Ready, set innovate

The creative process is truly an amazing thing to watch.
Actually, watching the process is a difficult thing, because you never know when “the idea” will hit you. It is always fun to listen to managers say, “we need to innovate, now go back to your office and come up with new ideas.” Forced creativity, what a concept.
Then there is Jeff Kodosky, National Instruments’ co-founder. He is the father of NI’s flagship product, LabVIEW. He and his team worked on and created every iteration of the software for the last 20 years and it is still going strong. He talked about creating a roadmap for the product way back when he started with LabVIEW 1.0. Over the past 20 years he said during his keynote at NI Week 06 in Austin, Texas, they have met and exceeded all items on the roadmap.
“We are not done with LabVIEW,” he said. “We continue to invest heavily.” Expect newer versions to be heavier into graphics.
Kodosky had a vision and he didn’t waiver, even when times were difficult. That is true innovation.
Dean Kamen understands all about the innovation process. During his keynote today at NI Week, Kamen talked about the whole innovation process.
“It is hard to figure out what innovation really is,” he said. To accomplish a project, a true innovator has to overcome obstacles, “people lose their vision, their courage and they don’t keep going.”
“It’s not what you don’t know that inhibits innovation, it’s what we do know that just ain’t so,” he said.
He then went on to add the difference between management and leadership, something he considers two entirely different things.
“Projects require management. Innovation requires leadership. Management is all about doing things right. Leadership is doing the right thing.”