Why Competing Successfully Is About A Lot More Than Just Copying The Technology
Starting off with Apple’s iPhone patents Techdirt notes this on business model innovation:
There are plenty of things that go into being able to innovate and build a successful product — and simply copying someone else’s technology is often a small part of that (and usually not a particularly good strategy). Patent protection only protects that aspect of copying (business model patents are another issue completely), but if they’re supposed to encourage innovation, and the technology is only a small part of innovation, then the incentives are mis-aligned. The market can reward innovation without needing government monopolies and protectionist policies. The trick is to continually innovate, not just in the technology, but in the quality, the service and the brand as well.
Follow up the interesting discussions, that expands into the pharma industry, IP and a diversity of innovation issues …
…and maybe innovate the design as well? Everybody more or less use the same technology today. As you are saying above, the brand is important as well. And to build a strong brand you need to differentiate by developing unique products with unique design.
Yes, you’re right, and let me add that this is also one thing that Apple really cares about, and they’ve got the people and the competencies to do it right … as it is stated on the iPods, “designed in California”.
Ideally all this merges into a brand (and user) experience that offers customer value. So design can’t be no longer focus on “prettifying things”, but has to broaden its scope, like when thinking about the design of value structures or usage patterns etc etc.
Interesting times for designers …
Thanks for your comment, and your blog which I’ll follow …