Theory and Practice of Innovation

 

Themes

1- Innovating to address needs

2- Information overload as an innovation driver

3- Science Fiction as a source of innovation inspiration

 

Overview - Theme 1: Information overload as an innovation driver

New technologies are developed in response to needs. Some of these are foundational needs, some are specific, practical needs. Some meet a need we didn't know we had until the solution arrived. Some appeal to a sense of inspiration or entitlement, rather than survival. Some begin as unnecessary but welcomed additions, and become necessities very quickly, often because the culture has evolved to embraced them. Cell phones were not a necessity, until everyone had them. Very quickly, having a cell phone became the responsible thing to do.

 

And sometimes we create technology that addresses a broad, systemic need, with a narrative arc that can only be seen in retrospect over a broad sweep of time.

 

This is the case with this week's topic. We look at new technologies as a response to a problem we created for ourselves over the past few decades: information overload. When I was in high school during the 1960's, research entailed going to the library and hoping no one had checked out the volume of the encyclopedia I needed. Fast forward to today. A Google search for an average topic, like "global warming," yields 35 million hits in less than a second. Most searchers tend to follow the first few references, read a bit, and consider themselves informed.

 

In fact, beyond physical and emotional survival, we have a new survival: not drowning in information. Many of the technologies we create are in some way trying to throw us a life preserver. The question is how are they doing so, and what new service, technology, or approach to living a digital lifestyle could you come up with to address this foundational issue?

 

Activity 1: Watch 5 Trends that Bend

Watch my presentation called 5 Trends that Bend (aka MegaMakeovers), about five technological trends that are changing everything: big data, augmented reality, the semantic web, extreme BYOD and transmedia storytelling. These are not the only five, just the five addressed in this talk.

 

Each of the five trends addresses information overload in a unique way. The question is how does each do so?

 

Moodle discussion question 1

In what way do each of the trends address information overload? How are other innovations addressing information overload? What might you develop to address info overwhelment?

 

Overview - Theme 2: Science Fiction innovations as a response to modern living

Some years ago I wrote a column called Mining Movies. I would watch a science fiction movie, focus on a technology that did not exist yet, and speculate about how that technology might be used in education if it were to exist one day. Yes, I got paid to watch movies (but not very much).

 

I recommend you watch sci-fi movies for the innovation they can inspire. The reality is that sci-fi "movicians" give us glimpses of our future. Here are two sources of reflection on this topic:

 

• Mining Movies, examples of my column

• We're Living in a Sci-Fi World (USA Today, August 9-11, 2013, pgs 1-2)

 

Moodle discussion question 2

Think of any technology you saw in a sci-fi movie and ask yourself the question: Does this respond to information overload in some way? If not, what issue/need/creative inspiration does it address? How about Princess Laia's hologram delivering a message in Star Wars? How about the kinesthetic screens from Minority Report? How about the DNA tagging from Blade Runner?