“We aim to provide each child with a rugged, low-cost, low-power, connected laptop. To this end, we have designed hardware, content and software for collaborative, joyful, and self-empowered learning. With access to this type of tool, children are engaged in their own education, and learn, share, and create together. They become connected to each other, to the world and to a brighter future.”

But OLPC failed in execution. The hardware offering ended up costing $200, twice as much as what was originally promised. And for education systems that were able to purchase and distribute the laptops, there was evidently little in the way of teacher training toward incorporating the laptops into existing curricula.

Meanwhile, global mobile adoption has surpassed 95% and a slew of lower-cost alternatives are now being developed specifically for developing markets.

The thinking behind my comment was that as a novice on the topic (and I believe the target audience for the book), I feel I need concrete and detailed enough examples at each steps to guide me in implementing at a small scale what I learn from the book. Examples help with putting the ideas in practice while avoiding comm pitfalls. and mistakes

The 2 examples them selves are good at illustrating the ideas, so not need to change them.

On a side note, do you have any ideas for updated examples? Segway has been relegated to mall security and tour groups, and the Aztek only lives on thanks to Breaking Bad.

Just wanted to add my thanks too for your feedback! Precision in language will be really important here–especially as we lay the groundwork, up front–so these are both good issues to bring to our intention.

I wonder if the “purpose” question could be teased out in part by having different terms (that we try to use with more precision) that distinguish between Purpose of the Firm (reason for its existence), Purpose of the Project (why do we think we need an innovation), and for that matter, connecting to–but not bleeding into–the separate notion of Intent of the Innovation Effort (what we’re aiming at). Perhaps in part this helps address the issue raised by my colleague David Pierce about including some aspect of purpose (small p) in identifying opportunity?

Makes me think that we’re just so embedded in a culture of linear process, that we lack the words to describe how, in an iterative approach, something like purpose takes on different levels of depth/clarity/focus over the course of learning about and making something new.

Thanks for your feedback. Drawing the a firm line between innovation as outcome vs. process is a doozy of a problem, but it would certainly provide clarity.

Regarding “Purpose,” I’d love for you to share more of your thought on purpose as a starting point for the innovation process rather than part of the process itself. I initially thought it would fit under the Identifying Opportunity axis of the Innovation Equation. Understanding a firm’s purpose would create a constraint to make sure the vision is appropriate for their context, increasing the likelihood of a successful outcome.

1) Increase the distinction between innovation the outcome and innovation the process. My impression from the text is that the word innovation is used for both and that is a bit confusing.

2) Save “Purpose” for chapter “Intent 1.0″. You write that you are considering introducing how “purpose” drives an organization. To me “purpose” is more of a starting point for the process, whereas opportunity/offering describes the process itself. “Purpose” fits in chapter “Intent 1.0″. More specifically in the “What if you don’t seem to have a problem?” section in that chapter – which I really like. It helps the reader orient their current situation to the book. I think the section could even be expanded further.