The Power of the Concept

Artefact’s co-founder and principal, Gavin Kelly, reflects on how concepts broaden the “adjacent possible”

In his brilliant book Where Good Ideas Come From: Natural History of Innovation Steven B. Johnson talks about the “adjacent possible,” a shadow future that provides us with a map on how the present can “reinvent itself,” based on the knowledge and technologies we have today. The more you explore the adjacent possible, the more you broaden its boundaries, exponentially growing the opportunities for invention and innovation.

Perhaps the clearest example of the adjacent possible is the work of British inventor Charles Babbage and his Difference and Analytical Engines. The Analytical Engine, a concept of the world’s first programmable computer, earned Babbage the father of the computer title. But it was his Difference Engine, the world’s most advanced mechanical calculator, that created immediate innovation opportunities. Why? Because it was within the adjacent possible of the time.

That is exactly what design concepts and prototypes are. At Artefact, we invest in them to show our thinking and demonstrate a powerful creative vision. Concepts and prototypes are also a way for us to connect with partners and clients who share that vision. But each one is also an exploration of the adjacent possible that opens paths for even more new ideas, accelerating progress and turning the adjacent possible into reality.

Our Wireless Viewfinder Interchangeable Lens (WVIL) system is one of our most popular concepts. Since we released it in 2011, it has won awards, it has opened doors for partner conversations, it has received two million views on YouTube and Vimeo. Above all, it has inspired photographers and others to think outside the (camera) box.

We hope that many of our ideas, from Civic IQ to SWYP, from Meme to Medley, push the boundaries of the adjacent possible and become our Difference Engines, or as 21st Century Designers would say, engines that make a difference.