Why The NPD Process Works | Mike Rainone, Manufacturing.net

If you don't know, "NPD" in this terrific article means "new product development.

Rainone begins the article noting:

At the root of what we do is how we think. The spark of insight that produces a successful product does not come from a group, but from an individual mind. No matter how rich the environment or how big, smart, or motivated the group, it is the single mind that connects the dots. Understanding how that mind is nurtured by the process can help make your NPD path easier.

Later, he writes:

It has been said, “The harder I work, the luckier I get.” Innovation comes from an individual mind that is best nurtured by a group, immersed in an information-rich environment, and focused on solving a problem. The singularity of discovery, or ah-ha moment, comes when one mind connects the dots, makes the leap, and sees what no one else sees. It can seem like a random, accidental flash, and we often call it serendipitous, luck, or brilliance. I wonder how much serendipity is like luck – the more we prepare, nurture, immerse, support, and stimulate it, the more serendipity we get. We call this process “enhanced serendipity,” and I am convinced that if you do this right it’s not really serendipitous at all, it becomes certainty.