Sorry for the delay in responding about Technology versus needs, but
classes and grading come first.
My piece has created considerable controversy, considerable agreement,
and considerable misunderstanding. Let me point out that it is
derived from my recent keynote address to the International
Association of Societies of design research in Seoul (IASDR), where it
seems to have ignited no response at all. Some tweets, and then
silence.
basically, I argue that new technologies appear on the scene and
technologists rush to build stuff out of them. Some may be motivated
by their own perceived needs, but most are motivated by curiosity. And
even those new creations that are motivated by the need of the
inventor end up fulfilling completely different need decades later
when they become accepted. "Decades later." Yup, I have yet to see a
brand new technology that took less than decades to find its home.
While it is true that Edison started selling phonographs within months
of his invention, he claimed he had invented the paperless office, and
it took decades 9and a competitor) to discover the real "need" was the
reproduction of performances by famous musicians. Edison's companies
all failed. His competitor became RCA Victrola.
One correspondent tried to say that inventions were created out of
previous inventions and cited the i{Pod. Yes, but nonsense. Of course
everything is simply an advance of the previous ("I stand on the
shoulders of giants. etc.") but to use the iPod as an example means to
miss my point. I am talking about the invention of entirely new
technologies. The iPod was simply yet another music player. MP3
players already existed. if anyone invented the category it was Sony
with its Walkman, but even this was derivative of recorded music in
general. making something portable is not the sport of breakthrough I
am talking about. Inventing the phonograph yes: making music playback
portable? No. Inventing the light bulb? Yes. (Note: By Davy in 1802,
or possibly the first incandescent bulb by de Moleyns in 1872.
Edison's better bulb was patented in 1879: that took 77 years from
concept to practicality, and even then, the usage and needs still had
to be discovered.
It is only after someone (such as Sir Davy) has introduced the concept
that others can perfect it, that some might try it out, and that
professional and amateur "design researchers" can sniff about to
discover needs.
Some day I will write up my IASDR address that covers this better. And
someday i will flesh it out even better and better. Meanwhile, I
recommend reading Arthur's new book on Technology.
Cheers.
Don
www.jnd.org
Evanston, Illinois; Palo Alto, California; Daejeon, S. Korea.
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