Imagination is sparked by unexpected information. If you want to stimulate fresh thinking, seek out surprises. Here’s the inside scoop on the origins of an innovation at Mattel, which highlights the importance of welcoming an unexpected direction.

One of my all-time favorite origin stories is a case study in innovation: a collision between boredom, R&D, ineffective technology and a frustrated choirboy.

The origin story of Netflix is a case study in innovation. Marc Randolph and Reed Hastings were uniquely positioned to take advantage of a market shift because they had a habit of exploring.

The origin story of Taco Bell’s acclaimed Doritos Loco Taco illuminates one simple principle: most folks’ job is to find flaws in new ideas! Sometimes the best way through is around…

When Thomas Edison invented the phonograph, it was nothing more than an absent-minded, off-handed comment during an after-hours diversion. Turns out, that’s how many insights are discovered.

It’s hard to overstate the value of a good old fashioned obsession. Apathy is the enemy of creativity. Obsession fuels innovation. Here’s a great story of obsession at Netflix.

Most organizations’s first consideration of a novel concept is its technical specifications: can we build it? The most important question is not technical, but human. A better question is, “Should we build it?…”

The origin story of Netflix is a case study in innovation. Marc Randolph and Reed Hastings were uniquely positioned to take advantage of a market shift because they had a habit of exploring.

One of the most surprising things about discovery is how easily overlooked some breakthroughs are. When Thomas Edison invented the phonograph, it was nothing more than an absent-minded, off-handed comment during an after-hours diversion.

One of my favorite origin stories: unbeknownst to me, an unlikely collision of my two worlds resulted in a product which has impacted my life almost every single day for the last 11 years…