When less equals more

When less equals more

 

Apollo 13 and Garages - unlikely links but they demonstrate a powerful key to successful problem solving.

It's amazing what human ingenuity can do when truly concentrated. Apollo 13 is perhaps the ultimate example of how life saving creativity flourishes when subjected to time and resource constraints.

How do you bring three men safely back from the far side of the moon using dying batteries, carbon granules, old socks and gaffer tape?

And you can't get much more constrained than having a garage as your entire corporate structure, but as Bill Hewlett said of his work with Dave Packard, "Here we were with $500 trying whatever we might be able to do".

The birthplace of Silicon Valley

In 20 years of ideation and facilitating workshops in 15 countries, I've learned that restricting inputs to only the key elements, keeping pressure on time, encouraging competitiveness, (and trying to eliminate death by PowerPoint) are vital workshop rules.

Add an understanding of creativity, an analysis of how small teams interact, a dash of theatre and a sense of humor.....and get ready to solve problems.

New product development with R&D, Brand Stretch with Marketing, Retailer growth with Sales and Customer, or COGS reduction with everyone.