Flirting with ideas

The history of innovation is filled with examples of individuals adapting or improving upon existing ideas. Slawa Duldig, a sculptress in 1920s Vienna, was frustrated by the clumsiness of traditional umbrellas and decided to invent a small, foldable version that could fit into a handbag. Similarly, fighter pilot Joe Stevenson added a rear view mirror to his cockpit after drawing inspiration from his MG sports car. These examples demonstrate that innovation often arises from frustration and experimentation. Organizations can tap into user innovation by seeking out novel ideas via crowdsourcing and building communities, as well as by partnering with user innovators to scale up ideas.