It feels unnecessary to link to any particular Ted Talk since so many of them are so good, but I will point out one or two of the many I’ve been watching lately while I fight off a cold from my sofa.
Malcolm Gladwell tells the story of the man who invented the spaghetti sauce flavors we have today. It’s a great lesson in how asking new questions and going back to customers can change an entire market category. And Gladwell tells the story without talking about design or innovation or anything of that sort. He looks through the eyes of one passionate individual.
I think the commitment of individuals more than anything is what makes these kinds of advances possible, more about that in a post that’s still in draft mode.