Author Archives: Bruce Vojak

Breakthrough innovators are well‐described as mathematically chaotic individuals. We now turn our attention to the heart of the matter at hand, the “know how” of breakthrough innovation.  By exploring the essential characteristics of breakthrough innovation, as well as the informal, … Continue reading →

Breakthrough innovators are curious and have a great capacity for absorbing, retaining and recalling factual information. With the present essay, we further explore and develop the “know what” aspects of our simple model of innovation.  First, I use the knowledge spectrum … Continue reading →

While academic researchers are characterized by their depth of insight in one field of study and dilettantes by their shallow breadth across many, industrial innovators often are anecdotally described as “π-shaped” in that they know a great deal about two distinct, … Continue reading →

Imagine the awe and wonder.  What would you experience if – having lived your entire life to this moment confined to a two-dimensional plane – in an instant you were propelled into an entirely new and other world, one in … Continue reading →

Two giants; each an exemplar philosopher – each illustrating how dialectic and the reconciliation of dichotomies provide perspective on the knowing characteristic of innovation. In this essay, I once again take an historical perspective of how breakthrough innovators come to … Continue reading →

Two giants; one the exemplar physicist, the other the exemplar poet – together providing perspective on the two dominant ways of knowing characteristic of contemporary innovation. In this essay, I once again take an historical perspective of how breakthrough innovators … Continue reading →

I’m back – with an essay that explores a big picture, historical perspective of how breakthrough innovators know what to do today in order to have significant future impact. I encourage you to download this essay without charge directly via the University of Illinois’ … Continue reading →

From the ‘wisdom literature of innovation’, in this essay I present a brief – yet hopefully insightful and humorous – digression reflecting on our engagement with innovation. I encourage you to download this essay without charge directly via the University of … Continue reading →

Paradigms, by their very nature, impose constraints on and help to define innovation. In this essay, I violate my one topic per essay paradigm; instead, I share three mini-reflections: On decisiveness and flexibility; In defense of memorization;and Architecting for innovation. … Continue reading →

By reflecting on the differences between incremental and breakthrough innovation, we can gain clarity about each. In this essay, I explore insights from Thomas Kuhn’s 1962 transformational work on the progression of science, “The Structures of Scientific Revolutions,” and apply … Continue reading →

By grasping what it means to ‘know a fact’, we can gain clarity about what constitutes a good, innovative idea for us to pursue.  We also can gain insight into the limitations – or, stated more positively, the range of … Continue reading →

The English language is unfortunately limited when we seek to express ourselves regarding the concepts of knowledge and knowing.  There isn’t just one type of knowing; we know variously.  We know facts, we know how to do things, we know … Continue reading →

In this post, I present a composite of the insight and humor shared by some of the many readers of the most recent essay, “Of feral cats and pet cats.”  As you will find, they explored the metaphor broadly, to its limits, as … Continue reading →

In a light-hearted turn, I use this essay to discuss how observations of the activity and roaming of cats reveal insights into breakthrough innovators.  The traits of curiosity, motivation and perseverance are nicely illustrated with this analogy. I encourage you to download this … Continue reading →

In this essay, the last installment of “The Magic Eyes® of innovation” series, I argue that the Magic Eyes® metaphor suggests that breakthrough innovation is an intimate, dance-like interaction with an underlying reality.  This view carries with it significant implications … Continue reading →

Do the best breakthrough innovators impose their will or discover a hidden reality?  In this essay, I argue that the Magic Eyes® metaphor suggests that breakthrough innovation is the discovery of an underlying reality; this view carries with it significant implications … Continue reading →

The most successful innovators often are appropriately oblivious to just those tools that enable their creation of breakthrough innovation.  In this essay, I use 3D glasses to illustrate how tools and instruments of all types mediate between the innovator and … Continue reading →

A powerful memory can either facilitate or impede breakthrough innovation.  In this essay I use the metaphor of viewing of Magic Eye® images to illustrate the important and complementary natures of memory and making connections in breakthrough innovation. I encourage … Continue reading →

With fifteen examples, in this essay I carefully unpack the breadth and depth of the powerful illustration that captures much of what Serial Innovators (SIs) expressed as they spoke of coming to visualize breakthrough innovation, the act of viewing Magic … Continue reading →

In this essay, I present a powerful illustration that captures much of what Serial Innovators (SIs) expressed as they spoke of coming to visualize breakthrough innovation, the act of viewing Magic Eye® images. I encourage you to download this essay without … Continue reading →

Breaking briefly from my original schedule in order to address a more time-sensitive topic, in this essay I respond to the May 23rd Wall Street Journal article entitled, “You Call That Innovation?” that raises important and provocative questions about what innovation really is.  Is … Continue reading →

In this second essay, entitled “The prevailing model of innovation,” I provide an initial reflection on the unarticulated assumptions regarding “how we know” that are carried with the prevailing view of innovation.  At the risk of oversimplification, the Fuzzy Front … Continue reading →

The kind of breakthrough innovation required for firms to survive and thrive is elusive. In response, I am launching a series of brief, occasional essays addressed to senior executives, managers and technologists responsible for innovation in industry.  Its purpose is to challenge … Continue reading →