How does "The Law of The Few" relate to design...?

This week we were, well, I think we were asked to design a poster/ mind map on the relation between a chapeter of "The Tipping Point" and design. To form the basis of this task we met in groups to brainstorm various parts of the book and discuss how the ideas mentioned were used in design.

Here's a quick snap shot of a group of us brainstorming over lunch in The Liar...
 

For my poster of sorts  I decided to use a person as my starting point as "The Law of The Few" is the idea that certain people have a gift for spreading/tipping an idea, or in this case a design.

Here's a brief explanation of the idea...

In my opinion connectors are used in design to link various industries together. Connectors form links between different people who can each bring something different to an idea.

Maverns could be used to pass on information about a design quickly, allowing widespread knowledge of a design. They make a design known. 

Similarly, the "6 Degrees of Separation" rule could apply to design. News of a product could reach various parts of the globe rapidly and end up at the desired location, for example a specific target market, through word of mouth.

Salesman are used to promote a design. Their enthusiasm can make the difference between a design succeeding or failing to be successful. During presentations designers must convince people of their idea and encourage them to get behind it.

Realising the links between the book and my studies has encouraged me to appreciate Gladwells book. The ideas he discusses are definitely relevant to the design discipline just as they are to the spread of knowledge or an epidemic.