FFE: Dean Kamen
Dean Kamen (click for larger image)
Dean Kamen, President Deka Research and Development and developer of the Segway™ Human Transporter and founder of FIRST
Kamen professed to know little about innovation but finally defined it as “The art of concealing your sources,” which he said he borrowed from Pablo Picasso who said, “Good artists borrow. Great artists steal.” This led into an after-dinner romp through a memorable metaphor, 6 Rude Realities and 2 Slightly Serious Suggestions.
Memorable metaphor – Kamen showed a picture of a “south-pointing chariot” invented a thousand years ago by the Chinese. The intricate technology is a very early example of a computing machine and was used to keep people from getting lost while crossing the Gobi desert. In Kamen’s mind this does not qualify as an innovation, however, because it was never commercialized … primarily because there was a much simpler invention – a compass – that did the job much better and cheaper. Now, during design sessions at Kamen’s company, someone will always ask: “Is it a south-pointing chariot,” as a reminder to think about other, simpler ways to accomplish the same task.
Read more about:
Rude Realities
Slightly Serious Suggestions
Kamen Sound Bites
The Why, When, How and Who of Innovation
FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology)
Rude Realities: (you really do need the explanation and stories that go with these, but you may get a sense of Kamen’s irreverence.)
1. Technology does not guarantee innovation.
2. Risk, failure and unpredictability are unavoidable.
3. We spend more time solving our solutions than solving our problems.
4. It’s not what we don’t know that limits innovation … it’s what we do know that just ain’t so.
5. Innovation is not a spectator sport.
6. To err is human, unfortunately it’s not company policy.
Suggestions:
1. “If you’re going through hell, keep going.” Winston Churchill; “If we knew what it was we were doing, it wouldn’t be research, would it?” Albert Einstein
2. Make sure you fall behind your schedule early … the sooner you fall behind, the more time you have to catch up.
Kamen sound bites:
“Expertise is the intrinsic enemy of innovation.”
“What’s the opposite of innovation? Management. Management is about making things come out the same. Projects require management. Innovation requires leadership. You can’t manage people, creativity or ideas. You can give them leadership, however.”
“The most valuable thing we as innovators should be creating is innovators.”
“Between the idea and the reality, falls the shadow.” T. S. Eliot
The Why, When, How and Who of Innovation
Why – fundamental characteristic of human beings. We create. Innovation, properly developed, can develop new industries.
When – It wasn’t raining when Noah started building the ark. The stone age didn’t end because they ran out of stone.
How – Do not define success as a lack of failure.
Who – Optimists – airplanes. Pessimists – parachutes. Everybody.
Kamen made an impassioned plea for people to get involved in FIRST, the foundation he created to instill a love of science and technology in high school kids. FIRST inspires in young people, their schools and communities an appreciation of science and technology, and of how mastering these can enrich the lives of all through a series of robot creating events.
Corporate America provides economic and professional support to FIRST. Many Fortune 500 companies have significantly helped FIRST grow and are committed to its continued progress. Government organizations such as NASA are key partners in this worthwhile cause. FIRST represents a cooperative team effort by students, teachers, communities, corporations, and our government.
My Bus Man teacher pure loves u
Posted by: John Anderson | October 26, 2004 at 05:30 AM