The “obvious” solution often isn’t, until it is.
by David Larson – Elysian Member
A few years ago, I filed for a patent, confident in the novelty and potential impact of my invention. However, the patent office initially rejected my application, deeming my invention “not novel.” They were right, in a way. Once you saw my solution, it was easy and obvious. I had made a slight modification to a technology that had been around for over a century. Despite its simplicity, no one had thought to do what I recommended in all that time. Several “experts” even told me that what I hoped to accomplish was “impossible.” Simply put, it had not occurred to them to do the remarkably simple thing I outlined. Once shown, the solution was obvious. These same experts would then dismiss the solution with words like, “Well yeah, obviously you could do it THAT way.” Eventually, I was granted two utility patents for it.
The Overlooked Brilliance in Business
I’ve had similar experiences in business meetings where problems are discussed. People will toss around ideas until someone proclaims the “obvious” solution. Often, the person who presented the solution will not be praised or given proper credit. Why should they? The solution is obvious.
This, I think, is where some brilliance is overlooked. It is often difficult to take an idea and, please excuse the expression, “dumb it down.” One must tailor the communication to the target audience. Do I use an analogy? Maybe this group is persuaded by an appeal to authority? Maybe they need to feel an emotional connection to the solution. Perhaps there is only one person that needs to be convinced and the rest will follow, et cetera.
Recognizing the Brilliance in Simplicity
How is one to tell the obvious from the brilliantly obvious? If you tell yourself, “Of course that’s true, but I had not thought of it before,” then it’s probably brilliance at work.
For those of you who do this invaluable work, I salute you.
Asides on Patent Filing and Audience Understanding
Aside 1: Knowing Your Audience
In the story I gave above, I did not judge my audience correctly. It would have been easy to obscure the solution with overly complex technical jargon, which the patent office appreciates.
Aside 2: Tips for Patent Seekers
If you want to be granted a patent, having been involved in many, I can tell you how to get one very easily: if you don’t care too much about what it is about.
Conclusion
The journey from idea to obvious solution is often paved with the brilliance of simplicity. Recognizing and valuing this process is crucial in innovation and problem-solving. Remember, the obvious solution might be the one that’s been overlooked all along.