Comments on: Nussbaum Rants on the death of “Innovation” http://www.inkblurt.com/2009/01/02/nussbaum-rants-on-the-death-of-innovation/ User Experience, Information Architecture & Other Obsessions Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:33:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Nick Trendov http://www.inkblurt.com/2009/01/02/nussbaum-rants-on-the-death-of-innovation/comment-page-1/#comment-55317 Nick Trendov Sun, 11 Jan 2009 13:54:53 +0000 http://www.inkblurt.com/2009/01/02/nussbaum-rants-on-the-death-of-innovation/#comment-55317 …there will always be a minority who “get it.” is wildly optimistic based on my experience. However I do think that the 'rant' mixes some very significant metaphores. Measurement is indeed the driver of innovation if you consider that the innovator's perspective. Measurement is poison when deployed by accountants who typically don't understand how to count, or executives who don't understand why to count. Using numbers to justify actions is also a read herring. There is always a story first and the numbers are rallied as a means to justify the end. Is 'good' design is equivalent to innovation? Not in my view as good design is generally incremental and is motivated by PROCESS innovation. Consider the 'innovators' at IDEO who have a video on designing a 'new' shopping cart. Basically they stripped the cart of all metal to get to a slick frame and added attachments so shoppers can load multiple hand held plastic baskets on the cart. This they justify because 'field observations' showed that 'superior' shoppers leave the cart in one spot and 'forage'--this is the story behind all the numbers that justied paying IDEO to 'innovate'. PLEASE pick a perspective when you rant. There is plenty of innovation daily and it happens with dull products when people have to do more with them in less time. This is illustrated by a simple story--customers know far more about any product that the manufacturer because they MUST innovate. The manufacturer must make a 'profit'. If you want innovation look to customers but keep in mind profits preclude innovation. Cheers, Nick www.scenario2.com …there will always be a minority who “get it.” is wildly optimistic based on my experience.

However I do think that the ‘rant’ mixes some very significant metaphores.

Measurement is indeed the driver of innovation if you consider that the innovator’s perspective.

Measurement is poison when deployed by accountants who typically don’t understand how to count, or executives who don’t understand why to count.

Using numbers to justify actions is also a read herring. There is always a story first and the numbers are rallied as a means to justify the end.

Is ‘good’ design is equivalent to innovation?
Not in my view as good design is generally incremental and is motivated by PROCESS innovation.

Consider the ‘innovators’ at IDEO who have a video on designing a ‘new’ shopping cart. Basically they stripped the cart of all metal to get to a slick frame and added attachments so shoppers can load multiple hand held plastic baskets on the cart. This they justify because ‘field observations’ showed that ‘superior’ shoppers leave the cart in one spot and ‘forage’–this is the story behind all the numbers that justied paying IDEO to ‘innovate’.

PLEASE pick a perspective when you rant.

There is plenty of innovation daily and it happens with dull products when people have to do more with them in less time.

This is illustrated by a simple story–customers know far more about any product that the manufacturer because they MUST innovate.

The manufacturer must make a ‘profit’.

If you want innovation look to customers but keep in mind profits preclude innovation.

Cheers,
Nick
http://www.scenario2.com

]]> By: Christopher Fahey http://www.inkblurt.com/2009/01/02/nussbaum-rants-on-the-death-of-innovation/comment-page-1/#comment-55242 Christopher Fahey Thu, 08 Jan 2009 21:18:04 +0000 http://www.inkblurt.com/2009/01/02/nussbaum-rants-on-the-death-of-innovation/#comment-55242 Hey Andrew, Ha, you and I had the same thoughts (http://tinyurl.com/874k54) -- that Nussbaum's target audience seems to be people desperately lacking design skills. Or perhaps, as you and I both suggest, lacking even basic design aptitude. Design Thinking, Innovation, Transformation -- these are all ways to compensate for _simply not being very good at design_. It's not about going from good to great, it's about escaping failure. Hey Andrew,

Ha, you and I had the same thoughts (http://tinyurl.com/874k54) — that Nussbaum’s target audience seems to be people desperately lacking design skills. Or perhaps, as you and I both suggest, lacking even basic design aptitude. Design Thinking, Innovation, Transformation — these are all ways to compensate for _simply not being very good at design_. It’s not about going from good to great, it’s about escaping failure.

]]> By: Innovation is dead – cultivate creativity http://www.inkblurt.com/2009/01/02/nussbaum-rants-on-the-death-of-innovation/comment-page-1/#comment-55213 Innovation is dead – cultivate creativity Thu, 08 Jan 2009 03:03:21 +0000 http://www.inkblurt.com/2009/01/02/nussbaum-rants-on-the-death-of-innovation/#comment-55213 [...] post inspired some thoughtful writing from Christopher Fahey at graphpaper.com and Andrew Hinton at inkblurt, as well as some interesting comments all [...] [...] post inspired some thoughtful writing from Christopher Fahey at graphpaper.com and Andrew Hinton at inkblurt, as well as some interesting comments all [...]

]]> By: Livia Labate http://www.inkblurt.com/2009/01/02/nussbaum-rants-on-the-death-of-innovation/comment-page-1/#comment-55174 Livia Labate Tue, 06 Jan 2009 22:08:19 +0000 http://www.inkblurt.com/2009/01/02/nussbaum-rants-on-the-death-of-innovation/#comment-55174 “Like some tassel-loafered Pygmalion sculpting a sad excuse for a girlfriend out of pie charts and paperclips.” Oh my dear ChunkyMonkey friend, you are quite unique! “Like some tassel-loafered Pygmalion sculpting a sad excuse for a girlfriend out of pie charts and paperclips.”

Oh my dear ChunkyMonkey friend, you are quite unique!

]]> By: Michael Dila http://www.inkblurt.com/2009/01/02/nussbaum-rants-on-the-death-of-innovation/comment-page-1/#comment-55169 Michael Dila Tue, 06 Jan 2009 14:51:45 +0000 http://www.inkblurt.com/2009/01/02/nussbaum-rants-on-the-death-of-innovation/#comment-55169 Gotta say, Andrew, with a line such as: "Like some tassel-loafered Pygmalion sculpting a sad excuse for a girlfriend out of pie charts and paperclips." you oughtta be writing for a living. Gotta agree with Portigal, we gotta stop worrying about the folks who like to make fetishes of words, they've been with us since the Bible at least and we'll suffer their kind for quite a while yet, I imagine. I remain, however, with those who think our words matter. We need to make sure they become part of a vital and dynamic discourse rather than use them as mere incantations. Gotta say, Andrew, with a line such as: “Like some tassel-loafered Pygmalion sculpting a sad excuse for a girlfriend out of pie charts and paperclips.” you oughtta be writing for a living.

Gotta agree with Portigal, we gotta stop worrying about the folks who like to make fetishes of words, they’ve been with us since the Bible at least and we’ll suffer their kind for quite a while yet, I imagine.

I remain, however, with those who think our words matter. We need to make sure they become part of a vital and dynamic discourse rather than use them as mere incantations.

]]> By: Jody http://www.inkblurt.com/2009/01/02/nussbaum-rants-on-the-death-of-innovation/comment-page-1/#comment-55101 Jody Sun, 04 Jan 2009 19:39:53 +0000 http://www.inkblurt.com/2009/01/02/nussbaum-rants-on-the-death-of-innovation/#comment-55101 Fuck yea! Fuck yea!

]]> By: Kel Smith http://www.inkblurt.com/2009/01/02/nussbaum-rants-on-the-death-of-innovation/comment-page-1/#comment-55061 Kel Smith Sat, 03 Jan 2009 03:32:53 +0000 http://www.inkblurt.com/2009/01/02/nussbaum-rants-on-the-death-of-innovation/#comment-55061 Well - I don't know if I agree or not, but I'm definitely using the term "tassel-loafered Pygmalion" in a conversation when the first opportunity presents itself. Well – I don’t know if I agree or not, but I’m definitely using the term “tassel-loafered Pygmalion” in a conversation when the first opportunity presents itself.

]]> By: Steve Portigal http://www.inkblurt.com/2009/01/02/nussbaum-rants-on-the-death-of-innovation/comment-page-1/#comment-55059 Steve Portigal Sat, 03 Jan 2009 00:18:13 +0000 http://www.inkblurt.com/2009/01/02/nussbaum-rants-on-the-death-of-innovation/#comment-55059 "I’m convinced there will always be a minority who “get it.” And a majority who take whatever “it” is and turn it into a hollow, dry husk of what “it” could be." Damn. Brilliant, tragic, true. “I’m convinced there will always be a minority who “get it.” And a majority who take whatever “it” is and turn it into a hollow, dry husk of what “it” could be.”

Damn. Brilliant, tragic, true.

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