How Breakthroughs Happen: The Surprising Truth About How Companies Innovate

Author: Andrew Hargadon

This book, written by a single author, Andrew Hargadon, explores the concept of innovation in companies. It debunks the myth of the “lone genius” inventor and instead argues that breakthroughs stem from the creative recombination of existing knowledge and resources.

I chose this book because I have a keen interest in understanding the dynamics of innovation and how companies can foster breakthrough ideas. The book’s title and description piqued my curiosity, as it promised to reveal the “surprising truth” about how companies innovate, which seemed relevant to the design thinking concepts we’ve been discussing.

Overall, I found this book to be a thought-provoking and insightful exploration of the innovation process. Hargadon challenges the common misconception of the “lone genius” inventor and instead proposes that the most impactful breakthroughs often come from the recombination of existing ideas and technologies across different industries. This perspective aligns well with the design thinking approach, which emphasizes the importance of drawing inspiration from diverse sources and connecting apparently unrelated concepts.

Main Insights from the book:

1. The Strategy of Technology Brokering: Hargadon argues that the key to creating breakthrough innovations is not necessarily through “invention” but rather through “technology brokering” — the process of transferring ideas and solutions from one industry to another.
   Example: The author cites the example of IDEO, a design firm that has been successful in developing innovative products by drawing on solutions and technologies from various industries and recombining them in new and innovative ways.
2. The Importance of Networks for Technology Brokering: To become effective at technology brokering, Hargadon emphasizes the importance of expanding one’s networks and broadening one’s perspectives. This allows individuals and organizations to access a wider range of ideas and solutions from different domains.
   Example: The author discusses how organizations can intentionally build diverse networks, learn to think differently by interacting with people from various backgrounds, and diversify their expertise rather than specializing in a single field.
3. Implementing Technology Brokering in Your Firm: Hargadon outlines three distinct actions that organizations can take to pursue innovation through technology brokering: emulating the brokering strategy, forming internal teams that can span the organization, and actively seeking opportunities to export their technologies to other industries. Example: The author provides the case study of 3M, a company that has successfully implemented technology brokering by encouraging its employees to explore and connect ideas from diverse sources, leading to the development of groundbreaking products like the Post-it Note.

The concepts presented in this book align well with the design thinking approach, which emphasizes the importance of empathy and a willingness to explore diverse perspectives and solutions. Hargadon’s emphasis on technology brokering and the value of networks and diverse expertise reflects the design thinking principles of collaboration, user-centeredness, and the exploration of unconventional ideas.