Greetings!

Jon has been notified that he must report for his international Sales assignment in Siberia. Fortunately, someone has just told him that 1/8" (or less) of insulation will keep him feeling perfectly comfortable despite -50 degrees F and even lower temperatures. Should Jon believe him? After all, his life will depend upon this being true...

Curious to learn more? Read on, dear friends...

Greetings!

During a recent meeting with a prospective customer (a residential home building products company) we presented our patented, thermally radiant coating technology as two different conceptual product executions. Their responses to each of them yielded a terrific insight.

Curious to learn more? Read on, dear friends...

Credit: Gary Larson

Build Bigger, Better Ideas...Now!

Greetings!

I have a confession to make: in my business, I've kissed a frog. And unlike the Katy Perry song, I really didn't like it. Unfortunately, frogs are an occupational risk in my business. Perhaps they are a risk in your job as well. If so, I have learned some practical ways to help minimize possible frog osculation. Hopefully, I can spare you as well.

Curious to learn more? Read on, dear friends...

How to Avoid Kissing Frogs

Greetings!

Just as one should bring proper tools to successfully tackle a home improvement project, new product teams should leverage technology translation via a skilled translator to help them build winning new product concepts. You say that you don't know what technology translation is...?

Then read on, dear friends...

Your Team Needs a Translator

Greetings!

As with individuals making housing decisions regarding whether to rent or build/buy, corporations now must decide whether to invest in internal technology development or pursue external technology licensing or acquisition instead. Decisions, decisions...

Curious to learn more? Read on, dear friends...

Technology: Rent or Buy?

Greetings!

A couple of weeks ago, I described how technology translation can be applied to help identify new, unexpected and superior solutions to challenges that would otherwise be approached through more conventional means. An extension of this thinking is to explore a technology's ancillary benefits to expand its applicability and utility beyond its targeted purpose.

Curious to learn more? Read on, dear friends...

Photo Credit: Lynn Goldsmith

Still Lost in (Technology) Translation?

Greetings!

Intelligent detail gathering and synthesis can require substantial time and concentration investment and won't always yield revelations. But if we consistently do our homework, our chances are good that we'll be rewarded for our diligence.

Curious to learn more? Read on, dear friends...

Details, Assumptions and Sweat...

"The devil is in the details, but so is salvation"

Hyman G. Rickover

Greetings!

Design thinking practitioners tackle new product development challenges by imagining a superior customer experience, versus simply seeking to improve existing products. Is this how your team currently approaches its new product development challenges?

Curious to learn more? Read on, dear friends...

Imagine the Experience, Then Design The Product

Greetings!

Participants in group ideation sessions share their ideas, but rarely the insights that inspired them. That's a shame as these could serve as springboards for even more attractive business opportunities than the ones that are shared.

Curious to learn more? Read on, dear friends...

Underwear as Idea Inspiration?

The smarter we work, the luckier we get.

Greetings!

Roman philosopher Seneca once said, "Luck is what happens when preparedness meets opportunity." O.K., I'll accept that. However, since opportunity doesn't routinely come looking for me, I like to go out and make my own luck. How about you?

Curious to learn more? Read on, dear friends...

"Do You Feel Lucky?"