Inventor Book Reviews

When Sparks Fly

by Dorothy Leonard & Walter Swap. 1999, 239 pages, $24.95, ISBN 0-87584-865-6.  Published by Harvard Business School Press.

American independent inventors are often harshly critical of the response they receive when trying to interest large corporations in an innovative product or process.  The NIH (not invented here) syndrome, which rejects outside ideas, seems to be endemic in American industry.  Even creative individuals within companies often express anger regarding managers that seem to regard change as creating chaos and not progress.

Recently, and fortunately, books such as this one have appeared that recognize and offer methods for correcting this sad state of affairs.  The authors immediately note that creativity is a process that involves divergent thinking which produces novel ideas and requires the communication of these ideas to others.  Also, it involves convergent thinking as to which ideas must be pursued and that the final idea must be useful.

They cite examples of how long it often took to do what now appears to be quite obvious.  The "newfangled tin cans" taken on an arctic exploration in 1845 were opened with hammer and chisel and the first can opener did not appear as a catalog item until 1885!

The writers make the point that managers of smoothly running organizations tend to select compatible people.  However; when a group of individuals is brought together to seek a creative solution, they should be intellectually diverse.  In fact, they should be capable of "creative abrasion".  In a large group, including a few "left-brained" (logical, analytical) individuals will stimulate the "right-brained" (intuitive, emotional) individuals.

They stress the importance of including in creative groups, members who "blur the boundaries", that is, individuals who "are not afraid to venture into the intellectual turf of others".

Mother Nature is still a good source for ideas.  Of course, they cite George de Mestral's observation of cockleburs which led to Velcro.  A fascinating observation, not yet put to use, is that the fibre spun by the Florida golden orb spider is the world's strongest material and the spider produces it at room temperature while we humans need "acids, high temperature, and carefully controlled factories to make strong fiber..."

The authors suggest being cautious when doing conventional market research.  For example, asking direct questions.  They observe that "with the best of motives, and often totally unaware, people can be clueless".  That is, people often are unaware "about needs they don't know they have", and will often give answers they think you want.

One cutie pie way of measuring people's interests, done by museums, is to note how frequently tile in front of exhibits need to be replaced.  Another popular technique today is "cool-hunting", that is observing what the "cool" people are doing, whether they are kids or high fashion leaders.

A top IBM researcher is quoted as saying if it is "a choice between planning and prototyping, choose the latter".  The point is that most people can readily discuss what they can handle.  A prototype is also a powerful communication tool.  A wide diversity of people, from engineers to housewives, can and will express opinions about a prototype.

The authors examine how space itself affects creativity.  They note 30% of the revolutionary architect Frank Lloyd Wrights's houses were purchased by inventors -- whereas only 2% of the houses of a conservative architect were bought by inventors.  Along similar lines, the authors consider how a room without chairs might aid efficiency, making for quick decisions, but would be the enemy of innovation.

With regard to risk taking, they quote a VP at MCI, Dick Liebhaber, as saying "We do not shoot people who make mistakes.  We shoot people who do not take risks".

Managers, by training, resolve contradictions by making prompt decisions.  A manager of a creative group, however, must recognize a need for "tolerance for ambiguity and a love of the unexpected" that is characteristic of creative people.  It is common for growing companies to lose their spirit of play and the growing layers of management to become regarded as "police rather than coaches".  A key point is that "Creativity is serious work--but must be balanced by play".

Don't let the fact that this book is published as a Harvard Business School publication scare you off.  It is an easy to read, down to earth, and practical book.