The World's Best Book Summaries
How does capitalism impact innovation? What does history tell us about the drivers of innovation? In Where Good Ideas Come From, Steven Johnson contends that good ideas and novel innovations are largely the result of social collaboration. He argues that capitalist competition can get in the way of this productive cooperation. Continue reading to understand Johnson’s view of the connection between capitalism and innovation.
At what point does market disruption go too far? How should you time the second generation of your product? When should your focus shift to profit? At Apple, Tony Fadell built several generations of the iPod and the iPhone. Now he shares his advice about product evolution in his book Build: An Unorthodox Guide to Making Things Worth Making. Keep reading to learn how to release and subsequently evolve a product.
How has technology evolved over time? When did businesses start focusing on user-friendliness? User-friendly design has been around longer than you think. According to User Friendly by Cliff Kuang and Robert Fabricant, ergonomic design first began in the 1920s and became popular during World War II. Below we will take a look at the evolution of design over the years.
Why do most innovation projects fail? More importantly, what can you do to keep your own innovations from succumbing to the same fate? In Ten Types of Innovation, Larry Keeley, cofounder of the Doblin Innovation Firm, and his Doblin colleagues Ryan Pikkel, Brian Quinn, and Helen Walters answer these questions. Based on their experience coaching companies through innovation projects, they argue that the answer lies at least partly in knowing how to classify innovations. They observe that there are ten fundamental types of innovation. Read below for a brief overview of Ten Types of Innovation.
What do you do when the party you entered into a contract with refuses to perform their end of the bargain? Do you know your rights and options with a breach of contract? Contracts are a vital component of all business dealings. When individuals and companies come to an agreement, a contract is a way to formalize the terms of what was agreed upon. Then both parties can move forward, relying on the other to follow through with their contractual obligations. Keep reading to understand what you can do if someone violates the terms of the contract, including how a
How should technology make life easier? What do you need to do to understand users’ needs? When you’re creating any type of product dealing with technology, the first thing you need to consider is how it’ll make life easier for the user. In User Friendly, Cliff Kuang and Robert Fabricant explain in detail how this is made possible using user-friendly design. Continue reading to learn more about how you should create a product centered around a user’s needs.
What are the secrets to being successful in your career? How do you build a world-changing product-based business? Entrepreneur Tony Fadell answers these questions and more in Build: An Unorthodox Guide to Making Things Worth Making. The book is part career encyclopedia and part memoir, detailing Fadell’s journey building the iPhone and starting Nest, a smart home device company. Keep reading for an overview of this interesting and instructive book.
How can leaders be more innovative at work? How does mania improve innovative thinking? Leadership and innovation go hand-in-hand, but an unexpected factor in this connection is mania. The mental illness promotes creative thinking, supporting new ideas, and solving complex problems that may go unnoticed. Here’s more on why A First-Rate Madness by Nassir Ghaemi believes mania enhances your ability to be an innovative leader.
How long does it take to find the right investors? How do you maintain personal well-being when leading a business? Why should you memorialize business catastrophes? No matter how well your launches go, you’ll likely face challenges in your business. Serial entrepreneur Tony Fadell recommends strategies for three common business problems: a lack of funds, a lack of work-life balance, and catastrophes. Continue reading to learn how to navigate these challenges and come through as a stronger leader with a stronger business.
What are the main issues with technology today? What does the future of design look like? Cliff Kuang and Robert Fabricant’s book User Friendly contends that technology has become inhumane and addictive. The authors provide two main recommendations to achieve a future vision of a user-friendly world: Streamline many of the gadgets in people’s lives and design technologies that adhere to users’ values. Keep reading to learn what the future of design should look like to enhance people’s lives.