of Waterloo
Computer Science Course
Team Dynamics, Development, and Leadership
Teamwork Tradecraft
Innovation

#TeamDevelopment
#ComputerScience
#Leadership
#Innovation
#PhasesOfTeamDevelopment
#Innovation
#Teamwork

Post-Publication Notes

If there are any supplements or updates to this article after the date of publication, they will appear here.

Copyright

Copyright © Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved.

Content on this site—including text, images, videos, and data—may not be used for training or input into any artificial intelligence, machine learning, or automatized learning systems, or published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.

Tags: Phases of Team Development • Scott M. Graffius • Teamwork Tradecraft • Innovation • University of Waterloo • Computer Science Course • Team Dynamics, Development, and Leadership

Perplexity Standalone Article on AI Hallucinations Cites Research by Scott M. Graffius

15 February 2026

BY SCOTT M. GRAFFIUS | ScottGraffius.com

perplexity-standalone-article-on-ai-cites-research-by-graffius---header-visual-lwres

Graffius, S. M. (2026, February 15). Perplexity Standalone Article on AI Hallucinations Cites Research by Scott M. Graffius. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.16840.99847

Perplexity Standalone Article on AI Cites Graffius' Work

Founded in 2022, Perplexity is an AI-powered search and conversational answer platform designed to streamline information discovery by delivering concise, up-to-date responses grounded in web data and supported with citations.

Perplexity also publishes standalone articles on specific topics. It included Scott M. Graffius' research—"Are AI Hallucinations Getting Better or Worse? We Analyzed the Data"—among the sources cited in its standalone article on the subject. Excerpts are shown below.

perplexity-standalone-article-on-ai-cites-research-by-graffius---excerpts-lwres

perplexity-standalone-article-on-ai-cites-research-by-graffius---excerpts-lwres

Details including links are in the Bibliography section.

More About Perplexity

Perplexity consistently ranks among the top 10 most popular generative AI tools based on web traffic and usage, and within the top 5 among AI search/chat assistants (Business Insider, 2025; DataStudios, 2025; Dotdesh, 2025; Liu & Wang, 2024; Similarweb, 2025; TwinStrata, 2025).

Bibliography

Business Insider. (2025, October 8). Sam Altman touts ChatGPT’s 800 million weekly users, double all its main competitors combined. BusinessInsider.com. https://www.businessinsider.com/chatgpt-users-openai-sam-altman-devday-llm-artificial-intelligence-2025-10

DataStudios. (2025). Global ranking of the most popular AI chatbots by usage. DataStudios.org. https://www.datastudios.org/post/global-ranking-of-the-most-popular-ai-chatbots-by-usage

Dotdesh. (2025). 65 most popular AI tools ranked. Dotdesh.com. https://www.dotdesh.com/65-most-popular-ai-tools-ranked-october-2025/

Graffius, S. M. (2026, January 7). Are AI Hallucinations Getting Better or Worse? We Analyzed the Data. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.33179.53285

Liu, Y., & Wang, H. (2024). Ranked: The most popular generative AI tools in 2024. Visual Capitalist. https://www.visualcapitalist.com/ranked-the-most-popular-generative-ai-tools-in-2024/

Perplexity (2026, February 12). Study Finds Celebrated AI Model Guesses Answers, Lacks Cognition. Perplexity AI stand-alone article. https://www.perplexity.ai/page/experts-say-ai-lacks-true-huma-JfKEeQvcRhCddq0tgTAiMw

Similarweb. (2025). Top AI tools: Most used Gen‑AI in August 2025. https://www.similarweb.com/blog/marketing/seo/most-used-ai/

TwinStrata. (2025). Perplexity AI statistics 2026: Key data and trends. TwinStrata.com. https://www.twinstrata.com/perplexity-ai-statistics/

About Scott M. Graffius

Scott M. Graffius is a strategic transformation leader who drives AI, Agile, and broader business and technology initiatives to deliver measurable value across projects, programs, portfolios, and PMOs. He is an expert in the teamwork tradecraft of both human and human-AI teams, including the “exotic team dynamics” that emerge. He is also an authority on the temporal patterns of social media, including the half-life of audience engagement.

He’s a practitioner, researcher, thought leader, award-winning author, and keynote speaker who’s taken the stage at 97 conferences and other events across 25 countries.

He’s delivered over $2.3 billion in value for Fortune 500 companies and other leaders in technology, entertainment, financial services, healthcare, and beyond.

Businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities use Graffius and feature his work. Examples include Adobe, Bayer, Boston University, Ford, Gartner, Harvard Medical School, IEEE, Johns Hopkins University, Microsoft, MSN, National Academy of Sciences, Oracle, Pinterest Inc., Project Management Institute, UC San Diego, Verizon, Yale University, and others.

The following sections provide additional information on his experience, contributions, and influence.

Experience

Graffius heads the professional services firm Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions, along with its subsidiary Exceptional Agility. These consultancies offer strategic and tactical advisory, training, embedded expertise, and consulting services to the public, private, and government sectors. They help organizations enhance their capabilities and results in agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership, supporting innovation and driving competitive advantage. The consultancies confidently back services with a Delighted Client Guarantee™.

Graffius is a former VP of project management with a publicly traded provider of diverse consumer products and services over the Internet. Before that, he ran and supervised the delivery of projects and programs in public and private organizations with businesses ranging from e-commerce to advanced technology products and services, retail, manufacturing, entertainment, and more.

He has experience with consumer, business, reseller, government, and international markets.

Award-Winning Author

Graffius has authored three books.

Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions, his first book, earned 17 awards.
Agile Transformation: A Brief Story of How an Entertainment Company Developed New Capabilities and Unlocked Business Agility to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Change, his second book, was named one of the best Scrum books of all time by BookAuthority.
Agile Protocol: The Transformation Ultimatum, his third book and his first work of fiction, was released in April 2025. The book trailer is on YouTube.

International Public Speaker

Organizations worldwide engage Graffius to present on tech (including AI), Agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership. He crafts and delivers unique and compelling talks and workshops. Graffius has conducted 96 sessions across 25 countries. Select examples of events include Agile Trends Gov, BSides (Newcastle Upon Tyne), Conf42 Quantum Computing, DevDays Europe, DevOps Institute, DevOpsDays (Geneva), Frug’Agile, IEEE, Microsoft, Scottish Summit, Scrum Alliance RSG (Nepal), Techstars, and W Love Games International Video Game Development Conference (Helsinki), and more.

With an average rating of 4.81 (on a scale of 1-5), sessions are highly valued.

The speaker engagement request form is here.

Thought Leadership and Influence

Prominent businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities have showcased Graffius and his contributions—spanning his books, talks, workshops, and beyond. Select examples include:

Adobe,
American Management Association,
Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute,
Bayer,
BMC Software,
Boston University,
Broadcom,
Cisco,
Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts - Germany,
Computer Weekly,
Constructor University - Germany,
Data Governance Success,
Deimos Aerospace,
DevOps Institute,
Dropbox,
EU's European Commission,
Ford Motor Company,
Gartner,
GoDaddy,
Harvard Medical School,
Hasso Plattner Institute - Germany,
IEEE,
Innovation Project Management,
Johns Hopkins University,
Journal of Neurosurgery,
Lam Research (Semiconductors),
Leadership Worthy,
Life Sciences Trainers and Educators Network,
London South Bank University,
Microsoft,
MSN,
NASSCOM,
National Academy of Sciences,
New Zealand Government,
Oracle,
Pinterest Inc.,
Project Management Institute,
Mary Raum (Professor of National Security Affairs, United States Naval War College),
SANS Institute,
SBG Neumark - Germany,
Singapore Institute of Technology,
Torrens University - Australia,
TBS Switzerland,
Tufts University,
UC San Diego,
UK Sports Institute,
University of Galway - Ireland,
US Department of Energy,
US National Park Service,
US Soccer,
US Tennis Association,
Verizon,
Wrike,
Yale University,
and many others.

Graffius has played a key role in the Project Management Institute (PMI) in developing professional standards. He was a member of multiple teams that authored, reviewed, and produced:

Practice Standard for Work Breakdown Structures—Second Edition.
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge—Sixth Edition.
The Standard for Program Management—Fourth Edition.
The Practice Standard for Project Estimating—Second Edition.

Additional details are here.

He was also a subject matter expert reviewer of content for the PMI’s Congress. Beyond the PMI, Graffius also served as a member of the review team for two of the Scrum Alliance’s Global Scrum Gatherings.

Acclaimed Authority on Teamwork Tradecraft

Graffius is a renowned authority on teamwork tradecraft. Informed by the research of Bruce W. Tuckman and Mary Ann C. Jensen, over 150 subsequent studies, and Graffius' first-hand professional experience with, and analysis of, team leadership and performance, Graffius created his "Phases of Team Development" intellectual property as a unique perspective and visual conveying the five phases of team development. First introduced in 2008 and periodically updated, his work provides a diagnostic and strategic guide for navigating team dynamics. It provides actionable insights for leaders across industries to develop high-performance teams. Its adoption by esteemed organizations such as Yale University, IEEE, Cisco, Microsoft, Ford, Oracle, Broadcom, the U.S. National Park Service, and the Journal of Neurosurgery, among others, highlights its utility and value, solidifying its status as an indispensable resource for elevating team performance and driving organizational excellence. In 2026, Graffius added human-AI teamwork—including the "exotic team dynamics" which emerge when advanced AI collaborates as a teammate—to his "Phases of Team Development."

The 2026 edition of Graffius' "Phases of Team Development" intellectual property is here.

Expert on Temporal Dynamics on Social Media Platforms

Graffius is also an authority on temporal dynamics on social media platforms. His "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts" research—first published in 2018 and updated annually—delivers a precise quantitative analysis of post longevity across digital platforms, utilizing advanced statistical techniques to determine mean half-life with precision. It establishes a solid empirical base, effectively highlighting the ephemeral nature of content within social media ecosystems. Referenced and applied by leading entities—such as Fast Company, GoDaddy, Journal of Hand Surgery (European Volume), Ministère de la Culture (French Ministry of Culture), Pinterest Inc., PNAS, and Telecommunications Policy, among others—his research exemplifies methodological rigor and sustained significance in the field of digital informatics.

The 2026 edition of Graffius "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts" research is here.

Education and Professional Certifications

Graffius has a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a focus in Human Factors. He holds eight professional certifications:

Certified SAFe 6 Agilist (SA),
Certified Scrum Professional - ScrumMaster (CSP-SM),
Certified Scrum Professional - Product Owner (CSP-PO),
Certified ScrumMaster (CSM),
Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO),
Project Management Professional (PMP),
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (LSSGB), and
IT Service Management Foundation (ITIL).

He is an active member of the Scrum Alliance, the Project Management Institute (PMI), and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).

Advancing AI, Agile, and Project/PMO Management

Scott M. Graffius continues to advance the fields of AI, Agile, and Project/PMO Management through his leadership, research, writing, and real-world impact. Businesses and other organizations leverage Graffius’ insights to drive their success.

Discover Scott’s Books

Connect with and follow Scott on LinkedIn, X, YouTube, Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, Mastodon, and ResearchGate.

Sign up for Miro—it's free!

(Want more features? You can always upgrade to a paid plan.)

scottgraffius-com-article-sections-v2026-more-lwres

List of Additional Articles

How to Cite This Article

Graffius, S. M. (2026, February 15). Perplexity Standalone Article on AI Hallucinations Cites Research by Scott M. Graffius. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.16840.99847

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.16840.99847

Content Acknowledgements

Perplexity is a generative AI search tool that produces conversational answers with citations. It also publishes standalone articles on specific topics. Perplexity cited Scott M. Graffius' "Are AI Hallucinations Getting Better or Worse? We Analyzed the Data" research among its sources for its "Study Finds Celebrated AI Model Guesses Answers, Lacks Cognition" publication.

This piece uses limited excerpts from the respective Perplexity content, attributed to Perplexity and used under fair use for news reporting and analysis.

Perplexity name, mark, and content are the property of Perplexity AI, Inc. or its affiliates or licensors.

Graffius' content is copyright © Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved.

#AI
#AIHallucinations
#PerplexityAI
#ArtificialIntelligence
#AIEthics
#GenerativeAI
#AIResearch
#TechTrends

Post-Publication Notes

If there are any supplements or updates to this article after the date of publication, they will appear here.

Copyright

Copyright © Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved.

Content on this site—including text, images, videos, and data—may not be used for training or input into any artificial intelligence, machine learning, or automatized learning systems, or published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.

Tags: Artificial Intelligence (AI) • AI Hallucinations • Perplexity AI • Reasoning Models • AI Limitations • Scott M. Graffius • Generative AI Trends • AI Research

Handling the Saboteur Within: Lessons from a 3-Letter Agency on Spotting and Stopping Intentional and Unintentional Sabotage

12 February 2026

BY SCOTT M. GRAFFIUS | ScottGraffius.com

Scott M Graffius - Talk - Handling the Saboteur Within - Lessons from a 3-Letter Agency - v5 - lwres

Graffius, S. M. (2026, February 12). Handling the Saboteur Within: Lessons from a 3-Letter Agency on Spotting and Stopping Intentional and Unintentional Sabotage. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.34869.95200

Introduction

Scott M. Graffius is a strategic transformation leader who applies his expertise in teamwork tradecraft as a practitioner, consultant, researcher, award‑winning author, and keynote speaker who has delighted audiences with talks and workshops at 96 conferences and other events across 25 countries.

This article provides an overview of his new session, "Handling the Saboteur Within: Lessons from a 3-Letter Agency on Spotting and Stopping Intentional and Unintentional Sabotage."

Event: Unlisted
Company: Unlisted
Session delegates: Unlisted
Date: Thursday, February 12, 2026
Time: Unlisted
Location: Unlisted

This will be Graffius’ 97th session.

Synopsis of "Handling the Saboteur Within: Lessons from a 3-Letter Agency on Spotting and Stopping Intentional and Unintentional Sabotage"

Led by Scott M. Graffius, this engaging and interactive session explores the surprising lessons from a 3-letter agency on spotting and stopping sabotage—whether intentional or unintentional—within teams and organizations. It's informed by the speaker’s professional experience, a declassified agency manual, and more than 100 additional sources. The session covers how to identify these common issues (anti-patterns) and apply proven counter-measures (patterns) to neutralize them effectively.

Whether you're a team leader, manager, or individual contributor, "Handling the Saboteur Within: Lessons from a 3-Letter Agency on Spotting and Stopping Intentional and Unintentional Sabotage" will equip you with practical tools and insights to handle the saboteur within—advancing the effectiveness, happiness, and success of your teams.

Three Key Learning Objectives

Session delegates will learn how to:

Identify and differentiate intentional vs. unintentional sabotage patterns.
Spot these patterns early and understand their impact on productivity and morale.
Apply proven countermeasures to stop sabotage and build high-functioning teams and organizations.

Conclusion

If you want to improve the effectiveness, happiness, and success of your teams, Scott M. Graffius delivers the insights and actionable strategies to get you there. Invite him to speak at your conference or other event. Complete a speaker engagement request form or email him today.

About Scott M. Graffius

Scott M. Graffius is a strategic transformation leader who drives AI, Agile, and broader business and technology initiatives to deliver measurable value across projects, programs, portfolios, and PMOs. He is an expert in the teamwork tradecraft of both human and human-AI teams, including the “exotic team dynamics” that emerge. He is also an authority on the temporal patterns of social media, including the half-life of audience engagement.

He’s a practitioner, researcher, thought leader, award-winning author, and keynote speaker who’s taken the stage at 96 conferences and other events across 25 countries.

He’s delivered over $2.3 billion in value for Fortune 500 companies and other leaders in technology, entertainment, financial services, healthcare, and beyond.

Businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities use Graffius and feature his work. Examples include Adobe, Bayer, Boston University, Ford, Gartner, Harvard Medical School, IEEE, Johns Hopkins University, Microsoft, MSN, National Academy of Sciences, Oracle, Pinterest Inc., Project Management Institute, UC San Diego, Verizon, Yale University, and others.

The following sections provide additional information on his experience, contributions, and influence.

Experience

Graffius heads the professional services firm Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions, along with its subsidiary Exceptional Agility. These consultancies offer strategic and tactical advisory, training, embedded expertise, and consulting services to the public, private, and government sectors. They help organizations enhance their capabilities and results in agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership, supporting innovation and driving competitive advantage. The consultancies confidently back services with a Delighted Client Guarantee™.

Graffius is a former VP of project management with a publicly traded provider of diverse consumer products and services over the Internet. Before that, he ran and supervised the delivery of projects and programs in public and private organizations with businesses ranging from e-commerce to advanced technology products and services, retail, manufacturing, entertainment, and more.

He has experience with consumer, business, reseller, government, and international markets.

Award-Winning Author

Graffius has authored three books.

Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions, his first book, earned 17 awards.
Agile Transformation: A Brief Story of How an Entertainment Company Developed New Capabilities and Unlocked Business Agility to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Change, his second book, was named one of the best Scrum books of all time by BookAuthority.
Agile Protocol: The Transformation Ultimatum, his third book and his first work of fiction, was released in April 2025. The book trailer is on YouTube.

International Public Speaker

Organizations worldwide engage Graffius to present on tech (including AI), Agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership. He crafts and delivers unique and compelling talks and workshops. Graffius has conducted 96 sessions across 25 countries. Select examples of events include Agile Trends Gov, BSides (Newcastle Upon Tyne), Conf42 Quantum Computing, DevDays Europe, DevOps Institute, DevOpsDays (Geneva), Frug’Agile, IEEE, Microsoft, Scottish Summit, Scrum Alliance RSG (Nepal), Techstars, and W Love Games International Video Game Development Conference (Helsinki), and more.

With an average rating of 4.81 (on a scale of 1-5), sessions are highly valued.

The speaker engagement request form is here.

Thought Leadership and Influence

Prominent businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities have showcased Graffius and his contributions—spanning his books, talks, workshops, and beyond. Select examples include:

Adobe,
American Management Association,
Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute,
Bayer,
BMC Software,
Boston University,
Broadcom,
Cisco,
Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts - Germany,
Computer Weekly,
Constructor University - Germany,
Data Governance Success,
Deimos Aerospace,
DevOps Institute,
Dropbox,
EU's European Commission,
Ford Motor Company,
Gartner,
GoDaddy,
Harvard Medical School,
Hasso Plattner Institute - Germany,
IEEE,
Innovation Project Management,
Johns Hopkins University,
Journal of Neurosurgery,
Lam Research (Semiconductors),
Leadership Worthy,
Life Sciences Trainers and Educators Network,
London South Bank University,
Microsoft,
MSN,
NASSCOM,
National Academy of Sciences,
New Zealand Government,
Oracle,
Pinterest Inc.,
Project Management Institute,
Mary Raum (Professor of National Security Affairs, United States Naval War College),
SANS Institute,
SBG Neumark - Germany,
Singapore Institute of Technology,
Torrens University - Australia,
TBS Switzerland,
Tufts University,
UC San Diego,
UK Sports Institute,
University of Galway - Ireland,
US Department of Energy,
US National Park Service,
US Soccer,
US Tennis Association,
Verizon,
Wrike,
Yale University,
and many others.

Graffius has played a key role in the Project Management Institute (PMI) in developing professional standards. He was a member of multiple teams that authored, reviewed, and produced:

Practice Standard for Work Breakdown Structures—Second Edition.
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge—Sixth Edition.
The Standard for Program Management—Fourth Edition.
The Practice Standard for Project Estimating—Second Edition.

Additional details are here.

He was also a subject matter expert reviewer of content for the PMI’s Congress. Beyond the PMI, Graffius also served as a member of the review team for two of the Scrum Alliance’s Global Scrum Gatherings.

Acclaimed Authority on Teamwork Tradecraft

Graffius is a renowned authority on teamwork tradecraft. Informed by the research of Bruce W. Tuckman and Mary Ann C. Jensen, over 150 subsequent studies, and Graffius' first-hand professional experience with, and analysis of, team leadership and performance, Graffius created his "Phases of Team Development" intellectual property as a unique perspective and visual conveying the five phases of team development. First introduced in 2008 and periodically updated, his work provides a diagnostic and strategic guide for navigating team dynamics. It provides actionable insights for leaders across industries to develop high-performance teams. Its adoption by esteemed organizations such as Yale University, IEEE, Cisco, Microsoft, Ford, Oracle, Broadcom, the U.S. National Park Service, and the Journal of Neurosurgery, among others, highlights its utility and value, solidifying its status as an indispensable resource for elevating team performance and driving organizational excellence. In 2026, Graffius added human-AI teamwork—including the "exotic team dynamics" which emerge when advanced AI collaborates as a teammate—to his "Phases of Team Development."

The 2026 edition of Graffius' "Phases of Team Development" intellectual property is here.

Expert on Temporal Dynamics on Social Media Platforms

Graffius is also an authority on temporal dynamics on social media platforms. His "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts" research—first published in 2018 and updated annually—delivers a precise quantitative analysis of post longevity across digital platforms, utilizing advanced statistical techniques to determine mean half-life with precision. It establishes a solid empirical base, effectively highlighting the ephemeral nature of content within social media ecosystems. Referenced and applied by leading entities—such as Fast Company, GoDaddy, Journal of Hand Surgery (European Volume), Ministère de la Culture (French Ministry of Culture), Pinterest Inc., PNAS, and Telecommunications Policy, among others—his research exemplifies methodological rigor and sustained significance in the field of digital informatics.

The 2026 edition of Graffius "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts" research is here.

Education and Professional Certifications

Graffius has a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a focus in Human Factors. He holds eight professional certifications:

Certified SAFe 6 Agilist (SA),
Certified Scrum Professional - ScrumMaster (CSP-SM),
Certified Scrum Professional - Product Owner (CSP-PO),
Certified ScrumMaster (CSM),
Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO),
Project Management Professional (PMP),
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (LSSGB), and
IT Service Management Foundation (ITIL).

He is an active member of the Scrum Alliance, the Project Management Institute (PMI), and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).

Advancing AI, Agile, and Project/PMO Management

Scott M. Graffius continues to advance the fields of AI, Agile, and Project/PMO Management through his leadership, research, writing, and real-world impact. Businesses and other organizations leverage Graffius’ insights to drive their success.

Discover Scott’s Books

Connect with and follow Scott on LinkedIn, X, YouTube, Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, Mastodon, and ResearchGate.

Sign up for Miro—it's free!

(Want more features? You can always upgrade to a paid plan.)

scottgraffius-com-article-sections-v2026-more-lwres

List of Additional Articles

How to Cite This Article

Graffius, S. M. (2026, February 12). Handling the Saboteur Within: Lessons from a 3-Letter Agency on Spotting and Stopping Intentional and Unintentional Sabotage. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.34869.95200

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.34869.95200

Content Acknowledgements

Names, marks, and content are the property of their respective owners.

#Leadership
#CounterSabotage
#TeamDynamics
#Productivity
#SimpleSabotage
#Teamwork
#Agile
#TeamworkTradecraft

Post-Publication Notes

If there are any supplements or updates to this article after the date of publication, they will appear here.

Copyright

Copyright © Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved.

Content on this site—including text, images, videos, and data—may not be used for training or input into any artificial intelligence, machine learning, or automatized learning systems, or published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.

Tags: Organizational Sabotage • Team Productivity • Teamwork Tradecraft • High-Performing Teams • Countermeasures Patterns • Intentional and Unintentional Sabotage • Workplace Dysfunction • Leadership Patterns and Anti-patterns

A Deep Dive Into the Typical Engagement Pattern for Social Media Posts

09 February 2026

BY SCOTT M. GRAFFIUS | ScottGraffius.com

deep-dive-on-engagement-pattern-for-social-media-by-scott-m-graffius---lwres

Graffius, S. M. (2026, February 9). A Deep Dive Into the Typical Engagement Pattern for Social Media Posts. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.26481.34404

black_spacer_lr_sq_v3

Introduction

Social media content usually has a short window of relevance and engagement. An advantageous objective metric is half-life. It’s the time it takes for a post to receive half of its total engagement (such as likes, shares, and comments). Data can help inform strategic and tactical decisions, such as the frequency and scheduling of posts.

Eight years ago, Scott M. Graffius first published data on the half-life of posts on different social media networks. Because algorithms and other factors evolve, he periodically updates his work. On 23 January 2026, Graffius released the 2026 edition of his "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts" research.

Businesses, professional associations, government agencies, social media researchers, influencers, publications, and others have featured and used prior editions of the research. Select examples include BMC, Buffer, Fast Company, GoDaddy, Journal of Hand Surgery (European Volume), Maximizing LinkedIn for Business Growth, Ministère de la Culture, Pinterest, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), Telecommunications Policy, World Economic Forum, and many more.

The 2026 edition covers Snapchat, TikTok, X, Facebook, Reddit, Instagram, LinkedIn, podcasts, YouTube, Pinterest, and blogs. Findings were derived from an extensive analysis of over 5,600,000 social media posts and 397 podcasts, aggregated from multiple sources, including APIs, proprietary commercial datasets, academic and research consortium databases, publicly shared datasets, governmental data repositories, and other sources.

The "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts: Update for 2026" stands out for its:

◾️ Scope (5.6 million posts),
◾️ Coverage (11 platforms),
◾️ Methodology (multi-source, representative, data-driven),
◾️ Continuity (annual updates), and
◾️ Value (actionable insights).

The following visual provides a summary of the findings, and the details are here.

The annual updates provide details, including sources, references, and an extensive list of frequently asked questions (FAQs), among other information. Additionally, Graffius occasionally provides companion pieces, such as "Supplement to Graffius' 'Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts' Research: Typical Engagement Distribution Pattern for Social Media Posts."

Graffius sat down with a scientist for an even deeper dive into the intriguing temporal patterns of engagement. Graffius is sharing highlights from that conversation in this concise supplement on his research.

Details on the Temporal Distribution of Engagement

The "Typical Engagement Distribution Pattern for Social Media Posts" visual above (and also shown at the top of this article) illustrates the temporal distribution of engagement (e.g., likes, comments, shares, etc.) for a typical social media post, exhibiting a positively skewed unimodal probability density function (a rate-of-engagement function over time).

Key scientifically precise characteristics include (these reflect common patterns observed across real datasets; exact fits vary by platform):

Unimodal shape — A single dominant mode (peak) occurring shortly after publication (t ≈ 0⁺), representing the highest instantaneous engagement rate soon after posting.

Strong positive (right) skew — The distribution is markedly asymmetric, with a rapid rise to the mode followed by a comparatively long right tail of progressively diminishing (but non-zero) engagement extending over a much longer duration. This reflects the classic "early burst + long tail" pattern widely observed in online content consumption dynamics.

Heavy-tailed decay after the peak — The post-peak decline is generally much steeper than exponential in the initial phase (often approximating power-law-like or stretched-exponential behavior in real datasets), transitioning to a very slow, low-level residual engagement in the tail. This produces the characteristic skewness.

Half-life annotation — In the "Typical Engagement Distribution Pattern for Social Media Posts" visual, the dashed green line marks the point where the cumulative engagement (orange curve) reaches 50% of the eventual total lifetime engagement, visually emphasizing how disproportionately early the majority of interactions occur (a hallmark of many attention/virality processes on social platforms).

This pattern is consistent with a positively skewed, heavy-tailed, right-censored lifetime process or a non-homogeneous Poisson process with a rapidly decaying intensity function λ(t) that is highest immediately after t = 0 and then falls off sharply before asymptoting toward a very low baseline rate.

Conclusion

In short, the typical engagement pattern for social media posts is a positively skewed, heavy-tailed unimodal engagement-rate distribution with rapid early peaking and extended low-level tail, resulting in the majority of lifetime engagement accruing soon after posting.

To learn more, see the "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts: Update for 2026" research.

Bibliography

Graffius, S. M. (2024, September 30). Supplement to Graffius' 'Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts' Research: Typical Engagement Distribution Pattern for Social Media Posts. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.15820.22402

Graffius, S. M. (2026, January 23). Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts: Update for 2026. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.32407.43689

About Scott M. Graffius

Scott M. Graffius is a strategic transformation leader who drives AI, Agile, and broader business and technology initiatives to deliver measurable value across projects, programs, portfolios, and PMOs. He is an expert in the teamwork tradecraft of both human and human-AI teams, including the “exotic team dynamics” that emerge. He is also an authority on the temporal patterns of social media, including the half-life of audience engagement.

He’s a practitioner, researcher, thought leader, award-winning author, and keynote speaker who’s taken the stage at 96 conferences and other events across 25 countries.

He’s delivered over $2.3 billion in value for Fortune 500 companies and other leaders in technology, entertainment, financial services, healthcare, and beyond.

Businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities use Graffius and feature his work. Examples include Adobe, Bayer, Boston University, Ford, Gartner, Harvard Medical School, IEEE, Johns Hopkins University, Microsoft, MSN, National Academy of Sciences, Oracle, Pinterest Inc., Project Management Institute, UC San Diego, Verizon, Yale University, and others.

The following sections provide additional information on his experience, contributions, and influence.

Experience

Graffius heads the professional services firm Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions, along with its subsidiary Exceptional Agility. These consultancies offer strategic and tactical advisory, training, embedded expertise, and consulting services to the public, private, and government sectors. They help organizations enhance their capabilities and results in agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership, supporting innovation and driving competitive advantage. The consultancies confidently back services with a Delighted Client Guarantee™.

Graffius is a former VP of project management with a publicly traded provider of diverse consumer products and services over the Internet. Before that, he ran and supervised the delivery of projects and programs in public and private organizations with businesses ranging from e-commerce to advanced technology products and services, retail, manufacturing, entertainment, and more.

He has experience with consumer, business, reseller, government, and international markets.

Award-Winning Author

Graffius has authored three books.

Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions, his first book, earned 17 awards.
Agile Transformation: A Brief Story of How an Entertainment Company Developed New Capabilities and Unlocked Business Agility to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Change, his second book, was named one of the best Scrum books of all time by BookAuthority.
Agile Protocol: The Transformation Ultimatum, his third book and his first work of fiction, was released in April 2025. The book trailer is on YouTube.

International Public Speaker

Organizations worldwide engage Graffius to present on tech (including AI), Agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership. He crafts and delivers unique and compelling talks and workshops. Graffius has conducted 96 sessions across 25 countries. Select examples of events include Agile Trends Gov, BSides (Newcastle Upon Tyne), Conf42 Quantum Computing, DevDays Europe, DevOps Institute, DevOpsDays (Geneva), Frug’Agile, IEEE, Microsoft, Scottish Summit, Scrum Alliance RSG (Nepal), Techstars, and W Love Games International Video Game Development Conference (Helsinki), and more.

With an average rating of 4.81 (on a scale of 1-5), sessions are highly valued.

The speaker engagement request form is here.

Thought Leadership and Influence

Prominent businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities have showcased Graffius and his contributions—spanning his books, talks, workshops, and beyond. Select examples include:

Adobe,
American Management Association,
Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute,
Bayer,
BMC Software,
Boston University,
Broadcom,
Cisco,
Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts - Germany,
Computer Weekly,
Constructor University - Germany,
Data Governance Success,
Deimos Aerospace,
DevOps Institute,
Dropbox,
EU's European Commission,
Ford Motor Company,
Gartner,
GoDaddy,
Harvard Medical School,
Hasso Plattner Institute - Germany,
IEEE,
Innovation Project Management,
Johns Hopkins University,
Journal of Neurosurgery,
Lam Research (Semiconductors),
Leadership Worthy,
Life Sciences Trainers and Educators Network,
London South Bank University,
Microsoft,
MSN,
NASSCOM,
National Academy of Sciences,
New Zealand Government,
Oracle,
Pinterest Inc.,
Project Management Institute,
Mary Raum (Professor of National Security Affairs, United States Naval War College),
SANS Institute,
SBG Neumark - Germany,
Singapore Institute of Technology,
Torrens University - Australia,
TBS Switzerland,
Tufts University,
UC San Diego,
UK Sports Institute,
University of Galway - Ireland,
US Department of Energy,
US National Park Service,
US Soccer,
US Tennis Association,
Verizon,
Wrike,
Yale University,
and many others.

Graffius has played a key role in the Project Management Institute (PMI) in developing professional standards. He was a member of multiple teams that authored, reviewed, and produced:

Practice Standard for Work Breakdown Structures—Second Edition.
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge—Sixth Edition.
The Standard for Program Management—Fourth Edition.
The Practice Standard for Project Estimating—Second Edition.

Additional details are here.

He was also a subject matter expert reviewer of content for the PMI’s Congress. Beyond the PMI, Graffius also served as a member of the review team for two of the Scrum Alliance’s Global Scrum Gatherings.

Acclaimed Authority on Teamwork Tradecraft

Graffius is a renowned authority on teamwork tradecraft. Informed by the research of Bruce W. Tuckman and Mary Ann C. Jensen, over 150 subsequent studies, and Graffius' first-hand professional experience with, and analysis of, team leadership and performance, Graffius created his "Phases of Team Development" intellectual property as a unique perspective and visual conveying the five phases of team development. First introduced in 2008 and periodically updated, his work provides a diagnostic and strategic guide for navigating team dynamics. It provides actionable insights for leaders across industries to develop high-performance teams. Its adoption by esteemed organizations such as Yale University, IEEE, Cisco, Microsoft, Ford, Oracle, Broadcom, the U.S. National Park Service, and the Journal of Neurosurgery, among others, highlights its utility and value, solidifying its status as an indispensable resource for elevating team performance and driving organizational excellence. In 2026, Graffius added human-AI teamwork—including the "exotic team dynamics" which emerge when advanced AI collaborates as a teammate—to his "Phases of Team Development."

The 2026 edition of Graffius' "Phases of Team Development" intellectual property is here.

Expert on Temporal Dynamics on Social Media Platforms

Graffius is also an authority on temporal dynamics on social media platforms. His "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts" research—first published in 2018 and updated annually—delivers a precise quantitative analysis of post longevity across digital platforms, utilizing advanced statistical techniques to determine mean half-life with precision. It establishes a solid empirical base, effectively highlighting the ephemeral nature of content within social media ecosystems. Referenced and applied by leading entities—such as Fast Company, GoDaddy, Journal of Hand Surgery (European Volume), Ministère de la Culture (French Ministry of Culture), Pinterest Inc., PNAS, and Telecommunications Policy, among others—his research exemplifies methodological rigor and sustained significance in the field of digital informatics.

The 2026 edition of Graffius "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts" research is here.

Education and Professional Certifications

Graffius has a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a focus in Human Factors. He holds eight professional certifications:

Certified SAFe 6 Agilist (SA),
Certified Scrum Professional - ScrumMaster (CSP-SM),
Certified Scrum Professional - Product Owner (CSP-PO),
Certified ScrumMaster (CSM),
Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO),
Project Management Professional (PMP),
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (LSSGB), and
IT Service Management Foundation (ITIL).

He is an active member of the Scrum Alliance, the Project Management Institute (PMI), and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).

Advancing AI, Agile, and Project/PMO Management

Scott M. Graffius continues to advance the fields of AI, Agile, and Project/PMO Management through his leadership, research, writing, and real-world impact. Businesses and other organizations leverage Graffius’ insights to drive their success.

Discover Scott’s Books

Connect with and follow Scott on LinkedIn, X, YouTube, Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, Mastodon, and ResearchGate.

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List of Additional Articles

How to Cite This Article

Graffius, S. M. (2026, February 9). A Deep Dive Into the Typical Engagement Pattern for Social Media Posts. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.26481.34404

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.26481.34404

Content Acknowledgements

Names, marks, and content are the property of their respective owners.

Tags and Hashtags

Social media engagement
Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts
Typical Engagement Distribution Pattern for Social Media Posts
Content performance analytics
Attention decay over time
Long tail engagement
Skewed unimodal distribution

#SocialMediaAnalytics
#ContentStrategy
#DigitalMarketing
#Engagement
#DataScience
#Statistics
#SocialMediaResearch

Post-Publication Notes

If there are any supplements or updates to this article after the date of publication, they will appear here.

Copyright

Copyright © Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved.

Content on this site—including text, images, videos, and data—may not be used for training or input into any artificial intelligence, machine learning, or automatized learning systems, or published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.

Tags: Social media engagement • Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts • Typical Engagement Distribution Pattern for Social Media Posts • Content performance analytics • Attention decay over time • Long tail engagement • Skewed unimodal distribution

Most Valuable IT Certifications: Update for 2026

06 February 2026

BY SCOTT M. GRAFFIUS | ScottGraffius.com

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Graffius, S. M. (2026, February 6). Most Valuable IT Certifications: Update for 2026. ScottGraffius.com. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.32789.18404

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Introduction

In Technology, there's no substitute for experience. However, certifications remain a valuable tool for advancing one's career.

Since 2017, Scott M. Graffius has researched and reported on the most valuable Information Technology (IT) related certifications. As new technologies emerge and business needs evolve, the landscape of in-demand skills changes. To reflect these ongoing shifts, Graffius regularly updates his work. This article presents the 2026 edition of the most valuable IT certifications.

Employers want employees and candidates with up-to-date knowledge and skills, and certifications demonstrate one's mastery of the respective subject.

Certifications can help position people as a valuable asset to their current (and prospective future) employers. Certifications can also advance marketability, leading to promotions and higher pay.

Graffius compiled and analyzed data from several sources—including the California Institute of Arts and Technology, CIO, Computer Science, Coursera, eWeek, Forbes, Fortune, Global Knowledge, Indeed, Robert Half, Skillsoft, Workday, and more—to identify which IT certifications are widely seen as the most valuable. Ten certifications stood out as the top choices. Each is detailed next.

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10 Most Valuable IT Certifications

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1. CompTIA A+

Certification name: CompTIA A+
Certification name abbreviation: A+
Governing organization - name: CompTIA
Governing organization - website: https://www.comptia.org
Short description of certification: CompTIA A+ is the industry-standard certification to launch a tech career. It requires passing two exams: Core 1 and Core 2 (V15 version). Core 1 focuses on hardware, networking, mobile devices, and troubleshooting. It prepares for roles like IT support specialist and help desk technician, building knowledge for advanced certifications.
Prerequisites (if any) for certification: None. But 12 months of hands-on experience in an IT support role is recommended.
Certification exam – cost: Total cost for the two exams varies by location and other factors. The average total combined cost is $492
Certification exam – delivery (in-person or online): in-person or online
Certification exam – number of questions: Core 1 exam has 90 questions, Core 2 exam also has 90 questions
Certification exam – time to complete it: 90 minutes for Core 1 exam, and 90 minutes for Core 2 exam
Certification exam – minimum pass rate (X% or higher correct required to pass exam): Passing score of 675 (on a scale of 900) for Core 1 (update Core 2 similarly if confirmed; estimated pass rate ~75-80%).
Certification expiration – does it expire? Yes
Certification expiration – how long does it last before expiring? 3 years
Certification renewal cost: $75

To learn more about and prepare for the CompTIA A+ certification, see this highly-rated book on Amazon.

Note: Prerequisites, cost (shown in United States Dollar - USD), and other data are subject to change by the governing organization.

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2. Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)

Certification name: Cisco Certified Network Associate
Certification name abbreviation: CCNA
Governing organization - name: Cisco
Governing organization - website: https://www.cisco.com
Short description of certification: Validates knowledge and skills in network fundamentals, access, IP connectivity, IP services, security fundamentals, automation, programmability, and more. Demonstrates a broad range of fundamentals for latest networking technologies, software development skills, and job roles.
Prerequisites (if any) for certification: None. However, recommend 1+ years of experience implementing and administering Cisco solutions.
Certification exam – cost: $300
Certification exam – delivery (in-person or online): In-person or online
Certification exam – number of questions: Varies, between 50-75 questions
Certification exam – time to complete it: 120 minutes
Certification exam – minimum pass rate (X% or higher correct required to pass exam): Estimated to be 80%
Certification expiration – does it expire? Yes
Certification expiration – how long does it last before expiring? 3 years
Certification renewal cost: $150

To learn more about and prepare for the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) certification, see this highly-rated book on Amazon.

Note: Prerequisites, cost (shown in United States Dollar - USD), and other data are subject to change by the governing organization.

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3. Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)

Certification name: Certified Information Systems Security Professional
Certification name abbreviation: CISSP
Governing organization - name: (ISC)²
Governing organization - website: https://www.isc2.org
Short description of certification: The CISSP is a highly respective, vendor-neutral certification that validates a broad understanding of information security and best practices.
Prerequisites (if any) for certification: At least five years of paid, full time work experience involving two or more (of the eight) domains of the CISSP Common Body of Knowledge (CBK)
Certification exam - cost: $749, although the cost may vary by location and other factors
Certification exam - delivery (in-person or online): In-person at a Pearson VUE testing center
Certification exam - number of questions: Between 125-175 questions
Certification exam - time to complete it: 3 hours (for Computerized Adaptive Testing format, which is standard; linear format is 4 hours but less common).
Certification exam - minimum pass rate (X% or higher correct required to pass exam): Estimated to be 70%
Certification expiration - does it expire? Yes
Certification expiration - how long does it last before expiring? 3 years
Certification renewal cost: $135 (annual maintenance fee).

To learn more about and prepare for the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) certification, see this highly-rated book on Amazon.

Note: Prerequisites, cost (shown in United States Dollar - USD), and other data are subject to change by the governing organization.

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4. Project Management Professional (PMP)

Certification name: Project Management Professional
Certification name abbreviation: PMP
Governing organization - name: Project Management Institute (PMI)
Governing organization - website: https://www.pmi.org/
Short description of certification: The PMP certification acknowledges skills in managing people, processes, and business priorities of professional projects. It proves project leadership expertise in any way of working (predictive, hybrid, or agile) and demonstrates ability to lead projects without ties to specific industries or locations.
Prerequisites (if any) for certification: Set A, B, or C. Set A: High school diploma + 60 months experience + 35 hours education. Set B: Bachelor's + 36 months experience + 35 hours education. Set C: Bachelor's from GAC-accredited program + 24 months experience + 35 hours education.
Certification exam - cost: $405 for members of the PMI, $575 for those not a member of the PMI
Certification exam - delivery (in-person or online): In-person at Pearson VUE or online.
Certification exam - number of questions: 180 questions (5 unscored pretest, 175 scored)
Certification exam - time to complete it: 230 minutes
Certification exam - minimum pass rate (X% or higher correct required to pass exam): Estimated to be 81%
Certification expiration - does it expire? Yes
Certification expiration - how long does it last before expiring? 3 years
Certification renewal cost: $150

To learn more about and prepare for the Project Management Professional (PMP) certification, see this highly-rated book on Amazon.

Note: Prerequisites, cost (shown in United States Dollar - USD), and other data are subject to change by the governing organization.

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5. Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)

Certification name: Certified Ethical Hacker
Certification name abbreviation: CEH
Governing organization - name: EC-Council
Governing organization - website: https://www.eccouncil.org
Short description of certification: World’s No.1 ethical hacking certification, now with AI power. The evolved version 13 includes 20 modules covering 550+ attack techniques, providing core knowledge for cybersecurity professionals.
Prerequisites (if any) for certification: None. But strongly recommend 2+ years IT security experience or official training. Knowledge of computing systems, networks, and IT topics needed.
Certification exam - cost: $1,199, can vary based on registration options and other factors
Certification exam - delivery (in-person or online): Online via ECC exam portal (knowledge); practical via iLabs Cyber Range.
Certification exam - number of questions: 125
Certification exam - time to complete it: 4 hours (knowledge exam); 6 hours (practical exam).
Certification exam - minimum pass rate (X% or higher correct required to pass exam): Estimated to be 70%
Certification expiration - does it expire? Yes
Certification expiration - how long does it last before expiring? 3 years
Certification renewal cost: $85. But cost may vary.

To learn more about and prepare for the Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) certification, see this highly-rated book on Amazon.

Note: Prerequisites, cost (shown in United States Dollar - USD), and other data are subject to change by the governing organization.

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6. AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate (AWS SA)

Certification name: AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate
Certification name abbreviation: AWS SA
Governing organization - name: Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Governing organization - website: http://aws.amazon.com
Short description of certification: Validates technical knowledge and skills across AWS services, focused on designing cost- and performance-optimized solutions. Ideal for those with AWS or strong on-premises IT experience; familiarity with basic programming concepts is advantageous but no deep coding required.
Prerequisites (if any) for certification: None. But recommended 1+ year hands-on experience designing AWS cloud solutions. (Beginners may benefit from AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner first.)
Certification exam - cost: $150
Certification exam - delivery (in-person or online): In-person or online
Certification exam - number of questions: 65 questions
Certification exam - time to complete it: 130 minutes
Certification exam - minimum pass rate (X% or higher correct required to pass exam): Estimated to be 70%
Certification expiration - does it expire? Yes
Certification expiration - how long does it last before expiring? 3 years
Certification renewal cost: $75

To learn more about and prepare for the AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate (AWS SA) certification, see this highly-rated book on Amazon.

Note: Prerequisites, cost (shown in United States Dollar - USD), and other data are subject to change by the governing organization.

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7. Azure Administrator Associate

Certification name: Azure Administrator Associate
Certification name abbreviation: There isn't an abbreviation designated. AZ-104 (the corresponding exam code for the certification) is sometimes used as an identifier.
Governing organization - name: Microsoft
Governing organization - website: https://learn.microsoft.com
Short description of certification: Demonstrates key skills to configure, manage, secure, and administer professional functions in Microsoft Azure, including virtual networks, storage, compute, identity, security, and governance.
Prerequisites (if any) for certification: None. But subject matter expertise in Azure environment management recommended. Knowledge of OS, networking, servers, virtualization, PowerShell, Azure CLI, portal, ARM templates, and Microsoft Entra ID is needed.
Certification exam - cost: $165
Certification exam - delivery (in-person or online): In-person or online proctored
Certification exam - number of questions: Varies, typically between 40-60 questions
Certification exam - time to complete it: 100 minutes
Certification exam - minimum pass rate (X% or higher correct required to pass exam): Estimated to be 70%
Certification expiration - does it expire? Yes
Certification expiration - how long does it last before expiring? 1 year
Certification renewal cost: Free renewal

To learn more about and prepare for the Azure Administrator Associate certification, see this highly-rated book on Amazon.

Note: Prerequisites, cost (shown in United States Dollar - USD), and other data are subject to change by the governing organization.

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8. Google Certified Professional Cloud Architect (GCP Architect)

Certification name: Google Certified Professional Cloud Architect
Certification name abbreviation: GCP Architect
Governing organization - name: Google
Governing organization - website: https://cloud.google.com
Short description of certification: Demonstrates ability to leverage Google Cloud technologies for robust, secure, scalable, efficient, cost-effective solutions that drive business objectives. Proficient in enterprise strategy, solution design, migration, optimization, and best practices, including the Google Cloud Well-Architected Framework.
Prerequisites (if any) for certification: None. Recommended 3+ years industry experience, including 1+ years designing/managing Google Cloud solutions.
Certification exam - cost: $200
Certification exam - delivery (in-person or online): Online-proctored or onsite at testing center.
Certification exam - number of questions: 50-60 questions
Certification exam - time to complete it: 120 minutes
Certification exam - minimum pass rate (X% or higher correct required to pass exam): Estimated to be 70%
Certification expiration - does it expire? Yes
Certification expiration - how long does it last before expiring? 2 years
Certification renewal cost: $100

To learn more about and prepare for the Google Certified Professional Cloud Architect (GCP Architect) certification, see this highly-rated book on Amazon.

Note: Prerequisites, cost (shown in United States Dollar - USD), and other data are subject to change by the governing organization.

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9. Certified ScrumMaster (CSM)

Certification name: Certified ScrumMaster
Certification name abbreviation: CSM
Governing organization - name: Scrum Alliance
Governing organization - website: https://www.scrumalliance.org
Short description of certification: Introductory course covering the Scrum framework, team accountabilities, events, and artifacts; equips knowledge to guide teams in applying Scrum and understanding agile principles/values.
Prerequisites (if any) for certification: Completion of a two-day course by an authorized trainer
Certification exam - cost: Course includes exam; prices range from $250-$2,495 (varies by trainer, region, format, market).
Certification exam - delivery (in-person or online): Online
Certification exam - number of questions: 50
Certification exam - time to complete it: 1 hour
Certification exam - minimum pass rate (X% or higher correct required to pass exam): 37 out of 50 questions (74%)
Certification expiration - does it expire? Yes
Certification expiration - how long does it last before expiring? 2 years
Certification renewal cost: $100

To learn more about and prepare for the Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) certification, see this highly-rated book on Amazon.

Note: Prerequisites, cost (shown in United States Dollar - USD), and other data are subject to change by the governing organization.

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10. Certified Artificial Intelligence Scientist (CAIS)

Certification name: Certified Artificial Intelligence Scientist
Certification name abbreviation: CAIS
Governing organization - name: United States Artificial Intelligence Institute (USAII)
Governing organization - website: https://www.usaii.org
Short description of certification: Sophisticated certification for senior AI professionals and business leaders to develop AI solutions/strategies for organizational change and transformation. Programming skills not mandatory.
Prerequisites (if any) for certification: Three eligibility paths: Path 1: Bachelor's + 5 years in AI/ML/Data Science/etc. Path 2: Master's + 4 years in AI/ML/etc. Path 3: CAIC or equivalent + 4 years (Bachelor's) or 3 years (Master's). Completion of self-paced course.
Certification exam - cost: $1,195 (all-inclusive for program and exam).
Certification exam - delivery (in-person or online): Self-paced with eLearning, workshops, hands-on videos, study books.
Certification exam - number of questions: Not specified
Certification exam - time to complete it: Program takes 4-25 weeks (8-10 hours/week); exam time not specified.
Certification exam - minimum pass rate (X% or higher correct required to pass exam): Not specified
Certification expiration - does it expire? Yes
Certification expiration - how long does it last before expiring? 3 years
Certification renewal cost: $249

To learn more about and prepare for the Certified Artificial Intelligence Scientist (CAIS) certification, see this book on Amazon.

Note: Prerequisites, cost (shown in United States Dollar - USD), and other data are subject to change by the governing organization.

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Conclusion

Certifications can provide significant value for professionals looking to enhance their skills and credibility in the marketplace. Employers often prefer to hire certified professionals, and people who invest in professional credentials typically enjoy larger salaries.

Informed by data from multiple sources, this article identified and profiled 10 IT-related certifications: CompTIA A+, Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA), Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Project Management Professional (PMP), Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH), AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate (AWS SA), Azure Administrator Associate, Google Certified Professional Cloud Architect (GCP Architect), Certified ScrumMaster (CSM), and Certified Artificial Intelligence Scientist (CAIS).

Those interested in securing one or more IT-related certifications can leverage the data presented in this article to assist in their decision-making.

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References/Sources:

Amazon Web Services. (n.d.). AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate. AWS. https://aws.amazon.com/certification/certified-solutions-architect-associate

California Institute of Arts and Technology (CIAT). (2024, February). 10 In-Demand IT Jobs You Can Get With Tech Certifications. https://www.ciat.edu/blog/10-in-demand-it-jobs-you-can-get-with-tech-certifications

CIO. (2024, November 24). The 15 Most Valuable IT Certifications Today. at: https://www.cio.com/article/286762/careers-staffing-12-it-certifications-that-deliver-career-advancement.html

CIO.com. (2024, June 7). Top 8 IT Certifications in Demand Today. https://www.cio.com/article/193586/top-15-it-certifications-in-demand-today.html

Cisco. (n.d.). CCNA certification. Cisco. https://www.cisco.com/site/us/en/learn/training-certifications/certifications/enterprise/ccna/index.html
CompTIA. (n.d.). A+ Certification. CompTIA. https://www.comptia.org/en-us/certifications/a

Computer Science(dot)org. (2023, November 9). Best IT Certifications To Boost Your Computer Science Career. https://www.computerscience.org/resources/top-it-certifications

Coursera. (2025, October 24). 10 Essential IT Certifications for 2026. Coursera. https://www.coursera.org/articles/essential-it-certifications-entry-level-and-beginner

Coursera. (2025, November 24). 8 Popular Cybersecurity Certifications in 2026. Coursera. https://www.coursera.org/articles/popular-cybersecurity-certifications

Eads, A. (2025, December 15). Top 17 IT Certifications in Demand. Indeed. https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/top-it-certifications

EC-Council. (n.d.). CEH Certification | Ethical Hacking Training & Course. EC-Council. https://www.eccouncil.org/train-certify/certified-ethical-hacker-ceh

eWeek. (2024, February 8). 30 Top AI Certifications: Hotlist of 2024. Available at: https://www.eweek.com/artificial-intelligence/ai-certifications.

Forbes. (2024, March 21). 10 Certificates To Put On Your Resume In 2024. https://www.forbes.com/sites/rachelwells/2024/03/21/10-certificates-to-put-on-your-resume-in-2024/

Forbes. (2026, January 20). 15 Best Cybersecurity Certifications in 2026. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/advisor/education/certifications/best-cybersecurity-certifications

Fortune. (2023, November 14). How Much Can You Make with IT Certifications? https://fortune.com/education/articles/how-much-can-you-make-with-it-certifications-average-salaries

Global Knowledge. (2023, April 27). 10 Top-Paying IT Certifications. https://www.globalknowledge.com/us-en/resources/resource-library/articles/10-top-paying-it-certifications

Google Cloud. (n.d.). Professional Cloud Architect Certification. Google Cloud. https://cloud.google.com/learn/certification/cloud-architect

Graffius, S. M. (2025, February 5). Most Valuable IT Certifications: Update for 2025. https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/top-it-certifications-update-for-2025.html

Indeed. (2025, July 17). 27 IT Certifications to Pay Attention To. Indeed. https://www.indeed.com/hire/c/info/it-certifications-to-pay-attention-to

ISC2. (n.d.). CISSP - Certified Information Systems Security Professional. ISC2. https://www.isc2.org/certifications/cissp

ITTA. (2024, November 7). Top 10 Must-have IT certifications for 2025. https://www.itta.net/en/blog/top-10-must-have-it-certifications-for-2025/

Microsoft. (n.d.). Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate. Microsoft Learn. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/credentials/certifications/azure-administrator

PC Magazine. (2023, December 1). Level Up Your Career: The Highest-Paying IT Certifications for 2024. https://www.pcmag.com/news/highest-paying-it-certifications

Project Management Institute. (n.d.). Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification. PMI. https://www.pmi.org/certifications/project-management-pmp

Robert Half. (2023, November 27). The 29 Most Valuable IT Certifications. https://www.roberthalf.com/us/en/insights/career-development/which-it-certifications-are-most-valuable

Robert Half. (2025, October 15). 26 Technology Certifications That Can Boost Your Career and Salary in 2026. Robert Half. https://www.roberthalf.com/us/en/insights/career-development/which-it-certifications-are-most-valuable

Scrum Alliance. (n.d.). Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) Certification. Scrum Alliance. https://www.scrumalliance.org/get-certified/scrum-master-track/certified-scrummaster

Skillsoft. (2024, January 16). The 20 Top-Paying Microsoft Certifications in 2024. https://www.skillsoft.com/blog/top-paying-microsoft-certifications

United States Artificial Intelligence Institute. (n.d.). Certified Artificial Intelligence Scientist | CAIS. USAII. https://www.usaii.org/artificial-intelligence-certifications/certified-artificial-intelligence-scientist

Wells, R. (2025, March 25). 7 Certifications That Can Pay $100,000+/Year In 2025. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/rachelwells/2025/03/25/7-certifications-that-can-pay-100000year-in-2025

White, S. K. (2025, August 15). 20 IT management certifications for IT leaders. CIO. https://www.cio.com/article/221721/10-it-management-certifications-for-it-leaders.html

White, S. K. (2025, November 27). The 10 hottest IT skills for 2026. CIO. https://www.cio.com/article/4096592/the-10-hottest-it-skills-for-2026.html

Workday. (2025, February 4). Ultimate Guide to IT Certifications in 2025. Available at: https://blog.workday.com/en-us/ultimate-guide-to-it-certifications-in-2025.html

About Scott M. Graffius

Scott M. Graffius is a strategic transformation leader who drives AI, Agile, and broader business and technology initiatives to deliver measurable value across projects, programs, portfolios, and PMOs. He is an expert in the teamwork tradecraft of both human and human-AI teams, including the “exotic team dynamics” that emerge. He is also an authority on the temporal patterns of social media, including the half-life of audience engagement.

He’s a practitioner, researcher, thought leader, award-winning author, and keynote speaker who’s taken the stage at 96 conferences and other events across 25 countries.

He’s delivered over $2.3 billion in value for Fortune 500 companies and other leaders in technology, entertainment, financial services, healthcare, and beyond.

Businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities use Graffius and feature his work. Examples include Adobe, Bayer, Boston University, Ford, Gartner, Harvard Medical School, IEEE, Johns Hopkins University, Microsoft, MSN, National Academy of Sciences, Oracle, Pinterest Inc., Project Management Institute, UC San Diego, Verizon, Yale University, and others.

The following sections provide additional information on his experience, contributions, and influence.

Experience

Graffius heads the professional services firm Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions, along with its subsidiary Exceptional Agility. These consultancies offer strategic and tactical advisory, training, embedded expertise, and consulting services to the public, private, and government sectors. They help organizations enhance their capabilities and results in agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership, supporting innovation and driving competitive advantage. The consultancies confidently back services with a Delighted Client Guarantee™.

Graffius is a former VP of project management with a publicly traded provider of diverse consumer products and services over the Internet. Before that, he ran and supervised the delivery of projects and programs in public and private organizations with businesses ranging from e-commerce to advanced technology products and services, retail, manufacturing, entertainment, and more.

He has experience with consumer, business, reseller, government, and international markets.

Award-Winning Author

Graffius has authored three books.

Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions, his first book, earned 17 awards.
Agile Transformation: A Brief Story of How an Entertainment Company Developed New Capabilities and Unlocked Business Agility to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Change, his second book, was named one of the best Scrum books of all time by BookAuthority.
Agile Protocol: The Transformation Ultimatum, his third book and his first work of fiction, was released in April 2025. The book trailer is on YouTube.

International Public Speaker

Organizations worldwide engage Graffius to present on tech (including AI), Agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership. He crafts and delivers unique and compelling talks and workshops. Graffius has conducted 96 sessions across 25 countries. Select examples of events include Agile Trends Gov, BSides (Newcastle Upon Tyne), Conf42 Quantum Computing, DevDays Europe, DevOps Institute, DevOpsDays (Geneva), Frug’Agile, IEEE, Microsoft, Scottish Summit, Scrum Alliance RSG (Nepal), Techstars, and W Love Games International Video Game Development Conference (Helsinki), and more.

With an average rating of 4.81 (on a scale of 1-5), sessions are highly valued.

The speaker engagement request form is here.

Thought Leadership and Influence

Prominent businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities have showcased Graffius and his contributions—spanning his books, talks, workshops, and beyond. Select examples include:

Adobe,
American Management Association,
Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute,
Bayer,
BMC Software,
Boston University,
Broadcom,
Cisco,
Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts - Germany,
Computer Weekly,
Constructor University - Germany,
Data Governance Success,
Deimos Aerospace,
DevOps Institute,
Dropbox,
EU's European Commission,
Ford Motor Company,
Gartner,
GoDaddy,
Harvard Medical School,
Hasso Plattner Institute - Germany,
IEEE,
Innovation Project Management,
Johns Hopkins University,
Journal of Neurosurgery,
Lam Research (Semiconductors),
Leadership Worthy,
Life Sciences Trainers and Educators Network,
London South Bank University,
Microsoft,
MSN,
NASSCOM,
National Academy of Sciences,
New Zealand Government,
Oracle,
Pinterest Inc.,
Project Management Institute,
Mary Raum (Professor of National Security Affairs, United States Naval War College),
SANS Institute,
SBG Neumark - Germany,
Singapore Institute of Technology,
Torrens University - Australia,
TBS Switzerland,
Tufts University,
UC San Diego,
UK Sports Institute,
University of Galway - Ireland,
US Department of Energy,
US National Park Service,
US Soccer,
US Tennis Association,
Verizon,
Wrike,
Yale University,
and many others.

Graffius has played a key role in the Project Management Institute (PMI) in developing professional standards. He was a member of multiple teams that authored, reviewed, and produced:

Practice Standard for Work Breakdown Structures—Second Edition.
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge—Sixth Edition.
The Standard for Program Management—Fourth Edition.
The Practice Standard for Project Estimating—Second Edition.

Additional details are here.

He was also a subject matter expert reviewer of content for the PMI’s Congress. Beyond the PMI, Graffius also served as a member of the review team for two of the Scrum Alliance’s Global Scrum Gatherings.

Acclaimed Authority on Teamwork Tradecraft

Graffius is a renowned authority on teamwork tradecraft. Informed by the research of Bruce W. Tuckman and Mary Ann C. Jensen, over 150 subsequent studies, and Graffius' first-hand professional experience with, and analysis of, team leadership and performance, Graffius created his "Phases of Team Development" intellectual property as a unique perspective and visual conveying the five phases of team development. First introduced in 2008 and periodically updated, his work provides a diagnostic and strategic guide for navigating team dynamics. It provides actionable insights for leaders across industries to develop high-performance teams. Its adoption by esteemed organizations such as Yale University, IEEE, Cisco, Microsoft, Ford, Oracle, Broadcom, the U.S. National Park Service, and the Journal of Neurosurgery, among others, highlights its utility and value, solidifying its status as an indispensable resource for elevating team performance and driving organizational excellence. In 2026, Graffius added human-AI teamwork—including the "exotic team dynamics" which emerge when advanced AI collaborates as a teammate—to his "Phases of Team Development."

The 2026 edition of Graffius' "Phases of Team Development" intellectual property is here.

Expert on Temporal Dynamics on Social Media Platforms

Graffius is also an authority on temporal dynamics on social media platforms. His "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts" research—first published in 2018 and updated annually—delivers a precise quantitative analysis of post longevity across digital platforms, utilizing advanced statistical techniques to determine mean half-life with precision. It establishes a solid empirical base, effectively highlighting the ephemeral nature of content within social media ecosystems. Referenced and applied by leading entities—such as Fast Company, GoDaddy, Journal of Hand Surgery (European Volume), Ministère de la Culture (French Ministry of Culture), Pinterest Inc., PNAS, and Telecommunications Policy, among others—his research exemplifies methodological rigor and sustained significance in the field of digital informatics.

The 2026 edition of Graffius "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts" research is here.

Education and Professional Certifications

Graffius has a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a focus in Human Factors. He holds eight professional certifications:

Certified SAFe 6 Agilist (SA),
Certified Scrum Professional - ScrumMaster (CSP-SM),
Certified Scrum Professional - Product Owner (CSP-PO),
Certified ScrumMaster (CSM),
Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO),
Project Management Professional (PMP),
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (LSSGB), and
IT Service Management Foundation (ITIL).

He is an active member of the Scrum Alliance, the Project Management Institute (PMI), and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).

Advancing AI, Agile, and Project/PMO Management

Scott M. Graffius continues to advance the fields of AI, Agile, and Project/PMO Management through his leadership, research, writing, and real-world impact. Businesses and other organizations leverage Graffius’ insights to drive their success.

Discover Scott’s Books

Connect with and follow Scott on LinkedIn, X, YouTube, Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, Mastodon, and ResearchGate.

Sign up for Miro—it's free!

(Want more features? You can always upgrade to a paid plan.)

scottgraffius-com-article-sections-v2026-more-lwres

List of Additional Articles

How to Cite This Article

Graffius, S. M. (2026, February 6). Most Valuable IT Certifications: Update for 2026. ScottGraffius.com. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.32789.18404

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.32789.18404

Content Acknowledgements

Names, marks, and content are the property of their respective owners.

#CompTIA
#CCNA
#CISSP
#PMP
#CEH
#AWSCertified
#AzureCertification
#GoogleCloud
#CSM
#AICertification
#ITCertifications

Post-Publication Notes

If there are any supplements or updates to this article after the date of publication, they will appear here.

Copyright

Copyright © Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved.

Content on this site—including text, images, videos, and data—may not be used for training or input into any artificial intelligence, machine learning, or automatized learning systems, or published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.

Tags: CompTIA A+ • Cisco CCNA • Valuable IT Certifications • AI Scientist Certification • Certified ScrumMaster • Google Cloud Architect • Azure Administrator • AWS Solutions Architect • Certified Ethical Hacker • CISSP Security • PMP Project Management Professional

"Marketing in the Metaverse" Spotlights Scott M. Graffius’ Research on the Half-Life of Social Media

05 February 2026

BY SCOTT M. GRAFFIUS | ScottGraffius.com

marketing-in-the-metaverse-spotlights-graffius-research-v1-lwres

Graffius, S. M. (2026, February 5). "Marketing in the Metaverse" Spotlights Scott M. Graffius' Research on the Half-Life of Social Media. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.36544.39688

Temporal Dynamics on Social Media Platforms

Scott M. Graffius is an authority on temporal dynamics across social media networks. His "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts" research—first published in 2018 and updated annually—offers a data-driven look at how long social media content remains active and relevant across major digital networks.

Specifically, the research measures the half-life of engagement: the time it takes for a post to receive half of its total engagement (such as likes, shares, and comments). This makes the work especially practical. Understanding post half-life can directly inform strategic and tactical decisions, including the frequency and timing of content publication.

Cited by Fast Company, GoDaddy, Journal of Hand Surgery (European Volume), the French Ministry of Culture (Ministère de la Culture), Pinterest Inc., and PNAS, and many more, Graffius' research is recognized for its rigor, clarity, and ongoing relevance in digital informatics.

A visual from the now-current (2026) edition is shown below and details are available here.

stacks-image-da87ec0

"Marketing in the Metaverse" Book References Scott M. Graffius' Research

Marketing in the Metaverse: Opportunities, Challenges, and Future Trends in Emerging Economies was added to the list of organizations featuring and relying upon Graffius' research.

The following description is from the publisher:

"This book offers a comprehensive exploration of marketing in the metaverse, a rapidly evolving digital frontier reshaping human interaction and economic systems. It provides an evidence-based analysis of how immersive virtual spaces are transforming brand-consumer engagement, with a special focus on emerging markets.
Readers will discover how technologies like virtual reality, artificial intelligence, and blockchain are creating new paradigms for marketing strategies. The chapters delve into critical topics such as omnichannel convergence, value co-creation, and trust in virtual transactions, illustrated through sectoral case studies from banking to fashion. The book also addresses ethical considerations, such as privacy and digital well-being, advocating for a socially responsible approach to metaverse marketing.
This volume is essential for marketers, business leaders, and policymakers seeking to understand and leverage the metaverse's potential. It offers actionable insights for market entry and customer engagement, while also serving as a valuable resource for students and educators interested in digital transformation. By bridging theoretical exploration with empirical insights, this book equips readers to navigate the future of marketing with confidence and responsibility."

Excerpts from the book appear below.

marketing-in-the-metaverse-spotlights-graffius-research-excerpts-lwres

About the Metaverse

The metaverse represents a shared, immersive, and persistent digital universe that blends the physical and virtual worlds, enabling users to interact through avatars in three-dimensional environments powered by technologies such as virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), blockchain, and artificial intelligence (AI).

Coined by Neal Stephenson in his 1992 novel Snow Crash, the concept envisions a successor to the current internet. It is one where people can socialize, work, play, learn, shop, and conduct business in seamless, lifelike digital spaces that continue to evolve even when users are offline.

Unlike isolated apps or games, the ideal metaverse emphasizes interoperability, allowing digital assets, identities, and experiences to transfer across platforms, often supported by decentralized ownership via non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and cryptocurrencies.

With massive investments from companies like Meta, early hype peaked around 2021. Around the end of 2025, the overall vision shifted toward more practical applications, such as spatial computing for collaboration, education, and enterprise use, rather than a single unified world dominated by VR headsets.

Despite high costs, limited mainstream adoption, and pivots toward AI and wearables, the metaverse continues to influence how digital and physical realities converge. It presents transformative yet grounded opportunities for connection and innovation.

Bibliography

Manyanga, W., Redda, E., Nyagadza, B. (2026). Effect of Metaverse Marketing on Digital Brand Engagement: Evidence from the Banking Sector in Zimbabwe. In: Bashar, A., Nyagadza, B., Wasiq, M. (eds), Marketing in the Metaverse: Opportunities, Challenges, and Future Trends in Emerging Economies. Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-02365-0_6

marketing-in-the-metaverse-spotlights-graffius-research---the-metaverse-visual-lwres

About Scott M. Graffius

Scott M. Graffius is a strategic transformation leader who drives AI, Agile, and broader business and technology initiatives to deliver measurable value across projects, programs, portfolios, and PMOs. He is an expert in the teamwork tradecraft of both human and human-AI teams, including the “exotic team dynamics” that emerge. He is also an authority on the temporal patterns of social media, including the half-life of audience engagement.

He’s a practitioner, researcher, thought leader, award-winning author, and keynote speaker who’s taken the stage at 96 conferences and other events across 25 countries.

He’s delivered over $2.3 billion in value for Fortune 500 companies and other leaders in technology, entertainment, financial services, healthcare, and beyond.

Businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities use Graffius and feature his work. Examples include Adobe, Bayer, Boston University, Ford, Gartner, Harvard Medical School, IEEE, Johns Hopkins University, Microsoft, MSN, National Academy of Sciences, Oracle, Pinterest Inc., Project Management Institute, UC San Diego, Verizon, Yale University, and others.

The following sections provide additional information on his experience, contributions, and influence.

Experience

Graffius heads the professional services firm Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions, along with its subsidiary Exceptional Agility. These consultancies offer strategic and tactical advisory, training, embedded expertise, and consulting services to the public, private, and government sectors. They help organizations enhance their capabilities and results in agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership, supporting innovation and driving competitive advantage. The consultancies confidently back services with a Delighted Client Guarantee™.

Graffius is a former VP of project management with a publicly traded provider of diverse consumer products and services over the Internet. Before that, he ran and supervised the delivery of projects and programs in public and private organizations with businesses ranging from e-commerce to advanced technology products and services, retail, manufacturing, entertainment, and more.

He has experience with consumer, business, reseller, government, and international markets.

Award-Winning Author

Graffius has authored three books.

Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions, his first book, earned 17 awards.
Agile Transformation: A Brief Story of How an Entertainment Company Developed New Capabilities and Unlocked Business Agility to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Change, his second book, was named one of the best Scrum books of all time by BookAuthority.
Agile Protocol: The Transformation Ultimatum, his third book and his first work of fiction, was released in April 2025. The book trailer is on YouTube.

International Public Speaker

Organizations worldwide engage Graffius to present on tech (including AI), Agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership. He crafts and delivers unique and compelling talks and workshops. Graffius has conducted 96 sessions across 25 countries. Select examples of events include Agile Trends Gov, BSides (Newcastle Upon Tyne), Conf42 Quantum Computing, DevDays Europe, DevOps Institute, DevOpsDays (Geneva), Frug’Agile, IEEE, Microsoft, Scottish Summit, Scrum Alliance RSG (Nepal), Techstars, and W Love Games International Video Game Development Conference (Helsinki), and more.

With an average rating of 4.81 (on a scale of 1-5), sessions are highly valued.

The speaker engagement request form is here.

Thought Leadership and Influence

Prominent businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities have showcased Graffius and his contributions—spanning his books, talks, workshops, and beyond. Select examples include:

Adobe,
American Management Association,
Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute,
Bayer,
BMC Software,
Boston University,
Broadcom,
Cisco,
Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts - Germany,
Computer Weekly,
Constructor University - Germany,
Data Governance Success,
Deimos Aerospace,
DevOps Institute,
Dropbox,
EU's European Commission,
Ford Motor Company,
Gartner,
GoDaddy,
Harvard Medical School,
Hasso Plattner Institute - Germany,
IEEE,
Innovation Project Management,
Johns Hopkins University,
Journal of Neurosurgery,
Lam Research (Semiconductors),
Leadership Worthy,
Life Sciences Trainers and Educators Network,
London South Bank University,
Microsoft,
MSN,
NASSCOM,
National Academy of Sciences,
New Zealand Government,
Oracle,
Pinterest Inc.,
Project Management Institute,
Mary Raum (Professor of National Security Affairs, United States Naval War College),
SANS Institute,
SBG Neumark - Germany,
Singapore Institute of Technology,
Torrens University - Australia,
TBS Switzerland,
Tufts University,
UC San Diego,
UK Sports Institute,
University of Galway - Ireland,
US Department of Energy,
US National Park Service,
US Soccer,
US Tennis Association,
Verizon,
Wrike,
Yale University,
and many others.

Graffius has played a key role in the Project Management Institute (PMI) in developing professional standards. He was a member of multiple teams that authored, reviewed, and produced:

Practice Standard for Work Breakdown Structures—Second Edition.
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge—Sixth Edition.
The Standard for Program Management—Fourth Edition.
The Practice Standard for Project Estimating—Second Edition.

Additional details are here.

He was also a subject matter expert reviewer of content for the PMI’s Congress. Beyond the PMI, Graffius also served as a member of the review team for two of the Scrum Alliance’s Global Scrum Gatherings.

Acclaimed Authority on Teamwork Tradecraft

Graffius is a renowned authority on teamwork tradecraft. Informed by the research of Bruce W. Tuckman and Mary Ann C. Jensen, over 150 subsequent studies, and Graffius' first-hand professional experience with, and analysis of, team leadership and performance, Graffius created his "Phases of Team Development" intellectual property as a unique perspective and visual conveying the five phases of team development. First introduced in 2008 and periodically updated, his work provides a diagnostic and strategic guide for navigating team dynamics. It provides actionable insights for leaders across industries to develop high-performance teams. Its adoption by esteemed organizations such as Yale University, IEEE, Cisco, Microsoft, Ford, Oracle, Broadcom, the U.S. National Park Service, and the Journal of Neurosurgery, among others, highlights its utility and value, solidifying its status as an indispensable resource for elevating team performance and driving organizational excellence. In 2026, Graffius added human-AI teamwork—including the "exotic team dynamics" which emerge when advanced AI collaborates as a teammate—to his "Phases of Team Development."

The 2026 edition of Graffius' "Phases of Team Development" intellectual property is here.

Expert on Temporal Dynamics on Social Media Platforms

Graffius is also an authority on temporal dynamics on social media platforms. His "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts" research—first published in 2018 and updated annually—delivers a precise quantitative analysis of post longevity across digital platforms, utilizing advanced statistical techniques to determine mean half-life with precision. It establishes a solid empirical base, effectively highlighting the ephemeral nature of content within social media ecosystems. Referenced and applied by leading entities—such as Fast Company, GoDaddy, Journal of Hand Surgery (European Volume), Ministère de la Culture (French Ministry of Culture), Pinterest Inc., PNAS, and Telecommunications Policy, among others—his research exemplifies methodological rigor and sustained significance in the field of digital informatics.

The 2026 edition of Graffius "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts" research is here.

Education and Professional Certifications

Graffius has a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a focus in Human Factors. He holds eight professional certifications:

Certified SAFe 6 Agilist (SA),
Certified Scrum Professional - ScrumMaster (CSP-SM),
Certified Scrum Professional - Product Owner (CSP-PO),
Certified ScrumMaster (CSM),
Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO),
Project Management Professional (PMP),
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (LSSGB), and
IT Service Management Foundation (ITIL).

He is an active member of the Scrum Alliance, the Project Management Institute (PMI), and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).

Advancing AI, Agile, and Project/PMO Management

Scott M. Graffius continues to advance the fields of AI, Agile, and Project/PMO Management through his leadership, research, writing, and real-world impact. Businesses and other organizations leverage Graffius’ insights to drive their success.

Discover Scott’s Books

Connect with and follow Scott on LinkedIn, X, YouTube, Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, Mastodon, and ResearchGate.

Sign up for Miro—it's free!

(Want more features? You can always upgrade to a paid plan.)

scottgraffius-com-article-sections-v2026-more-lwres

List of Additional Articles

How to Cite This Article

Graffius, S. M. (2026, February 5). "Marketing in the Metaverse" Spotlights Scott M. Graffius' Research on the Half-Life of Social Media. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.36544.39688

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.36544.39688

Content Acknowledgements

Names, marks, and content are the property of their respective owners.

Marketing in the Metaverse: Opportunities, Challenges, and Future Trends in Emerging Economies is the property of its contributors, Palgrave Macmillan, and Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

This article by Scott M. Graffius uses limited excerpts from Marketing in the Metaverse, attributed and used under fair use for news reporting and analysis.

"Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts" research is copyright © Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved.

Tags and Hashtags

Marketing in the Metaverse
Metaverse
Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts research by Scott M. Graffius
Social media research
Digital brand engagement
Infographics
Video marketing
Immersive Digital Worlds
Virtual and Augmented Reality
Spatial Computing

#Metaverse
#Marketing
#MarketingInTheMetaverse
#SocialMedia
#SocialMediaResearch
#ContentMarketing
#DigitalStrategy
#SpatialComputing
#VirtualReality
#Web3

Post-Publication Notes

If there are any supplements or updates to this article after the date of publication, they will appear here.

Copyright

Copyright © Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved.

Content on this site—including text, images, videos, and data—may not be used for training or input into any artificial intelligence, machine learning, or automatized learning systems, or published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.

Tags: Marketing in the Metaverse • Metaverse • Spatial Computing • Virtual and Augmented Reality • Immersive Digital Worlds • Video marketing • Infographics • Digital brand engagement • Social media research • Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts research by Scott M. Graffius

University of Greenwich Features Graffius' Phases of Team Development

03 February 2026

BY SCOTT M. GRAFFIUS | ScottGraffius.com

university-of-greenwich-features-work-of-scott-m-graffius---lwres

Graffius, S. M. (2026, February 3). University of Greenwich Features Graffius' Phases of Team Development. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.30462.65604

Introduction

The University of Greenwich featured Scott M. Graffius' "Phases of Team Development" in Lecture 3 (Innovating in Teams) of its Innovation in Competitive Environments course (BUSI1327), taught by Dr. John Tull. Excerpts are shown below.

university-of-greenwich-features-work-of-scott-m-graffius---excerpts-lwres2

university-of-greenwich-features-work-of-scott-m-graffius---excerpts-lwres2

Graffius' "Phases of Team Development"

Informed by the research of Bruce W. Tuckman and Mary Ann C. Jensen, over 150 subsequent studies, and Graffius' first-hand professional experience with, and analysis of, team leadership and performance, Graffius created his "Phases of Team Development" intellectual property as a unique perspective and visual conveying the five phases of team development. First introduced in 2008 and periodically updated, his work provides a diagnostic and strategic guide for navigating team dynamics. Leaders can apply the actionable insights to help advance the effectiveness and success of teams.

It has been adopted and relied upon by esteemed organizations, such as Yale University, IEEE, Cisco, Microsoft, Ford, Oracle, Broadcom, Hasso-Plattner-Institut für Digital Engineering GmbH, the United States National Park Service, the Journal of Neurosurgery, and many more.

In 2026, Graffius added human-AI teamwork—including the "exotic team dynamics" which emerge when advanced AI (agentic, autonomous, or autopoietic) collaborates as a teammate. A visual from the current (2026) edition is shown below and details are here.

Bibliography

Graffius, S. M. (2026, January 3). Scott M. Graffius' Phases of Team Development - Applied to Human Teams and Human-AI Teams: 2026 Update. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.18184.89601

About the University of Greenwich

The University of Greenwich is a public university in the United Kingdom with a history dating back to 1890 and a strong reputation for teaching, research, and industry engagement. It offers a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate programs across disciplines, such as business, engineering, computing, and the social sciences. Known for its applied focus, the University of Greenwich emphasizes innovation, real-world learning, and employability. It is home to a diverse community of more than 27,000 students, one in five of them postgraduate. The university maintains partnerships with organizations and institutions around the world. Visit https://www.gre.ac.uk to learn more.

About Scott M. Graffius

Scott M. Graffius is a strategic transformation leader who drives AI, Agile, and broader business and technology initiatives to deliver measurable value across projects, programs, portfolios, and PMOs. He is an expert in the teamwork tradecraft of both human and human-AI teams, including the “exotic team dynamics” that emerge. He is also an authority on the temporal patterns of social media, including the half-life of audience engagement.

He’s a practitioner, researcher, thought leader, award-winning author, and keynote speaker who’s taken the stage at 96 conferences and other events across 25 countries.

He’s delivered over $2.3 billion in value for Fortune 500 companies and other leaders in technology, entertainment, financial services, healthcare, and beyond.

Businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities use Graffius and feature his work. Examples include Adobe, Bayer, Boston University, Ford, Gartner, Harvard Medical School, IEEE, Johns Hopkins University, Microsoft, MSN, National Academy of Sciences, Oracle, Pinterest Inc., Project Management Institute, UC San Diego, Verizon, Yale University, and others.

The following sections provide additional information on his experience, contributions, and influence.

Experience

Graffius heads the professional services firm Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions, along with its subsidiary Exceptional Agility. These consultancies offer strategic and tactical advisory, training, embedded expertise, and consulting services to the public, private, and government sectors. They help organizations enhance their capabilities and results in agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership, supporting innovation and driving competitive advantage. The consultancies confidently back services with a Delighted Client Guarantee™.

Graffius is a former VP of project management with a publicly traded provider of diverse consumer products and services over the Internet. Before that, he ran and supervised the delivery of projects and programs in public and private organizations with businesses ranging from e-commerce to advanced technology products and services, retail, manufacturing, entertainment, and more.

He has experience with consumer, business, reseller, government, and international markets.

Award-Winning Author

Graffius has authored three books.

Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions, his first book, earned 17 awards.
Agile Transformation: A Brief Story of How an Entertainment Company Developed New Capabilities and Unlocked Business Agility to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Change, his second book, was named one of the best Scrum books of all time by BookAuthority.
Agile Protocol: The Transformation Ultimatum, his third book and his first work of fiction, was released in April 2025. The book trailer is on YouTube.

International Public Speaker

Organizations worldwide engage Graffius to present on tech (including AI), Agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership. He crafts and delivers unique and compelling talks and workshops. Graffius has conducted 96 sessions across 25 countries. Select examples of events include Agile Trends Gov, BSides (Newcastle Upon Tyne), Conf42 Quantum Computing, DevDays Europe, DevOps Institute, DevOpsDays (Geneva), Frug’Agile, IEEE, Microsoft, Scottish Summit, Scrum Alliance RSG (Nepal), Techstars, and W Love Games International Video Game Development Conference (Helsinki), and more.

With an average rating of 4.81 (on a scale of 1-5), sessions are highly valued.

The speaker engagement request form is here.

Thought Leadership and Influence

Prominent businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities have showcased Graffius and his contributions—spanning his books, talks, workshops, and beyond. Select examples include:

Adobe,
American Management Association,
Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute,
Bayer,
BMC Software,
Boston University,
Broadcom,
Cisco,
Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts - Germany,
Computer Weekly,
Constructor University - Germany,
Data Governance Success,
Deimos Aerospace,
DevOps Institute,
Dropbox,
EU's European Commission,
Ford Motor Company,
Gartner,
GoDaddy,
Harvard Medical School,
Hasso Plattner Institute - Germany,
IEEE,
Innovation Project Management,
Johns Hopkins University,
Journal of Neurosurgery,
Lam Research (Semiconductors),
Leadership Worthy,
Life Sciences Trainers and Educators Network,
London South Bank University,
Microsoft,
MSN,
NASSCOM,
National Academy of Sciences,
New Zealand Government,
Oracle,
Pinterest Inc.,
Project Management Institute,
Mary Raum (Professor of National Security Affairs, United States Naval War College),
SANS Institute,
SBG Neumark - Germany,
Singapore Institute of Technology,
Torrens University - Australia,
TBS Switzerland,
Tufts University,
UC San Diego,
UK Sports Institute,
University of Galway - Ireland,
US Department of Energy,
US National Park Service,
US Soccer,
US Tennis Association,
Verizon,
Wrike,
Yale University,
and many others.

Graffius has played a key role in the Project Management Institute (PMI) in developing professional standards. He was a member of multiple teams that authored, reviewed, and produced:

Practice Standard for Work Breakdown Structures—Second Edition.
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge—Sixth Edition.
The Standard for Program Management—Fourth Edition.
The Practice Standard for Project Estimating—Second Edition.

Additional details are here.

He was also a subject matter expert reviewer of content for the PMI’s Congress. Beyond the PMI, Graffius also served as a member of the review team for two of the Scrum Alliance’s Global Scrum Gatherings.

Acclaimed Authority on Teamwork Tradecraft

Graffius is a renowned authority on teamwork tradecraft. Informed by the research of Bruce W. Tuckman and Mary Ann C. Jensen, over 150 subsequent studies, and Graffius' first-hand professional experience with, and analysis of, team leadership and performance, Graffius created his "Phases of Team Development" intellectual property as a unique perspective and visual conveying the five phases of team development. First introduced in 2008 and periodically updated, his work provides a diagnostic and strategic guide for navigating team dynamics. It provides actionable insights for leaders across industries to develop high-performance teams. Its adoption by esteemed organizations such as Yale University, IEEE, Cisco, Microsoft, Ford, Oracle, Broadcom, the U.S. National Park Service, and the Journal of Neurosurgery, among others, highlights its utility and value, solidifying its status as an indispensable resource for elevating team performance and driving organizational excellence. In 2026, Graffius added human-AI teamwork—including the "exotic team dynamics" which emerge when advanced AI collaborates as a teammate—to his "Phases of Team Development."

The 2026 edition of Graffius' "Phases of Team Development" intellectual property is here.

Expert on Temporal Dynamics on Social Media Platforms

scott-m-graffius-lifespan-halflife-of-social-media-posts-2025-edition

Graffius is also an authority on temporal dynamics on social media platforms. His 'Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts' research—first published in 2018 and updated annually—delivers a precise quantitative analysis of post longevity across digital platforms, utilizing advanced statistical techniques to determine mean half-life with precision. It establishes a solid empirical base, effectively highlighting the ephemeral nature of content within social media ecosystems. Referenced and applied by leading entities such as the Center for Direct Marketing, Fast Company, GoDaddy, Pinterest Inc., and PNAS, among others, his research exemplifies methodological rigor and sustained significance in the field of digital informatics.

The 2025 edition of Graffius "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts" research is here.

Education and Professional Certifications

Graffius has a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a focus in Human Factors. He holds eight professional certifications:

Certified SAFe 6 Agilist (SA),
Certified Scrum Professional - ScrumMaster (CSP-SM),
Certified Scrum Professional - Product Owner (CSP-PO),
Certified ScrumMaster (CSM),
Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO),
Project Management Professional (PMP),
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (LSSGB), and
IT Service Management Foundation (ITIL).

He is an active member of the Scrum Alliance, the Project Management Institute (PMI), and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).

Advancing AI, Agile, and Project/PMO Management

Scott M. Graffius continues to advance the fields of AI, Agile, and Project/PMO Management through his leadership, research, writing, and real-world impact. Businesses and other organizations leverage Graffius’ insights to drive their success.

Discover Scott’s Books

Connect with and follow Scott on LinkedIn, X, YouTube, Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, Mastodon, and ResearchGate.

Sign up for Miro—it's free!

(Want more features? You can always upgrade to a paid plan.)

scottgraffius-com-article-sections-v2026-more-lwres

List of Additional Articles

How to Cite This Article

Graffius, S. M. (2026, February 3). University of Greenwich Features Graffius' Phases of Team Development. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.30462.65604

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.30462.65604

Content Acknowledgements

The University of Greenwich features Scott M. Graffius' "Phases of Team Development" work on teamwork tradecraft in its Innovation in Competitive Environments course (BUSI1327).

This article uses limited excerpts from the University of Greenwich content, attributed to the University of Greenwich and used under fair use for news reporting and analysis.

University of Greenwich name, mark, and content are the property of the University of Greenwich.

Graffius' "Phases of Team Development" is copyright © Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved.

Tags and Hashtags

Phases of Team Development
University of Greenwich
Greenwich Business School
Team Dynamics, Development, and Leadership
Teamwork Tradecraft

#TeamDevelopment
#BusinessSchool
#Leadership
#Innovation
#PhasesOfTeamDevelopment

Post-Publication Notes

If there are any supplements or updates to this article after the date of publication, they will appear here.

Copyright

Copyright © Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved.

Content on this site—including text, images, videos, and data—may not be used for training or input into any artificial intelligence, machine learning, or automatized learning systems, or published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.

Tags: Phases of Team Development • University of Greenwich • Teamwork Tradecraft • Greenwich Business School • Team Dynamics, Development, and Leadership

10 Essential Agile Books: Curated Recommendations for Agile Professionals

27 January 2026

BY SCOTT M. GRAFFIUS | ScottGraffius.com

top-10-agile-books-2026-header-scottgraffius(dot)com-v2-lwres

Graffius, S. M. (2026, January 27). 10 Essential Agile Books: Curated Recommendations for Agile Professionals. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.27816.64002

Introduction

Agile approaches have become foundational to modern project management, software development, and organizational adaptability. Built on iterative delivery, customer collaboration, adaptability, and continuous improvement, Agile helps teams respond effectively to change. The result is faster delivery, higher project success rates, improved customer satisfaction, and stronger alignment with business goals—outcomes that matter.

This curated selection highlights 10 influential books that explore Agile principles and approaches, such as Scrum and Kanban, team dynamics, estimation, retrospectives, motivation, innovation management, and more. These titles represent a range of perspectives from foundational texts to practical guides and are widely regarded for their contributions to the field.

The list was curated by Scott M. Graffius, in collaboration with others, to provide a balanced overview. To maintain objectivity, Graffius’ books—Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions, Agile Transformation: A Brief Story of How an Entertainment Company Developed New Capabilities and Unlocked Business Agility to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Change, and Agile Protocol: The Transformation Ultimatum—are not included.

The top 10 Agile books are presented in alphabetical order by title.

Top 10 Agile Books

Agile Estimating and Planning by Mike Cohn

If you’ve ever sat through a painful "let's estimate this project" meeting, this book is the reset button you’ve been looking for. Agile Estimating and Planning shows you how to replace wild guesses and rigid deadlines with practical, team‑driven plans that hold up in the real world. Instead of obsessing over hours, Cohn leans into relative techniques like story points and velocity so you can forecast with confidence—even when requirements are still moving. You’ll learn how to transform a product backlog into realistic release and iteration plans, track progress without micromanaging, and maintain plans that are light, adaptable, and aligned with what the business values most. Packed with clear examples and tools you can use right away, this is the book many Agile practitioners call a must‑read for anyone who wants their team to stop arguing about estimates and start delivering value sooner.

See the book on Amazon here.

Agile Project Management: Creating Innovative Products (Second Edition) by Jim Highsmith

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If you’re trying to move beyond Gantt-chart theater and ship innovative products, this is the playbook that shows you how. In Agile Project Management, Jim Highsmith outlines a pragmatic approach that strikes a balance between sufficient structure and the freedom teams need to experiment, learn, and move quickly without losing control. His Agile Project Management (APM) model walks you through envisioning the product, iterating toward it, and adapting as you learn—so you can deliver real customer value sooner and more often. Along the way, he reframes the project leader’s role from task enforcer to collaborative leader who cultivates decentralized decision‑making, innovation, and a culture where agility is more mindset than methodology.

See the book on Amazon here.

Agile Retrospectives: A Practical Guide for Catalyzing Team Learning and Improvement (Second Edition) by Esther Derby, Diana Larsen, and David Horowitz

top-10-agile-books-2026-individuals-scottgraffius(dot)com-agile-retrospectives---lwres

If your retrospectives feel flat or repetitive, this book shows you how to turn them into the engine of real, everyday improvement. Agile Retrospectives gives you a toolkit of engaging formats, questions, and activities so teams actually want to lean in, talk honestly, and leave with concrete next steps instead of vague "we’ll do better" promises. Building on fresh research and years of hands‑on experience, the authors dig into psychological safety, facilitation skills, and practical tweaks for teams (collocated, remote, and hybrid). You’ll learn how to read the room, choose the right level of focus, mix objective data with personal perspectives, and guide the team toward decisions that stick and continuously increase the value they deliver.

See the book on Amazon here.

Agile Software Development: Principles, Patterns, and Practices by Robert C. Martin

top-10-agile-books-2026-individuals-scottgraffius(dot)com-agile-software---lwres

Developers reach for this book when they want to write code that stays clean and adaptable for years, not just functional today. In Agile Software Development: Principles, Patterns, and Practices, Robert C. Martin weaves agile values together with object‑oriented design, showing how SOLID principles, design patterns, and clean architecture choices all fit into a practical day‑to‑day programming style. Through rich case studies, UML diagrams, and step‑by‑step examples in C++ and Java, he walks you from messy, brittle code to robust, testable, and highly adaptable systems you can safely evolve over time. If you want a hands‑on guide that sharpens your design instincts, deepens your understanding of patterns, and helps you build software your team can change without fear, this is essential reading.

See the book on Amazon here.

Clean Agile: Back to Basics by Robert C. Martin

top-10-agile-books-2026-individuals-scottgraffius(dot)com-clean-agile---lwres

In Clean Agile: Back to Basics, Robert C. Martin cuts through the buzzwords and reminds us what Agile was always meant to be about: people, clear communication, fast feedback, and keeping things simple. With his trademark bluntness, he calls out how Agile often goes off the rails and shows how practices like test-driven development, refactoring, and continuous integration actually make teams faster and results better. If Agile feels bloated, confusing, or diluted where you work, this book is a reset button—practical and unapologetically focused on doing Agile right.

See the book on Amazon here.

Coaching Agile Teams: A Companion for Scrum Masters, Agile Coaches, and Project Managers in Transition by Lyssa Adkins

top-10-agile-books-2026-individuals-scottgraffius(dot)com-coaching-agile-teams---lwres

In Coaching Agile Teams, Lyssa Adkins focuses on the real work of Agile: helping people and teams grow. Drawing from professional coaching disciplines, she shows Scrum Masters, Agile Coaches, and transitioning project managers how to build trust, navigate tough team dynamics, and truly empower teams to own their work. Packed with practical guidance, relatable scenarios, and mindset shifts, this book is a go-to companion for anyone who wants to move from "running Agile" to coaching teams toward sustainable, high-performance.

See the book on Amazon here.

How Big Things Get Done: The Surprising Factors That Determine the Fate of Every Project, from Home Renovations to Space Exploration and Everything In Between by Bent Flyvbjerg and Dan Gardner

top-10-agile-books-2026-individuals-scottgraffius(dot)com-how-big-things-get-done---lwres

How Big Things Get Done is a vivid, story-rich guide to why most projects go wrong and how you can be among the rare few that finish with the results you actually wanted. Written by award-winning experts Bent Flyvbjerg and Dan Gardner, this Wall Street Journal bestseller and Financial Times "Best Book of the Year" unpacks the surprising factors that separate spectacular failures from standout successes, using examples that range from Pixar films and Olympic venues to home renovations and city-shaping megaprojects. Drawing on the world’s largest database of major projects, the authors show you how to "think slow, act fast," plan with hard data instead of hope, and apply proven ideas like reference-class forecasting and modular design to slash risk and dramatically increase your odds of success. Many of these insights align closely with Agile thinking and approaches, emphasizing small bets, fast feedback, incremental delivery, and disciplined learning over rigid long-term plans. Hailed as "eye-opening" and "indispensable" by reviewers, this acclaimed and prize-winning book doubles as both an engaging narrative and a practical playbook you will return to every time you’re about to start something big, whether you’re launching a product or transforming an organization.

See the book on Amazon here.

Innovation Project Management: Methods, Case Studies, and Tools for Managing Innovation Projects (Second Edition) by Harold Kerzner

top-10-agile-books-2026-individuals-scottgraffius(dot)com-innovation---lwres

In Innovation Project Management, Harold Kerzner tackles what traditional project management often gets wrong when the goal is innovation. He shows how uncertainty, experimentation, and rapid change demand different tools, metrics, and leadership approaches than routine delivery work. Grounded in real-world case studies from organizations like IBM, LEGO, and Deloitte, the book covers everything from incremental improvements to breakthrough innovation, including how to manage intellectual property and keep innovation aligned with business value. Content from Scott M. Graffius' Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions heads up the Agile Innovation section of Innovation Project Management. If you’re expected to deliver results when the path forward is unclear, this book offers a practical, experience-driven playbook for effectively managing innovation.

See the book on Amazon here.

Lean Software Development: An Agile Toolkit by Mary Poppendieck and Tom Poppendieck

top-10-agile-books-2026-individuals-scottgraffius(dot)com-lean---lwres

In Lean Software Development: An Agile Toolkit, Mary and Tom Poppendieck translate proven lean thinking into practical guidance for building better software, faster, and with less waste. Anchored in seven clear principles—from eliminating waste and amplifying learning to empowering teams and seeing the whole—the book shows how small mindset shifts can unlock big gains in flow, quality, and adaptability. Backed by 22 concrete tools and real-world examples, it gives teams something rare: ideas they can immediately use. If you want Agile that’s disciplined without being rigid and efficient without sacrificing creativity, this book is a classic for a reason.

See the book on Amazon here.

User Story Mapping: Discover the Whole Story, Build the Right Product by Jeff Patton

top-10-agile-books-2026-individuals-scottgraffius(dot)com-user-story-b---lwres

In User Story Mapping, Jeff Patton turns fuzzy requirements and endless backlogs into a clear, shared picture of what you’re really building and why. He introduces user story mapping as a simple but powerful way to visualize the user journey, spark better conversations, and help teams see the whole product instead of isolated features. Through practical examples and real-world insights, Patton shows how teams can prioritize what matters most, align stakeholders, and deliver products that genuinely solve user problems. If your backlog feels disconnected from real user value, this book offers a refreshingly visual and collaborative way forward.

See the book on Amazon here.

Conclusion

These books offer diverse perspectives on Agile principles and practices, from foundational concepts to specialized applications in estimation, coaching, motivation, innovation management, and more. Agile excellence stems from ongoing learning, reflection, and application tailored to specific contexts. These resources can play a valuable role in realizing your commitment to continuing education and success.

About Scott M. Graffius

Scott M. Graffius is a strategic transformation leader who drives AI, Agile, and broader business and technology initiatives to deliver measurable value across projects, programs, portfolios, and PMOs. He is an expert in the teamwork tradecraft of both human and human-AI teams, including the “exotic team dynamics” that emerge. He is also an authority on the temporal patterns of social media, including the half-life of audience engagement.

He’s a practitioner, researcher, thought leader, award-winning author, and keynote speaker who’s taken the stage at 96 conferences and other events across 25 countries.

He’s delivered over $2.3 billion in value for Fortune 500 companies and other leaders in technology, entertainment, financial services, healthcare, and beyond.

Businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities use Graffius and feature his work. Examples include Adobe, Bayer, Boston University, Ford, Gartner, Harvard Medical School, IEEE, Johns Hopkins University, Microsoft, MSN, National Academy of Sciences, Oracle, Pinterest Inc., Project Management Institute, UC San Diego, Verizon, Yale University, and others.

The following sections provide additional information on his experience, contributions, and influence.

Experience

Graffius heads the professional services firm Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions, along with its subsidiary Exceptional Agility. These consultancies offer strategic and tactical advisory, training, embedded expertise, and consulting services to the public, private, and government sectors. They help organizations enhance their capabilities and results in agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership, supporting innovation and driving competitive advantage. The consultancies confidently back services with a Delighted Client Guarantee™.

Graffius is a former VP of project management with a publicly traded provider of diverse consumer products and services over the Internet. Before that, he ran and supervised the delivery of projects and programs in public and private organizations with businesses ranging from e-commerce to advanced technology products and services, retail, manufacturing, entertainment, and more.

He has experience with consumer, business, reseller, government, and international markets.

Award-Winning Author

Graffius has authored three books.

Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions, his first book, earned 17 awards.
Agile Transformation: A Brief Story of How an Entertainment Company Developed New Capabilities and Unlocked Business Agility to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Change, his second book, was named one of the best Scrum books of all time by BookAuthority.
Agile Protocol: The Transformation Ultimatum, his third book and his first work of fiction, was released in April 2025. The book trailer is on YouTube.

International Public Speaker

Organizations worldwide engage Graffius to present on tech (including AI), Agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership. He crafts and delivers unique and compelling talks and workshops. Graffius has conducted 96 sessions across 25 countries. Select examples of events include Agile Trends Gov, BSides (Newcastle Upon Tyne), Conf42 Quantum Computing, DevDays Europe, DevOps Institute, DevOpsDays (Geneva), Frug’Agile, IEEE, Microsoft, Scottish Summit, Scrum Alliance RSG (Nepal), Techstars, and W Love Games International Video Game Development Conference (Helsinki), and more.

With an average rating of 4.81 (on a scale of 1-5), sessions are highly valued.

The speaker engagement request form is here.

Thought Leadership and Influence

Prominent businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities have showcased Graffius and his contributions—spanning his books, talks, workshops, and beyond. Select examples include:

Adobe,
American Management Association,
Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute,
Bayer,
BMC Software,
Boston University,
Broadcom,
Cisco,
Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts - Germany,
Computer Weekly,
Constructor University - Germany,
Data Governance Success,
Deimos Aerospace,
DevOps Institute,
Dropbox,
EU's European Commission,
Ford Motor Company,
Gartner,
GoDaddy,
Harvard Medical School,
Hasso Plattner Institute - Germany,
IEEE,
Innovation Project Management,
Johns Hopkins University,
Journal of Neurosurgery,
Lam Research (Semiconductors),
Leadership Worthy,
Life Sciences Trainers and Educators Network,
London South Bank University,
Microsoft,
MSN,
NASSCOM,
National Academy of Sciences,
New Zealand Government,
Oracle,
Pinterest Inc.,
Project Management Institute,
Mary Raum (Professor of National Security Affairs, United States Naval War College),
SANS Institute,
SBG Neumark - Germany,
Singapore Institute of Technology,
Torrens University - Australia,
TBS Switzerland,
Tufts University,
UC San Diego,
UK Sports Institute,
University of Galway - Ireland,
US Department of Energy,
US National Park Service,
US Soccer,
US Tennis Association,
Verizon,
Wrike,
Yale University,
and many others.

Graffius has played a key role in the Project Management Institute (PMI) in developing professional standards. He was a member of multiple teams that authored, reviewed, and produced:

Practice Standard for Work Breakdown Structures—Second Edition.
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge—Sixth Edition.
The Standard for Program Management—Fourth Edition.
The Practice Standard for Project Estimating—Second Edition.

Additional details are here.

He was also a subject matter expert reviewer of content for the PMI’s Congress. Beyond the PMI, Graffius also served as a member of the review team for two of the Scrum Alliance’s Global Scrum Gatherings.

Acclaimed Authority on Teamwork Tradecraft

Graffius is a renowned authority on teamwork tradecraft. Informed by the research of Bruce W. Tuckman and Mary Ann C. Jensen, over 150 subsequent studies, and Graffius' first-hand professional experience with, and analysis of, team leadership and performance, Graffius created his "Phases of Team Development" intellectual property as a unique perspective and visual conveying the five phases of team development. First introduced in 2008 and periodically updated, his work provides a diagnostic and strategic guide for navigating team dynamics. It provides actionable insights for leaders across industries to develop high-performance teams. Its adoption by esteemed organizations such as Yale University, IEEE, Cisco, Microsoft, Ford, Oracle, Broadcom, the U.S. National Park Service, and the Journal of Neurosurgery, among others, highlights its utility and value, solidifying its status as an indispensable resource for elevating team performance and driving organizational excellence. In 2026, Graffius added human-AI teamwork—including the "exotic team dynamics" which emerge when advanced AI collaborates as a teammate—to his "Phases of Team Development."

The 2026 edition of Graffius' "Phases of Team Development" intellectual property is here.

Expert on Temporal Dynamics on Social Media Platforms

Graffius is also an authority on temporal dynamics on social media platforms. His "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts" research—first published in 2018 and updated annually—delivers a precise quantitative analysis of post longevity across digital platforms, utilizing advanced statistical techniques to determine mean half-life with precision. It establishes a solid empirical base, effectively highlighting the ephemeral nature of content within social media ecosystems. Referenced and applied by leading entities—such as Fast Company, GoDaddy, Journal of Hand Surgery (European Volume), Ministère de la Culture (French Ministry of Culture), Pinterest Inc., PNAS, and Telecommunications Policy, among others—his research exemplifies methodological rigor and sustained significance in the field of digital informatics.

The 2026 edition of Graffius "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts" research is here.

Education and Professional Certifications

Graffius has a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a focus in Human Factors. He holds eight professional certifications:

Certified SAFe 6 Agilist (SA),
Certified Scrum Professional - ScrumMaster (CSP-SM),
Certified Scrum Professional - Product Owner (CSP-PO),
Certified ScrumMaster (CSM),
Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO),
Project Management Professional (PMP),
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (LSSGB), and
IT Service Management Foundation (ITIL).

He is an active member of the Scrum Alliance, the Project Management Institute (PMI), and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).

Advancing AI, Agile, and Project/PMO Management

Scott M. Graffius continues to advance the fields of AI, Agile, and Project/PMO Management through his leadership, research, writing, and real-world impact. Businesses and other organizations leverage Graffius’ insights to drive their success.

Discover Scott’s Books

Connect with and follow Scott on LinkedIn, X, YouTube, Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, Mastodon, and ResearchGate.

Sign up for Miro—it's free!

(Want more features? You can always upgrade to a paid plan.)

scottgraffius-com-article-sections-v2026-more-lwres

List of Additional Articles

Content Acknowledgements

Names, marks, and content are the property of their respective owners.

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How to Cite This Article

Graffius, S. M. (2026, January 27). 10 Essential Agile Books: Curated Recommendations for Agile Professionals. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.27816.64002

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scott_m_graffius_-_blog_spacer_-_v23111107_-_x---rev-24101207---doi----lwres

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.27816.64002

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Tags and Hashtags for This Article

Top tags

Top 10 Agile Books
Essential Agile Reading
Agile Professionals
Scrum and Kanban
Agile Project Management
Continuous Improvement
Agile Leadership
Lean Software Development
Agile Coaching
Innovation Management

Top hashtags

#AgileBooks
#BooksOnAgile

#Scrum
#Kanban
#AgileLeadership
#ProjectManagement
#LeanAgile
#AgileCoach
#ContinuousImprovement
#AgileMindset

Post-Publication Notes

Post-publication notes, if any, will appear here.

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Copyright

Copyright © Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved.

Content on this site—including text, images, videos, and data—may not be used for training or input into any artificial intelligence, machine learning, or automatized learning systems, or published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.

Tags: Essential Agile Reading • Agile Professionals • Agile Coaching • Scrum and Kanban • Innovation Management • Lean Software Development • Agile Leadership • Continuous Improvement • Top 10 Agile Books • Agile Project Management

Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts: Update for 2026

23 January 2026

BY SCOTT M. GRAFFIUS | ScottGraffius.com

Graffius, S. M. (2026, January 23). Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts: Update for 2026. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.32407.43689

High-resolution versions of the visuals are available here.

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Introduction

People and organizations utilize digital communication to connect with and engage their target audiences, as well as promote their content. This is digital marketing, which includes email, social media, web-based advertising, and text and multimedia messages.

Social media marketing is an increasingly vital aspect of digital marketing. It encompasses creating, curating, and sharing content on platforms such as Snapchat, TikTok, X, Facebook, Reddit, Instagram, LinkedIn, podcasts, YouTube, Pinterest, and blogs. Beyond posting, it involves engaging with audiences, fostering community interactions, and more. These platforms enable people to access, share, and interact with content while connecting with family, friends, and others. For businesses, social media marketing provides direct channels to reach and engage target audiences effectively. When well-executed, it delivers multiple benefits, including:

Global engagement: With 5,240,000,000 (5.24 billion) active social media users worldwide^B1, the potential audience is vast.
Enhanced brand visibility: Boost awareness and reach in the marketplace.
Stronger customer connections: Foster meaningful engagement with your audience.
Increased website traffic: Drive more visitors to online platforms.
Better search engine rankings: Improve visibility in search results.
Additional opportunities: Unlock other ways to grow your brand.

Content on social media typically has a short window of relevance and engagement. An advantageous objective metric is half-life. It’s the time it takes for a post to receive half of its total engagement (such as likes, shares, and comments). Understanding post half-life helps inform strategic and tactical decisions, including the frequency and timing of content publication.

Other reports on social media often rely on anecdotal evidence, limited datasets, or otherwise non-robust methodology. These common constraints can result in findings that are non-representative, inaccurate, or unreliable. In contrast, this research is grounded in a rigorous methodology that is refreshed each year, delivering a reliable longitudinal perspective amid the constant evolution of platform algorithms and engagement windows.

In 2018, Scott M. Graffius first published data on the lifespan (half-life) of social media posts using a systematic methodology analyzing a broad set of data from multiple sources. This work bridges the gap between high-level academic studies—frequently theoretical and slow-moving—and commercial insights that are often fast but opaque. By identifying when posts reach half of their total lifetime engagement, the analysis establishes a practical benchmark for understanding how engagement accrues over time. Engagement signals interest, reveals what resonates, boosts algorithmic visibility, and more.

Given that algorithms and other factors on platforms evolve^B2,B25,B26, Graffius periodically updates his analysis.

Businesses, professional associations, government agencies, social media researchers, influencers, publications, and others have featured and used prior editions of Scott M. Graffius' "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts" work. Examples include Buffer, Business Next, GoDaddy, Maximizing LinkedIn for Business Growth, Ministère de la Culture (French Ministry of Culture), Neal Schaffer, Pinterest Inc., Podcasting Strategy Show, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Telecommunications Policy, World Economic Forum, Xavier Degraux, and many more. See the Coverage of Graffius' Research section for additional examples.

This article provides the "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts: Update for 2026." It covers Snapchat, TikTok, X, Facebook, Reddit, Instagram, LinkedIn, podcasts (audio and video formats with engagement functionality), YouTube, Pinterest, and blogs (with engagement functionality).

Findings were derived from an extensive analysis of over 5,600,000 social media posts and 397 podcasts, aggregated from multiple sources, including application programming interfaces (APIs), proprietary commercial datasets, academic and research consortia databases, publicly shared datasets, governmental and non-governmental organizational data repositories, and more.^A1

The collective dataset includes data from 1 January 2025 through 31 December 2025 (with retrospective data from antecedent blogging platforms) on diverse entities, including individuals (from those with few followers/subscribers to influencers), businesses (from small to large), professional associations, educational institutions, and others. Entities are represented proportionately, reflecting the distribution in the digital ecosystem.^A1 This comprehensive, multidimensional approach yields a robust and representative sampling of posts, providing a broad and deep scope of analysis.^A1

Why This Research Matters

Actionable Data for Practitioners: Offers insights that directly inform content strategy, campaign planning, and engagement optimization.
Empirical and Updated: Annual updates and consistent methodology make this work reliable and longitudinal.
Bridges Academia and Industry: Straddles the divide between slow, theoretical studies and fast, opaque commercial insights.

Applications Across Domains

Individual Creators: The research offers actionable insights for anyone posting on social media.
Digital Marketing and Communications: Ideal for marketing courses, strategy guides, campaign planning, timing calendars, engagement return on investment (ROI) analyses, and martech stack decision-making.
Platform Analytics Research: Complements studies on algorithmic reach, post visibility decay, content discovery, and fatigue.
Digital Sociology / Information Flow Studies: Provides insight into how content typically decays or becomes "sticky" across platforms.
Agile Content Operations: Supports strategic and tactical planning such as content publication.

For more insights and details, refer to the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) section.

As detailed next, the average half-life of posts varies by social media platform.

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Main Section of Article

Snapchat

Snapchat is a multimedia social media and instant messaging app developed by Snap Inc., known for its ephemeral "Snaps" that typically disappear after being viewed. Beyond its ephemeral nature, Snapchat offers features like Stories, Discover, augmented reality (AR) filters, and Snap Map. It has 932,000,000 (932 million) monthly active users.^B3

The average half-life duration for engagement on Snapchat posts is 0 minutes.^A1 Exceptions apply. Content may disappear instantly or live up to 24 hours (even longer in certain cases) depending on the message type, user settings, and other details.

Algorithms and other factors on platforms can change over time, potentially impacting the average half-life duration for posts. For comparison, here’s data on Snapchat for 2026 along with the previous two annual editions of this report:

2026: 0 minutes (exceptions apply).^A1
2025: 0 minutes (exceptions apply).^B4
2024: 0 minutes (exceptions apply).^B5

See the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) section for more insights about Snapchat.

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TikTok

TikTok is a leading platform for short‑form video content, where creators share brief, highly engaging clips that can spread quickly across the "For You" feed. While most TikTok videos remain available unless removed, the platform also supports story‑style ephemeral posts, enabling creators to share spontaneous, in‑the‑moment updates with less pressure to produce polished content. TikTok has 1,990,000,000 (1.99 billion) monthly active users.^B3

The average half-life duration for engagement on TikTok posts is 0 minutes, with the caveat of "with exceptions."^A1 Videos featuring uniquely compelling content or celebrity involvement can go viral, significantly extending their visibility and engagement.

TikTok was added to this report in 2025.

2026: 0 minutes (exceptions apply).^A1
2025: 0 minutes (exceptions apply).^B4
2024: TikTok did not appear in the 2024 report.^B5

See the FAQs for more insights about TikTok.

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X

X is a microblogging and social networking service owned by X Corp., where users post and interact with messages known as "tweets" or "X posts"—now encompassing long-form text, images, videos, live streams, audio/video calls, and more. The following from X encapsulates its vision, mission, and goals: "We're building the world's most trusted public town square—and we pride ourselves on our commitment to protecting free speech within the boundaries of the law. Beyond that, we aim to increase unregretted user minutes on our platform, and make it the best place on the internet for creators to share content and make money."^B6 X has 557,000,000 (557 million) monthly active users.^B3

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The average half-life duration for posts on X is 52 minutes.^A1

Algorithms and other factors on platforms can change over time, potentially impacting the average half-life duration for posts. For comparison, here’s data on X for 2026 along with the previous two annual editions of this report:

2026: 52 minutes.^A1
2025: 49 minutes.^B4
2024: 43 minutes.^B5

See the FAQs for more insights about X.

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Facebook

Facebook is an online social media and social networking service owned by Meta Platforms. It enables users to create profiles, connect with others, and share content such as text posts, photos, videos, and links. The platform also supports groups, pages, events, and advertising, making it widely used for personal communication, community building, and business marketing. Facebook has 3,070,000,000 (3.07 billion) monthly active users.^B3

The average half-life duration for Facebook posts is 86 minutes = 1.43 hours.^A1

Algorithms and other factors on platforms can change over time, potentially impacting the average half-life duration for posts. For comparison, here’s data on Facebook for 2026 along with the previous two annual editions of this report:

2026: 86 minutes = 1.43 hours.^A1
2025: 81 minutes = 1.35 hours.^B4
2024: 76 minutes = 1.27 hours.^B5

See the FAQs for more insights about Facebook.

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Reddit

Reddit, often called "the front page of the internet," is a social media and discussion platform where users participate in more than 100,000 active topic‑specific communities known as subreddits. Its upvote and downvote system lets users collectively shape what is seen, surfacing higher‑quality or more popular posts and comments while pushing less relevant content out of view. Founded in 2005, Reddit has grown into a vast ecosystem spanning breaking news, in‑depth discussions, memes, and highly niche interests. This participatory structure and breadth of content have made it one of the web’s central hubs for discovering information and connecting with communities built around shared interests. Reddit is reported to have 765,000,000 (765 million) monthly active users.^B3

The average half-life duration for Reddit posts is 150 minutes = 2.50 hours.^A1

Reddit was added to this report in 2025.

2026: 150 minutes = 2.50 hours.^A1
2025: 155 minutes = 2.58 hours.^B4
2024: Reddit did not appear in the 2023 report.^B5

See the FAQs for more insights about Reddit.

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Instagram

Instagram is a leading photo and video-sharing social platform owned by Meta. It lets users capture and post media—enhanced with filters, effects, music, stickers, captions, and more—then organize it with hashtags, location tags, and collections. People follow accounts to see updates in a personalized feed, engaging through likes, comments, shares, saves, and direct messages. Instagram has 3,000,000,000 (3.00 billion) monthly active users.^B3

The average half-life duration for Instagram posts is 1,096 minutes = 18.27 hours.^A1

Algorithms and other factors on platforms can change over time, potentially impacting the average half-life duration for posts. For comparison, here’s data on Instagram for 2026 along with the previous two annual editions of this report:

2026: 1,096 minutes = 18.27 hours.^A1
2025: 1,143 minutes = 19.04 hours.^B4
2024: 1,185 minutes = 19.75 hours.^B5

See the FAQs for more insights about Instagram.

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LinkedIn

LinkedIn is a business and employment-oriented online service that serves as the world's largest professional network. With over 1.2 billion members worldwide^B22, it enables users to build and showcase professional profiles, connect with colleagues and industry peers, discover job opportunities, share insights and content, and advance their careers. It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Microsoft. LinkedIn does not report how many of its users are monthly active users (MAUs). Third parties estimate that there are about 300 million MAUs.

The average half-life duration for LinkedIn posts is 1,393 minutes = 23.22 hours.^A1

Algorithms and other factors on platforms can change over time, potentially impacting the average half-life duration for posts. For comparison, here’s data on LinkedIn for 2026 along with the previous two annual editions of this report:

2026: 1,393 minutes = 23.22 hours.^A1
2025: 1,426 minutes = 23.77 hours.^B4
2024: 1,458 minutes = 24.30 hours.^B5

See the FAQs for more insights about LinkedIn.

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Podcasts

A podcast is a digital media file, available online for streaming or download. The term "podcast," coined in Ben Hammersley in 2004^B27, blends "iPod" and "broadcast." While audio podcasts dominate the medium, video podcasts, or vodcasts, have gained traction by integrating visual elements to boost engagement on platforms like YouTube. There are over 3,708,000 (3.47 million) podcasts.^B23

The average half-life duration for posts on podcast platforms with engagement functionality is 10,117 minutes = 7.03 days.^A1

Podcasts were added to this report in 2025.

2026: 10,117 minutes = 7.02 days.^A1
2025: 9,625 minutes = 6.68 days.^B4
2024: Podcasts did not appear in the 2023 report.^B5

See the FAQs for more insights about podcasts.

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YouTube

YouTube is an online video-sharing platform. It's owned by Google, and it's the second most visited website, after Google Search. YouTube has 2,580,000,000 (2.58 billion) monthly active users.^B3

The average half-life duration for YouTube posts is 15,276 minutes = 10.60 days.^A1

Algorithms and other factors on platforms can change over time, potentially impacting the average half-life duration for posts. For comparison, here’s data on YouTube for 2026 along with the previous two annual editions of this report:

2026: 15,276 minutes = 10.60 days.^A1
2025: 13,929 minutes = 9.67 days.^B4
2024: 12,717 minutes = 8.83 days.^B5

See the FAQs for more insights about YouTube.

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Pinterest

Pinterest is a visual discovery engine that enables people to search for, save, and curate ideas from across the internet as "pins" organized on customizable boards. Operated by Pinterest, Inc., the platform functions both as an inspiration hub—spanning categories such as fashion, home décor, recipes, and DIY—and as a marketing and commerce channel through features that support content distribution, product discovery, and shoppable experiences. It has 578,000,000 (578 million) monthly active users.^B3

The average half-life duration for Pinterest posts is 174,894 minutes = 3.99 months.^A1

Algorithms and other factors on platforms can change over time, potentially impacting the average half-life duration for posts. For comparison, here’s data on Pinterest for 2026 along with the previous two annual editions of this report:

2026: 174,894 minutes = 3.99 months.^A1
2025: 169,789 minutes = 3.88 months.^B4
2024: 164,518 minutes = 3.76 months.^B5

See the FAQs for more insights about Pinterest.

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Blogs

Blogs (a truncation of "weblogs") are discussion or informational websites consisting of discrete, often diary-style entries. Up until 2009, blogs were usually the work of individuals and each typically covered a single topic. In the 2010s, multi-author blogs (MABs) from media outlets and others emerged. In addition to featuring the writings of multiple authors, MABs frequently span a range of topics. It is estimated that there are over 600,000,000 (600 million) blogs.^B8,B24

The average half-life duration for posts on blog platforms with engagement functionality is 1,068,305 minutes = 2.03 years.^A1

Algorithms and other factors on platforms can change over time, potentially impacting the average half-life duration for posts. For comparison, here’s data on blogs for 2026 along with the previous two annual editions of this report:

2026: 1,068,304 minutes = 2.03 years.^A1
2025: 1,037,340 minutes = 1.97 years.^B4
2024: 1,022,997 minutes = 1.95 years.^B5

See the FAQs for more insights about blogs.

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Conclusion

Social media platforms enable people to access, share, and interact with content while also connecting with family, friends, and others. The platforms also provide organizations with direct channels to reach and engage with their target audiences.

The relevance and engagement of social media posts have a limited lifespan. An advantageous objective metric is half-life. It’s the time it takes for a post to receive half of its total engagement (such as likes, shares, and comments). In 2018, Scott M. Graffius first published data on the lifespan (half-life) of social media posts. Algorithms and other factors on platforms change over time. For that reason, Graffius periodically updates his analysis. This report, which is based extensive study of over 5,600,000 social media posts and 397 podcasts aggregated from multiple sourcesA1, provides the update for 2026.

The "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts: Update for 2026" research stands out for its:

Massive scope (5M+ posts analyzed),
Broad coverage (11 major platforms),
Rigorous methodology (multi-source, representative, and fully data-driven),
Ongoing continuity (annual updates reflecting evolving algorithms), and
Practical value (delivering actionable insights to help users navigate today's social media environment).

In closing, social media analytics offer valuable insights that can support efforts to level up engagement and results.^{B9,B10,B11,B12,B13,B14,B15} Data on the average half-life of posts can help inform strategic and tactical decisions such as the frequency and scheduling of posts.

Read on for:

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs),
Coverage of Graffius’ Research,
Sources/References,
About Scott M. Graffius
How to Cite This Article,
and more.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

FAQ 01. What is Social Media?

Social media refers to digital platforms and related technologies that enable users to create, share, and interact with content and connect with others in virtual communities. Leading dictionaries support that relatively broad characterization.

Cambridge Dictionary: "Websites and computer programs that allow people to communicate and share information, opinions, pictures, videos, etc. on the internet, especially social networking websites."^B18
Britannica Dictionary: "Forms of electronic communication (such as Web sites) through which people create online communities to share information, ideas, personal messages, etc."^B19
Dictionary.com: "Websites and other online means of communication that are used by large groups of people to share information and to develop social and professional contacts."^B20

Summarized, the key characteristics of social media include:

User-generated content.
Multimedia sharing (such as text, images, audio, or videos).
Interactive engagement features (such as comments, likes, or shares).

FAQ 02. What platforms are included in this 2026 edition of the research?

This 2026 update covers Snapchat, TikTok, X, Facebook, Reddit, Instagram, LinkedIn, podcasts (audio and video formats with engagement functionality), YouTube, Pinterest, and blogs (with engagement functionality).

FAQ 03. Why exactly are posts on Snapchat a form of social media?

Further to FAQ items 1 and 2, posts on Snapchat are aligned with the core principles of social media by facilitating user-generated content, multimedia sharing, and interactive engagement. Here are the related definitive characteristics of Snapchat:

User-generated content: Users create personal stories and snaps.
Multimedia sharing: Allows sharing of photos and short videos.
Interactive features: Users can reply to snaps, react with emojis, and send direct messages.

FAQ 04. Why exactly are posts on TikTok a form of social media?

Further to FAQ items 1 and 2, posts on TikTok are aligned with the core principles of social media by facilitating user-generated content, multimedia sharing, and interactive engagement. Here are the related definitive characteristics of TikTok:

User-generated content: Users create and upload short videos.
Multimedia sharing: Primarily focused on video content.
Interactive features: Allows comments, likes, and shares on videos.

FAQ 05. Why exactly are posts on X a form of social media?

Further to FAQ items 1 and 2, posts on X are aligned with the core principles of social media by facilitating user-generated content, multimedia sharing, and interactive engagement. Here are the related definitive characteristics of X:

User-generated content: Users post tweets and threads.
Multimedia sharing: Supports text, images, GIFs, and videos.
Interactive features: Enables retweets, likes, and replies.

FAQ 06. Why exactly are posts on Facebook a form of social media?

Further to FAQ items 1 and 2, posts on Facebook are aligned with the core principles of social media by facilitating user-generated content, multimedia sharing, and interactive engagement. Here are the related definitive characteristics of Facebook:

User-generated content: Users create posts, stories, and events.
Multimedia sharing: Supports text, images, videos, and live streaming.
Interactive features: Offers likes, comments, shares, and reactions.

FAQ 07. Why exactly are posts on Reddit a form of social media?

Further to FAQ items 1 and 2, posts on Reddit are aligned with the core principles of social media by facilitating user-generated content, multimedia sharing, and interactive engagement. Here are the related definitive characteristics of Reddit:

User-generated content: Users submit posts and create subreddits.
Multimedia sharing: Allows text posts, images, videos, and links.
Interactive features: Includes upvotes/downvotes, comments, and awards.

FAQ 08. Why exactly are posts on Instagram a form of social media?

Further to FAQ items 1 and 2, posts on Instagram are aligned with the core principles of social media by facilitating user-generated content, multimedia sharing, and interactive engagement. Here are the related definitive characteristics of Instagram:

User-generated content: Users post photos, videos, and stories.
Multimedia sharing: Focuses on visual content (images and videos).
Interactive features: Enables likes, comments, and direct messaging.

FAQ 09. Why exactly are posts on LinkedIn a form of social media?

Further to FAQ items 1 and 2, posts on LinkedIn are aligned with the core principles of social media by facilitating user-generated content, multimedia sharing, and interactive engagement. Here are the related definitive characteristics of LinkedIn:

User-generated content: Users create profiles and post professional content.
Multimedia sharing: Supports text posts, articles, images, and videos.
Interactive features: Allows connections, likes, comments, and endorsements.

FAQ 10. Why exactly are posts on podcast platforms a form of social media?

Further to FAQ items 1 and 2, posts on podcast platforms with engagement functionality are aligned with the core principles of social media by facilitating user-generated content, multimedia sharing, and interactive engagement. Here are the related definitive characteristics of podcasts:

User-generated content: Creators produce and upload audio or video episodes.
Multimedia sharing: It can include both audio-only content or video formats.
Interactive features: Listeners/viewers can rate, review episodes, or otherwise comment on them.

FAQ 11. Why exactly are posts on YouTube a form of social media?

Further to FAQ items 1 and 2, posts on YouTube are aligned with the core principles of social media by facilitating user-generated content, multimedia sharing, and interactive engagement. Here are the related definitive characteristics of YouTube:

User-generated content: Users create and upload videos.
Multimedia sharing: Primarily video-based platform.
Interactive features: Allows likes, comments, subscriptions, and sharing.

FAQ 12. Why exactly are posts on Pinterest a form of social media?

Further to FAQ items 1 and 2, posts on Pinterest are aligned with the core principles of social media by facilitating user-generated content, multimedia sharing, and interactive engagement. Here are the related definitive characteristics of Pinterest:

User-generated content: Users create boards and pin content.
Multimedia sharing: Focuses on image and video sharing.
Interactive features: Enables re-pins, likes, and comments.

FAQ 13. Why exactly are posts on blog platforms a form of social media?

Further to FAQ items 1 and 2, posts on blog platforms with engagement functionality are aligned with the core principles of social media by facilitating user-generated content, multimedia sharing, and interactive engagement. Here are the related definitive characteristics of blogs:

User-generated content: Authors create and publish blog posts.
Multimedia sharing: It can include text, images, videos, and audio.
Interactive features: Readers can comment on posts or share them.

FAQ 14. What is the half-life of social media posts?

The half-life is the time it takes for a post to receive half of its total engagement, such as likes, shares, and comments. It’s an advantageous objective metric for assessing content.

FAQ 15. Why is half-life important in social media strategy?

Half-life provides an objective metric to inform strategic and tactical decisions, such as the frequency and scheduling of posts.

FAQ 16. What factors can impact the half-life of social media?

Posts can be influenced by multiple elements. Here are ten factors:

Content Relevance: Posts that resonate with audience interests and needs will likely have a longer half-life.
Timing of Post: The timing of your post can significantly affect its half-life. Posting at times when your audience is most active and likely to engage can extend the lifespan of your post.
Engagement Level: Posts with higher initial engagement will likely remain relevant and visible longer.
Quality of Visuals: Posts with high-quality visuals, such as images, videos, or infographics, tend to capture more attention and have a longer lifespan on social media.
Use of Hashtags: Strategic use of hashtags can increase the discoverability of your post and extend its reach, thus impacting its half-life.
Platform Algorithm: Each social media platform has its own algorithm that determines the visibility and reach of posts. Understanding and optimizing for these algorithms can affect the half-life of your posts.
Audience Engagement: The level of engagement from your audience, including likes, comments, shares, and click-through rates, can influence the half-life of your post. Higher engagement indicates higher relevance and longevity.
Post Frequency: The frequency at which you post content can impact the half-life of individual posts. Spacing posts out can allow each one to receive more attention over time.
Content Format: Different content formats, such as text-only posts, images, videos, and interactive content, may have varying half-lives based on their appeal and engagement potential.
External Events and Trends: External events, holidays, trends, and news topics can affect the relevance and visibility of your posts. Leveraging timely content can extend the half-life of your posts by tapping into current conversations and interests.

FAQ 17. What data sources were used for the 2026 update?

The analysis drew from over 5,600,000 social media posts and 397 podcasts. Data sources included APIs, proprietary commercial datasets, academic and research consortia databases, publicly shared datasets, governmental and non-governmental organizational data repositories, and more.

FAQ 18. What dates does the 2026 update cover?
The update includes data from 1 January 2025 through 31 December 2025, and retrospective data from antecedent blogging platforms.

FAQ 19. Who is represented in the dataset used for the research?
The dataset represents a diverse range of entities, including individuals (from small accounts to influencers), businesses (small to large), professional associations, educational institutions, and more. The representation reflects the distribution in the digital ecosystem.

FAQ 20. What is the significance of the dataset size and diversity?
With data aggregated from over 5,600,000 posts (and 397 podcasts) and diverse sources, the comprehensive and multidimensional approach ensures robust and representative sampling, yielding broad and deep analytical insights.

FAQ 21. What factors impact engagement and the average half-life of posts on Snapchat?

Depending on the message type, user settings, and other details, content may disappear instantly or live up to 24 hours or longer.

FAQ 22. What factors impact engagement and the average half-life of posts on TikTok?

Select potential factors for TikTok include:

Algorithm-driven content delivery: TikTok's "For You" page constantly refreshes with
new content, promoting rapid consumption.
Short video format: TikTok videos are typically brief, encouraging users to quickly
move on to the next piece of content.
Ephemeral features: TikTok Stories (like Instagram Stories) disappear after 24 hours, reinforcing the platform's emphasis on fleeting content.

FAQ 23. What factors impact engagement and the average half-life of posts on X?

Select potential factors for X include:

Algorithm refinements: X may have adjusted its algorithm to promote certain content.
Content quality improvements: The platform's focus on attracting small-to-medium businesses as advertisers might have led to higher-quality, more engaging content that resonates with users for longer periods.
New features: X introduced new features and made changes to existing ones, which could impact how users interact with content.
Political events: The platform's increased activity during key events, such as the U.S. elections, may have contributed to longer-lasting engagement with posts.

FAQ 24. What factors impact engagement and the average half-life of posts on Facebook?

Select potential factors for Facebook include:

Algorithm refinements: Facebook may have adjusted its algorithm.
New features: Facebook has been introducing new features and changing existing ones.
Balanced content mix: The algorithm is designed to show users a variety of post types, ensuring they don't see multiple posts of the same type in a row. That could contribute to longer engagement periods.

FAQ 25. What factors impact engagement and the average half-life of posts on Reddit?

Select potential factors for Reddit include:

Content depth: Reddit's focus on in-depth discussions and longer-form content naturally leads to extended engagement periods.
Community-driven structure: The platform's subreddit system allows users to engage with niche communities, fostering longer-lasting interactions.
User behavior: Redditors may spend significant time exploring threads and participating in discussions, contributing to longer content lifespans.
Algorithm design: Reddit's algorithm may prioritize relevant content over recency, allowing posts to maintain visibility for longer periods.
Diverse content types: Reddit supports various content formats, including text posts, links, images, and videos, catering to different user preferences and engagement patterns.
User demographics: Reddit's user base, which includes a high proportion of tech-savvy and engaged users, may contribute to longer content lifespans.

This report conveys the average half-life for posts on the Reddit platform. Half-life may vary across different subreddits and content types. Factors such as the subreddit's size, topic, and activity level can greatly influence a post's half-life.

FAQ 26. What factors impact engagement and the average half-life of posts on Instagram?

Select potential factors for Instagram include:

Increased content volume: With Instagram's large user base, more content may be competing for attention, leading to faster content turnover.
Algorithm adjustments: Instagram might have refined its algorithm to prioritize more recent content, potentially reducing the visibility of older posts.
Shift towards video content: The platform's increasing focus on Reels and short-form video content could be impacting the longevity of traditional posts.
User behavior changes: Users might spend less time on individual posts and more time scrolling through their feeds or exploring new content formats.
Rise of ephemeral content: The popularity of Stories and other temporary content types could be influencing overall engagement patterns on the platform.

FAQ 27. What factors impact engagement and the average half-life of posts on LinkedIn?

Select potential factors for LinkedIn include:

Increased content volume: LinkedIn has been growing steadily. This growth may have led to more content being shared, potentially reducing the lifespan of individual posts.
Algorithm refinements: LinkedIn might have adjusted its algorithm to prioritize more recent or trending content, slightly reducing the visibility of older posts.
User behavior changes: Professionals might adopt more frequent, shorter engagement sessions, leading to quicker content turnover.
Shift in content types: The platform's increasing focus on video content and live events could be impacting the engagement patterns of traditional posts.
Mobile usage: With more users accessing LinkedIn via mobile devices, browsing habits may have shifted towards shorter, more frequent interactions.

FAQ 28. What factors impact engagement and the average half-life of posts on podcast platforms?

Select potential factors for podcast platforms include:

Content depth: Podcasts often feature in-depth discussions and longer-form content,
leading to extended engagement periods.
On-demand nature: Listeners/viewers can generally consume podcast content at their convenience, allowing for engagement over a longer timeframe.
Niche topics: Many podcasts cater to specific interests, fostering dedicated listener/viewer bases that engage with content more thoroughly.

This report conveys the average half-life for posts on podcast platforms with engagement functionality. Half-life may vary across different podcast genres, episode lengths, and audience demographics.

FAQ 29. What factors impact engagement and the average half-life of posts on YouTube?

Select potential factors for YouTube include:

Algorithm refinements: YouTube may have adjusted its recommendation algorithm to promote a wider variety of content, increasing the visibility of videos over a longer time frame.
Content quality improvements: There might be an emphasis on higher-quality, more engaging content that resonates with users for longer periods.
Shift in content types: The introduction of YouTube Shorts and its growing popularity could be influencing overall engagement patterns on the platform.
Improved search and discovery: As the second-largest search engine, YouTube's enhanced search capabilities may be helping users find relevant content more easily.

This report conveys the average half-life for posts on the YouTube platform. Half-life can vary across different types of content, channels, and topics. Factors such as video length, subject matter, and target audience can greatly influence a video's half-life on the platform.

FAQ 30. What factors impact engagement and the average half-life of posts on Pinterest?

Select potential factors for Pinterest include:

Algorithm refinements: Pinterest may have improved its recommendation algorithm, increasing the visibility of relevant pins over a longer timeframe.
User behavior changes: With Pinterest's growing user base, particularly among Gen Z, there might be more users exploring content over extended periods.
Content quality improvements: The platform's focus on personalization and AI-driven recommendations could lead to more engaging, relevant content.
Mobile app optimization: Improvements in the mobile experience may be contributing to longer engagement periods.
Diverse use cases: Pinterest's expansion into emerging categories like men's fashion and auto, alongside its core areas, could be broadening content appeal and extending engagement.

This extended half-life aligns with Pinterest's unique position as a platform for long-term inspiration and planning. It reinforces Pinterest's value for marketers and content creators, offering an extended window for engagement compared to other social media platforms.

FAQ 31. What factors impact engagement and the average half-life of posts on blog platforms?

Select potential factors for blog platforms include:

Content quality focus: The extended half-life may reflect an increased emphasis on creating high-quality, evergreen content that remains relevant over time.
SEO improvements: Ongoing refinements in search engine algorithms and SEO practices could contribute to better long-term visibility of blog content.
Shift to long-form content: With many platforms favoring short-form content, blogs remain a bastion for in-depth, comprehensive articles, which may contribute to sustained engagement.
Improved user experience: Enhanced blog designs, faster loading times, and mobile optimization could encourage longer and repeated engagement with content.
Integration with other platforms: Effective cross-promotion of blog content on social media and other channels may drive sustained traffic and engagement.

FAQ 32. Can some posts have a half-life shorter or longer than the average half-life data published in this report?

Findings from this "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts: Update for 2026" research reports the average values derived from an extensive analysis of over 5,600,000 social media posts and 397 podcasts, aggregated from multiple sources including diverse entities, represented proportionately to reflect the distribution in the digital ecosystem. This comprehensive, multidimensional approach yields a robust and representative sampling of posts, providing a broad and deep scope of analysis to determine the average half-life durations.

However, individual posts may vary from the average. Additionally, others’ reports often rely on anecdotal evidence, limited datasets, or otherwise non-robust methodology. Those constraints can result in different findings.

FAQ 33. Which metric is better, views or engagement?

When evaluating the importance and value of views versus engagement on social media platforms, engagement metrics generally hold more value for several reasons. These include:

Quality Over Quantity: Engagement metrics—such as likes, comments, and shares—indicate a higher level of interaction with content. A high engagement rate suggests that the audience isn't just passively consuming content but is actively involved, which can lead to stronger relationships with followers. This interaction can foster community, loyalty, and advocacy.
Algorithmic Favor: Social media algorithms are designed to promote content that generates engagement. If posts receive a lot of likes, comments, and shares, the algorithm tends to favor the content by increasing its visibility. This can lead to a higher reach, which might not be directly proportional to the initial number of views.
Monetization and Influence: For creators and marketers, platforms often reward engagement more than views in their monetization models. Engagement indicates real user interaction, which is more likely to translate into website visits, product sales, or ad revenue compared to passive views.
Brand Loyalty and Advocacy: Engagement, especially comments and shares, can lead to user-generated content or discussions, which are invaluable for brand loyalty and advocacy. When followers share content, they're endorsing the respective brand or message to their network, potentially reaching a broader audience with a personal recommendation.
Feedback and Improvement: Comments and other forms of engagement provide direct feedback. This interaction allows content creators to understand what resonates with their audience, helping refine strategies or content for better performance.
Virality and Reach: Content that engages tends to have a higher chance of going viral.

FAQ 34. Tracking engagement (impact) rather than mere views (content display)?

In social media and digital marketing metrics, views and engagement represent distinct concepts that serve different purposes in understanding audience behavior. A view is a measure of exposure, counting the instances when content is displayed; it’s a passive metric about reach or visibility rather than interaction. Engagement, by contrast, captures active participation, tracking when a user interacts with content through actions (such as liking, commenting, or sharing a post), offering a deeper insight into how compelling or resonant the content is to its audience. A view indicates that someone had the opportunity to see something, while engagement signals that the content sparked enough attention to prompt a response. Simply put, views measure reach, and engagement measures impact.

Some social media research tracks views—mere content display. By contrast, engagement (such as likes, shares, comments) measures impact. For that reason, Graffius' "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts" research analyzes engagement, providing a deeper insight.

FAQ 35. What are algorithms and how do they impact the user experience on social media platforms?

See our article.^B16

FAQ 36. What is the typical engagement distribution pattern for social media posts?

See our article.^B17

FAQ 37. How does temporal decay of engagement manifest on ephemeral systems vs. persistent networks?

The temporal decay curve of digital engagement reveals platform-specific entropic gradients. Median half-lives vary, with ephemeral systems (such as X) exhibiting acclerated attenuation vs. persistent networks (such as Pinterest).

FAQ 38. What is the difference between the public "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts" research and commissioned/custom work?

Scott M. Graffius makes his "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts" report—which he typically updates annually—available to the public free of charge.

Clients have commissioned him for follow-up, bespoke projects. These engagements are often resource-intensive—requiring substantial time, effort, and expense—and may involve sensitive, confidential, or restricted materials. For those reasons, that content is not available to the public.

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scott_m_graffius_-_blog_spacer_-_v23111107_-_coverage

Coverage of Graffius' Research

Scientists, researchers, journalists, academics, YouTubers, podcasters, SEO experts, analysts, businesses, and others have featured earlier editions of Scott M. Graffius' "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts" research. Here are some examples:

Abuvala, R. (2024, July 18). What is the Lifespan of Your Content? [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OQ1ungx1p8
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Buchheit, N. (2024, September 6). Social Media Advertising: Native Content vs. Ads. Covalent. https://wearecovalent.com/social-media-advertising-native-content-vs-ads/
Buffer. (2024, February 7). 9 Ways to Grow Your Following on X/Twitter. https://buffer.com/resources/get-more-followers-on-twitter-x/
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Center for Direct Marketing. (2022, September 27). What Is the Average Lifespan of a Blog or Social Media Post? https://dmcenter.com/lifespan-of-a-post
Center for Direct Marketing. (2024, March 25). Best Marketing Podcasts, Lifespan of Social Media and Blog Posts. https://dmcenter.com/march-2024
Chaturvedi, S. (2024, September 27). How Often to Post on Social Media. https://recurpost.com/blog/how-often-to-post-on-social-media/
Chowdhary, T. (2023, March 21). 13 Best Twitter Thread Tools to Go Viral in 2023. Geekflare. https://geekflare.com/best-twitter-thread-tools
ClearSky 2100 Ventures. (2025, January 25). How to Build a Winning B2B Blog Strategy in 2025. ClearSky 2100 Ventures. https://clearsky2100.com/how-to-build-a-winning-b2b-blog-strategy-in-2025/
Column Content. (2025, January 15). How to Dominate LinkedIn with a Smarter Paid and Organic Mix. https://columncontent.com/linkedin-paid-organic-strategy/
Confederation of European Waste-to-Energy Plants (CEWEP). (2023, June 15). The Power of Social Media and How to Use It. 10th CEWEP Waste-to-Energy Congress, 14th - 16th June 2023, Berlin. https://www.cewep.eu/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/4.1-Monika-Michalska.pdf
Daamen, T. (2025, August 26). Linkedin, Insta, TikTok posts: je content smelt waar je bij staat [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9FVE1Aa_W8
de Boisvilliers, L., & Delaby, B. (2025). L’information météorologique à l’heure du dérèglement climatique : un enjeu journalistique à redéfinir [Thesis]. UCLouvain, Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium. https://thesis.dial.uclouvain.be/server/api/core/bitstreams/cedc023d-7c94-4590-b55a-7b8a2e902e10/content
Degraux, X. (2022, November 5). Quelle est la Durée d’un Post sur Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn. https://www.xavierdegraux.be/quelle-est-la-duree-dun-post-sur-twitter-instagram-linkedin
Degraux, X. (2025, January 4). Durée de vie des posts LinkedIn : Données clés et astuces pour améliorer votre visibilité. https://www.xavierdegraux.be/duree-de-vie-des-posts-linkedin-donnees-cles-et-astuces-pour-ameliorer-votre-visibilite/
Deschamps, G. (n.d.). How to Use Social Media Buttons to Boost Engagement and Drive Traffic. Bulk.ly. https://bulk.ly/social-media-buttons/
Encompass Online Marketing. (2023, March 15). How Often Should You Publish New Content? https://encompassonline.ca/blog/how-often-should-you-publish-new-content
Fallah, G. (2023, December 18). The Best Times to Post on Social Media. https://www.vbout.com/blog/the-best-times-to-post-on-social-media
Fragoso, A. (2025, July 15). Por que eu troquei o Instagram pelo Microfone. Newsletter Empreenda Leve. https://ana-fragoso.kit.com/posts/por-que-eu-troquei-o-instagram-pelo-microfone
García, A. (2024, November 2). Semivida digital: ¿Cuánto tiempo durará tu contenido? Jardín Mental. https://jardinmental.substack.com/p/semivida-digital
Gebauer, S. (2022, October 25). Twitter Scheduling: How to Schedule Tweets for More Impact. https://susannagebauer.com/blog/twitter-scheduling
Geyser, W. (2023, September 20). 34 Mind-Blowing Pinterest Stats for 2023. Influencer Marketing Hub. https://influencermarketinghub.com/pinterest-stats
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Gonzalo, F. (2025, January 7). Quelle est l’espérance de vie d’une publication sur les médias sociaux? FredericGonzalo.com. https://fredericgonzalo.com/quelle-est-lesperance-de-vie-dune-publication-sur-les-medias-sociaux/
Gotch, N. (2023, December 4). How to Start an SEO Business (2024 Update). https://www.gotchseo.com/start-seo-company
Graffius, S. M. (2024, September 18). 'Maximizing LinkedIn for Business Growth' Book References and Incorporates Scott M. Graffius' 'Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts' Research. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.19040.08969
Graffius, S. M. (2025, May 21). French Ministry of Culture Links to Scott M. Graffius Research in Their Guide for Responsible Digital Communication. ScottGraffius.com. https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/french-ministry-of-culture-links-to-scott-m-graffius-research-in-their-publication.html
Graffius, S. M. (2025, September 18). Taiwan’s Leading Outlet for Technology and Innovation Spotlights Graffius’ Research on Social Media Temporal Dynamics. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.14246.18244
Graffius, S. M. (2025, November 28). Social Media Half-Life Research Cited in Prestigious Peer-Reviewed Medical Journal. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.24672.96000
Graffius, S. M. (2026, January 10). Scott M. Graffius' Research on the Half-Life of Social Media was Cited in a Peer-Reviewed Study Published in Telecommunications Policy, a Leading Academic Journal. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.23820.99201
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John, V. (2024, September 5). Website vs. Social Media - Do You Still Need a Site in 2024? Madgicx. https://madgicx.com/blog/website-and-social-media
Kaleel, A., Ziani, A., Alkaabi, S. A. M. S., & Alhajri, B. K. (2025). Platform‑Specific Data Decay Patterns: A Comparative Study of Twitter, Reddit, and TikTok. MEDAAD, 2025, 8-26. https://doi.org/10.70470/MEDAAD/2025/002
Karr, D. (2024, February 18). The Half-Life of Social Media Posts in 2024: Navigating Lifespan for Strategic Impact. https://martech.zone/half-life-of-a-social-media-post/
Likey Co. (2024, September 30). Time Constraints of Trendjacking: What Does the Future Hold? In: Nutter Butter’s Thrilling Content: How to Perfect Your “Trendjacking”. Likey Co. https://likeyco.com/nutter-butters-thrilling-content-how-to-perfect-your-trendjacking
Lin, Y., Wang, M., Zhang, H., Zhang, R., & Shen, Z.-J. M. (2021). Content Promotion for Online Content Platforms with the Diffusion Effect (Revised June 28, 2023). SSRN. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3863104
Little, T. [Trena Little – YouTube Coach]. (2024, April 1). Create a Content Calendar That's Simple and East to Implement [Video]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JI1muSuSVmA
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Lumley, M. (2025, June 17). Pinterest Marketing for Service Providers: How to Turn Pins Into Leads. MaryLumley.com. https://marylumley.com/pinterest-marketing-for-service-providers/
McErlain-Naylor, S. (2022, March 24). Social Media for Academia - All You Need to Know [Video]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ka88MxZbU8o
MeetEdgar. (2023, April 2). Everything You Need to Know About Repeating Social Media Content. https://meetedgar.com/blog/repeating-social-media-content
Memom, A. (2023, June 14). Master the Art of Using Pinterest for Blogging in 2023. ContentStudio. https://blog.contentstudio.io/pinterest-for-blogging
Metricool. (2023, October 31). YouTube Marketing in 2023. https://metricool.com/youtube-marketing
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Midvalley Coach / Evercoach. (2023, March 10). Proven Strategies To Enroll Coaching Clients [A Detailed Guide]. https://www.evercoach.com/coaching-guides/enroll-coaching-clients
Mileva, G. (2024, June 10). 6 Examples of Viral Social Media Campaigns and What Makes Them So Effective. Influencer Marketing Hub. https://influencermarketinghub.com/viral-social-media-campaigns/
Newman, P. (2025, February 22). Is Pinterest Good for Affiliate Marketing? I Tried It Out. Loud Money Moves. https://loudmoneymoves.com/pinterest-good-affiliate-marketing/
虎鯨數位行銷 OrcaBiz SEO. (2025, June 18). 網路貼文內容生命週期有多久？短影音跟貼文竟然一天都不到！ https://orca-biz.com/half-life-social-media
Patel, N. (2023, May 23). 18 Powerful Twitter Marketing Tips [That Actually Work]. Neil Patel. https://neilpatel.com/blog/twitter-marketing-tips
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Pinterest Inc. – Japan [See: Graffius, S. M. (2024, December 19). Pinterest Japan Uses Graffius’ Research on Temporal Dynamics on Social Media Platforms. http://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.35455.93606]
Pitzalis, J. (2022, November 21). Finding Social Media Calendar Ideas for Twitter. Chirr App. https://getchirrapp.com/how-to/find
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Rainey, C. (2023, August 15). Social Media’s Toxic Impact Can Last Up to 8 Days. This Behavioral Scientist’s Solution Might Surprise You. https://www.fastcompany.com/90939081/social-media-toxic-impact-content-moderation-solution-behavior-science
Rynek Pro. (2023, June 26). Długość Życia Postów (Half-Life) w Mediach Społecznościowych w 2023 Roku. https://rynek.pro/half-life-dlugosc-zycia-postow/#pll_switcher
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Schaffer, N. (2024, September 17). Maximizing LinkedIn for Business Growth: A Practical Guide to Building Your Brand and Driving Results. Irvine, California. PDCA Social.
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This list is not exhaustive.

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References/Sources

Section "A" pertains to the rigorous methodology employed in this study.

A1. "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts: Update for 2026" by Scott M. Graffius covers Snapchat, TikTok, X, Facebook, Reddit, Instagram, LinkedIn, podcasts (audio and video formats with engagement functionality), YouTube, Pinterest, and blogs (with engagement functionality). Findings were derived from an extensive analysis of over 5,600,000 social media posts and 397 podcasts, aggregated from multiple sources, including APIs, proprietary commercial datasets, academic and research consortia databases, publicly shared datasets, governmental and non-governmental organizational data repositories, and more. The collective dataset includes data from 1 January 2025 through 31 December 2025 (with retrospective data from antecedent blogging platforms) on diverse entities, including individuals (from those with a relatively small number of followers/subscribers to influencers), businesses (from small to large), professional associations, educational institutions, and others. Entities are represented proportionately, reflecting the distribution in the digital ecosystem. This comprehensive, multidimensional approach yields a robust and representative sampling of posts, providing a broad and deep scope of analysis.

Section "B" pertains to additional sources of information.

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B4. Graffius, S. M. (2025, January 6). Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts: Update for 2025. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.35085.65761
B5. Graffius, S. M. (2024, January 1). Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts: Update for 2024. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.21043.60965
B6. X. Available at: https://careers.x.com. Accessed on 2 January 2025.
B7. Macready, Hannah (2023, February 22). 47 LinkedIn Statistics You Need to Know in 2023. Hootsuite.
B8. Ong, Si Quan (2023, January 27). 59 Blogging Statistics for 2023.
B9. Colicev, Anatoli, & Malshe, Ashwin, & Pauwels, Koen, & O'Connor, Peter (2018). Improving Consumer Mindset Metrics and Shareholder Value Through Social Media: The Different Roles of Owned and Earned Media. Journal of Marketing, 82 (1): 37-56.
B10. Collier, Azure (2017, April 28). How to Create a Social Media Posting Schedule. Constant Contact.
B11. IBM (n.d.). What is Social Media Analytics. Available at: https://www.ibm.com/topics/social-media-analytics.
B12. Kanuri, V. K., & Chen, Y., & Sridhar, S. (2018). Scheduling Content on Social Media: Theory, Evidence, and Application. Journal of Marketing, 82 (6): 89-108.
B13. Liadeli, G., & Sotgiu, F., & Verlegh, P. W. J. (2023). A Meta-Analysis of the Effects of Brands' Owned Social Media on Social Media Engagement and Sales. Journal of Marketing, 87 (3): 406-427.
B14. Perreault, Marie-Catherine, & Mosconi, Elaine (2018). Social Media Engagement: Content Strategy and Metrics Research Opportunities. Proceedings of the 51st Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences: 3568-3577.
B15. Trunfio, Mariapina, & Rossi, Simona (2021). Conceptualising and Measuring Social Media Engagement: A Systematic Literature Review. Italian Journal of Marketing, 2021 (3):267-292.
B16. Graffius, Scott M. (2024, September 26). How Algorithms Shape the User Experience on Social Media Platforms. Available at: https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/algorithms- and-the-user-experience.html. DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.29149.01767.
B17. Graffius, Scott M. (2024, September 30). Supplement to Graffius' 'Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts' Research: Typical Engagement Distribution Pattern for Social Media Posts. Available at: https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/distribution- pattern-for-social-media-posts.html. DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.15820.22402.
B18. Cambridge Dictionary. Definition of social media at: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/social- media.
B19. Britannica Dictionary. Definition of social media at: https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/social-media.
B20. Dictionary.com. Definition of social media at: https://www.dictionary.com/browse/social-media.
B21. Statista (2024, February 27). Number of Monthly Active Reddit Users Worldwide from 2018 to 2026. Available at: https://www.statista.com/forecasts/1309791/reddit- mau-worldwide. [Note: This source is a carry-over from prior reporting. This article applies uniform reporting from the source at B3.]
B22. Microsoft. (2025, July 29). LinkedIn business highlights from Microsoft’s Q4 FY25 earnings. https://news.linkedin.com/2025/Q4FY25_Earnings_Highlights.
B23. Listen Notes (n.d.). Podcast Stats: How Many Podcasts Are There? Available at: https://www.listennotes.com/podcast-stats/. Accessed on 21 January 2026.
B24. Hostinger (2026, January 13). Essential blogging statistics: trends, tips, and insights 2026. https://www.hostinger.com/tutorials/blogging-statistics
B25. Musk, Elon (2024, February 28). A change is coming to our recommendation algorithm that will ensure that all your followers see your pinned posts. This only applies to one pinned post every ~48 hours to prevent gaming of the system. Post by @elonmusk on X at https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1762987619409879149. Accessed on 2 January 2025.
B26. Instagram (2024, April 30). Today we’re announcing four changes to how we rank content to give all creators a more equal chance of breaking through to new audiences. Post by Instagram on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/creators/p/C6YxvSXgFxp. Accessed on 2 January 2025.
B27. Hammersley, B. (2004, February 12). Audible revolution.

About Scott M. Graffius

Scott M. Graffius is a strategic transformation leader who drives AI, Agile, and broader business and technology initiatives to deliver measurable value across projects, programs, portfolios, and PMOs. He is an expert in the teamwork tradecraft of both human and human-AI teams, including the “exotic team dynamics” that emerge. He is also an authority on the temporal patterns of social media, including the half-life of audience engagement.

He’s a practitioner, researcher, thought leader, award-winning author, and keynote speaker who’s taken the stage at 96 conferences and other events across 25 countries.

He’s delivered over $2.3 billion in value for Fortune 500 companies and other leaders in technology, entertainment, financial services, healthcare, and beyond.

Businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities use Graffius and feature his work. Examples include Adobe, Bayer, Boston University, Ford, Gartner, Harvard Medical School, IEEE, Johns Hopkins University, Microsoft, MSN, National Academy of Sciences, Oracle, Pinterest Inc., Project Management Institute, UC San Diego, Verizon, Yale University, and others.

The following sections provide additional information on his experience, contributions, and influence.

Experience

Graffius heads the professional services firm Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions, along with its subsidiary Exceptional Agility. These consultancies offer strategic and tactical advisory, training, embedded expertise, and consulting services to the public, private, and government sectors. They help organizations enhance their capabilities and results in agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership, supporting innovation and driving competitive advantage. The consultancies confidently back services with a Delighted Client Guarantee™.

Graffius is a former VP of project management with a publicly traded provider of diverse consumer products and services over the Internet. Before that, he ran and supervised the delivery of projects and programs in public and private organizations with businesses ranging from e-commerce to advanced technology products and services, retail, manufacturing, entertainment, and more.

He has experience with consumer, business, reseller, government, and international markets.

Award-Winning Author

Graffius has authored three books.

Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions, his first book, earned 17 awards.
Agile Transformation: A Brief Story of How an Entertainment Company Developed New Capabilities and Unlocked Business Agility to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Change, his second book, was named one of the best Scrum books of all time by BookAuthority.
Agile Protocol: The Transformation Ultimatum, his third book and his first work of fiction, was released in April 2025. The book trailer is on YouTube.

International Public Speaker

Organizations worldwide engage Graffius to present on tech (including AI), Agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership. He crafts and delivers unique and compelling talks and workshops. Graffius has conducted 96 sessions across 25 countries. Select examples of events include Agile Trends Gov, BSides (Newcastle Upon Tyne), Conf42 Quantum Computing, DevDays Europe, DevOps Institute, DevOpsDays (Geneva), Frug’Agile, IEEE, Microsoft, Scottish Summit, Scrum Alliance RSG (Nepal), Techstars, and W Love Games International Video Game Development Conference (Helsinki), and more.

With an average rating of 4.81 (on a scale of 1-5), sessions are highly valued.

The speaker engagement request form is here.

Thought Leadership and Influence

Prominent businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities have showcased Graffius and his contributions—spanning his books, talks, workshops, and beyond. Select examples include:

Adobe,
American Management Association,
Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute,
Bayer,
BMC Software,
Boston University,
Broadcom,
Cisco,
Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts - Germany,
Computer Weekly,
Constructor University - Germany,
Data Governance Success,
Deimos Aerospace,
DevOps Institute,
Dropbox,
EU's European Commission,
Ford Motor Company,
Gartner,
GoDaddy,
Harvard Medical School,
Hasso Plattner Institute - Germany,
IEEE,
Innovation Project Management,
Johns Hopkins University,
Journal of Neurosurgery,
Lam Research (Semiconductors),
Leadership Worthy,
Life Sciences Trainers and Educators Network,
London South Bank University,
Microsoft,
MSN,
NASSCOM,
National Academy of Sciences,
New Zealand Government,
Oracle,
Pinterest Inc.,
Project Management Institute,
Mary Raum (Professor of National Security Affairs, United States Naval War College),
SANS Institute,
SBG Neumark - Germany,
Singapore Institute of Technology,
Torrens University - Australia,
TBS Switzerland,
Tufts University,
UC San Diego,
UK Sports Institute,
University of Galway - Ireland,
US Department of Energy,
US National Park Service,
US Soccer,
US Tennis Association,
Verizon,
Wrike,
Yale University,
and many others.

Graffius has played a key role in the Project Management Institute (PMI) in developing professional standards. He was a member of multiple teams that authored, reviewed, and produced:

Practice Standard for Work Breakdown Structures—Second Edition.
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge—Sixth Edition.
The Standard for Program Management—Fourth Edition.
The Practice Standard for Project Estimating—Second Edition.

Additional details are here.

He was also a subject matter expert reviewer of content for the PMI’s Congress. Beyond the PMI, Graffius also served as a member of the review team for two of the Scrum Alliance’s Global Scrum Gatherings.

Acclaimed Authority on Teamwork Tradecraft

Graffius is a renowned authority on teamwork tradecraft. Informed by the research of Bruce W. Tuckman and Mary Ann C. Jensen, over 150 subsequent studies, and Graffius' first-hand professional experience with, and analysis of, team leadership and performance, Graffius created his "Phases of Team Development" intellectual property as a unique perspective and visual conveying the five phases of team development. First introduced in 2008 and periodically updated, his work provides a diagnostic and strategic guide for navigating team dynamics. It provides actionable insights for leaders across industries to develop high-performance teams. Its adoption by esteemed organizations such as Yale University, IEEE, Cisco, Microsoft, Ford, Oracle, Broadcom, the U.S. National Park Service, and the Journal of Neurosurgery, among others, highlights its utility and value, solidifying its status as an indispensable resource for elevating team performance and driving organizational excellence. In 2026, Graffius added human-AI teamwork—including the "exotic team dynamics" which emerge when advanced AI collaborates as a teammate—to his "Phases of Team Development."

The 2026 edition of Graffius' "Phases of Team Development" intellectual property is here.

Expert on Temporal Dynamics on Social Media Platforms

Graffius is also an authority on temporal dynamics on social media platforms. His "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts" research—first published in 2018 and updated annually—delivers a precise quantitative analysis of post longevity across digital platforms, utilizing advanced statistical techniques to determine mean half-life with precision. It establishes a solid empirical base, effectively highlighting the ephemeral nature of content within social media ecosystems. Referenced and applied by leading entities—such as Fast Company, GoDaddy, Journal of Hand Surgery (European Volume), Ministère de la Culture (French Ministry of Culture), Pinterest Inc., PNAS, and Telecommunications Policy, among others—his research exemplifies methodological rigor and sustained significance in the field of digital informatics.

The 2026 edition of Graffius "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts" research is here.

Education and Professional Certifications

Graffius has a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a focus in Human Factors. He holds eight professional certifications:

Certified SAFe 6 Agilist (SA),
Certified Scrum Professional - ScrumMaster (CSP-SM),
Certified Scrum Professional - Product Owner (CSP-PO),
Certified ScrumMaster (CSM),
Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO),
Project Management Professional (PMP),
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (LSSGB), and
IT Service Management Foundation (ITIL).

He is an active member of the Scrum Alliance, the Project Management Institute (PMI), and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).

Advancing AI, Agile, and Project/PMO Management

Scott M. Graffius continues to advance the fields of AI, Agile, and Project/PMO Management through his leadership, research, writing, and real-world impact. Businesses and other organizations leverage Graffius’ insights to drive their success.

Discover Scott’s Books

Connect with and follow Scott on LinkedIn, X, YouTube, Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, Mastodon, and ResearchGate.

Sign up for Miro—it's free!

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Content Acknowledgements

Names, marks, and content are the property of their respective owners.

Scott M. Graffius' "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts: Update for 2026" is copyright © Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved.

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How to Cite This Article

Graffius, S. M. (2026, January 23). Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts: Update for 2026. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.32407.43689

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Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.32407.43689

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Post-Publication Notes

Post-publication notes, if any, will appear here.

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Copyright

Copyright © Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved.

Content on this site—including text, images, videos, and data—may not be used for training or input into any artificial intelligence, machine learning, or automatized learning systems, or published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.

Tags: Lifespan of Social Media Posts • Half-Life of Social Media • Social Media Analytics • Social Media Research • Content Marketing

Temporal Engagement Across Digital Networks

Frontiers References Scott M. Graffius' Research

About Frontiers in Public Health Journal

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Computer Science Course Features Graffius' Work

Graffius' "Phases of Team Development"

Bibliography

About the University of Waterloo

About Scott M. Graffius

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Perplexity Standalone Article on AI Cites Graffius' Work

More About Perplexity

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Introduction

Synopsis of "Handling the Saboteur Within: Lessons from a 3-Letter Agency on Spotting and Stopping Intentional and Unintentional Sabotage"

Three Key Learning Objectives

Conclusion

About Scott M. Graffius

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Introduction

Details on the Temporal Distribution of Engagement

Conclusion

Bibliography

Further Reading on Probability and Statistical Distributions

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Introduction

10 Most Valuable IT Certifications

1. CompTIA A+

2. Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)

3. Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)

4. Project Management Professional (PMP)

5. Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)

6. AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate (AWS SA)

7. Azure Administrator Associate

8. Google Certified Professional Cloud Architect (GCP Architect)

9. Certified ScrumMaster (CSM)

10. Certified Artificial Intelligence Scientist (CAIS)

Conclusion

References/Sources:

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