The Art of Invention: The Creative Process of Discovery and Design

Thelowlypaperclipattractslittleattentioninourworldofadvancedgadgetsandincreasinglysophisticatedtechnology.Buttothisveteraninventoranddesignengineer,itisaprimeexampleofthequalitiesthatoftencharacterizeagreatinvention—simplicity,elegance,androbustness—anditprovidedalastingsolutiontoacommonproblem.Inthisentertainingandinsightfulexplorationoftheprocessofinvention,theauthorshowswhythesesamethreequalitiesareessentialnotonlytothesuccessofsimpledevices,butequallytocomplexinventionsfromcomputerchipstonuclearpowerplants.Whetheryou’reanaspiringinventororanexperienceddesigner,theauthor'sexpertise,personalexamples,andcasestudiesofferdetailedguidanceonconceptualizingyourideasandturningthemintoreality.Theauthorbeginsbyexploringtheessentialaspectsofcreativethinking,fromidentifyingaproblemorneed,whichisoftenhiddeninplainsight,tofindinganinspiredsolution.Heshowshowideascancomefromavarietyofsourcessuchasthenaturalworld,basicphysicalprinciples,lifeexperience,orevenchanceobservations.Heexamineshowintuitionandtheharnessingofsubconsciousinformationarekeyingredientsfortheinventiveprocess.Next,hefocusesonthethreefundamentalthemesofsimplicity,elegance,androbustness.Hevividlyandpersuasivelyillustratesthroughmanyexampleshowgreatinventionsembodythesecrucialcharacteristics.Theauthorconcludeswithanin-depthlookatthebusinessofinventionandthetypicalinventor'stoolkit.Headdressesthereal-worldchallengesofturningagoodideaintoapractical,marketableapplication,includingpatents,marketing,andentrepreneurship.Heiscandidabouttherealitiesofhardworkandtheneedtolearnfromtheinevitablemistakesalongtheway.Fullofinsightsandpracticalguidancefromasuccessfulinventorandentrepreneur,Thisbookwillopennewavenuesofcreativityforbuddingandaccomplishedinventorsalike.