Entries by Richard Walton

We Have Met The Enemy and He is Us (Walt Kelly)

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Many organizations do not recognize that they have an innovation problem. Last year I attended an industry-sponsored event that included a dinner with “thought leaders” on the subject of innovation. The event started predictably enough with statements such as, “our only problem is finding enough good people”, or “we have so many ideas, the problem […]

Oblique Strategies

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I am a big believer in Edison’s “Genius is one percent inspiration, ninety-nine percent perspiration”. At Micrex, we eschew creativity enhancement programs, inspiration tools and their ilk. Problem solving, however, is not without rules. We run trials of one kind or another almost every day. Failure is a big part of our world, and learning […]

The Theory and Practice of Good Enough

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One of my favorite and often used aphorisms is, “Perfection is the enemy of good.” Very often the essence of a promising development is obscured by added features or over-refining of an idea. This concept is usually attributed to Voltaire. Business leaders have nuanced it: Edward de Castro, one of the founders of Data General, […]

There Must Be a Pony Here Someplace …

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There are many versions of this story, which is often attributed to Ronald Reagan, but it also serves as a good metaphor for those in Product Development. There are twin boys of five or six. Mom was worried that the boys had developed extreme personalities — one was a total pessimist, the other a total […]

The One Best Way (Part 2) The Grand Strategy:

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I admire leaders who are able to create a Grand Strategy. My admiration is boundless for those who actually succeed. By definition, it is very difficult to see how you are doing on a Grand Strategy until you are well along the path toward implementation. The path is full of doubt, questioning, and also requires […]