Hello All-

I have been asked (many times now) how I keep coming up with ideas esp. ones that seem to fulfill a purpose that was known to all, but addressed by none and is needed in the market. Well…that prior sentence was the key. I have said it before and I’ll quote myself again- “Inventing is really about paying attention. Problems are all around us, just waiting for you to notice them and make your move.”

So… are you paying attention? “In every adversity there is opportununity” is the inventors credo and it couldn’t be more true. IF you look around you all the time, everywhere you will see problems.
Once you have identified something as a ‘problem’ you need to define the scope of the problem.
You can only do this with questions. Lots and lots of questions!

-Is this a real problem?
-Is this a real problem for more than just one person?
-Is this a repeating or isolated problem?
-Is there already an answer to this problem, but it is not being addressed?
-Is there already an answer to this problem but it is inferior?
-Is there no answer for this problem currently on the market?
-Is someone else working on the problem?
-Can an answer be invented or created?
-Can the answer to the problem be manufactured using current technologies and processes?
-Can the answer to the problem be made at a cost effective rate?
-Is there the possibility that many others would pay for the solution to the problem?
-Can the answer to the problem be protected with patents?

This is just a short list I use and after asking yourself these and many other questions, you have to ask yourself-

-Is this worth my time, trouble and money?
-Can I afford to lose any time trouble and money if I don’t succeed?

Hopefully I’ve shown or depicted that inventing is really about paying attention and asking your self (and others) hundreds of questions. Only then do you move closer to the holy grail of inventing: The Answer.

~TCOMC