Edison on Innovation

"In this fascinating exploration of one of the most celebrated and innovative minds, best-selling author Alan Axelrod cuts through the myths and reverence surrounding Edison's "genius" to show how the inventor was, in fact, an ordinary man who created extraordinary work. While many of us believe that creativity, like genius, is something that just happens by chance or destiny, Edison's life demonstrates that creativity of the very highest order can indeed be summoned up at will, and even reduced to a reliable working method and set of principles." "In contrast to many creative prodigies, Edison worked by "open" methods, making his processes relatively easy to study and emulate. Using Edison's own diaries, papers, and modern studies of his work, Axelrod draws out time-tested principles that can be applied by even the least creative among us. Edison on Innovation presents 102 key lessons, including: Experiment with everything; Embrace problems; Start small, scale up; Innovate without inventing; Learn the market; Create new uses for whatever you have; Plan for spontaneity; and Make the problem the solution." "Edison on Innovation serves as a revelation to anyone who needs or wants to be creative on demand and for anyone whose business requires the continual creation of new ideas and the practical realization of the best of them."--BOOK JACKET.