How Your Users Accelerate Your Innovation

from the desk-of-jerome-h-lemelson dept

From the lightbulb, to the internal combustion engine to velcro, innovation (more important than invention) has been driven largely in part by individual tinkerers. However, in recent years, the resources and know-how required behind technically complex innovations such as the artificial heart and GPS mean that corporate inventors have an edge in some industries. Even so, the best innovations continue to come from "lead users" instead of from companies trying to figure out what the users actually want. That is, it's not about someone recognizing a market, but rather someone needing something addressed, right now -- and doing it themselves for themselves. Google Maps was a great innovation, but Google Maps + Craigslist, and Google Maps + GreaseMonkey, made it even better. As the tools for innovation become more accessible, the pace of individual innovation should begin to accelerate. The recent proliferation of web APIs embraces this concept of user innovation and has already led to some wonderful developments. By letting the users stand on the shoulders of existing developments, companies benefit by being able to fulfill many user needs more closely since the users themselves are able to innovate and customize the tools for their own personal needs. It's not about making products anymore. It's about making platforms upon which people can develop their own products to solve their own needs.
Hide this

Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.

Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.

While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.

–The Techdirt Team


Follow Techdirt
Essential Reading
Techdirt Deals
Report this ad  |  Hide Techdirt ads
Techdirt Insider Discord

The latest chatter on the Techdirt Insider Discord channel...

Loading...
Recent Stories

This site, like most other sites on the web, uses cookies. For more information, see our privacy policy. Got it
Close

Email This

This feature is only available to registered users. Register or sign in to use it.