I was struck by how dated the list had become in only a few years:
> camera -- not needed; I have the iPhone
> film -- what is that?!
> extra camera battery -- nope
> clean SIM card for camera -- won't come near capacity on the phone
> MapQuest directions to hotel -- GPS included on phone
> look up locations/directions/hours of favorite stores and attractions in advance -- ask Siri instead!
> alarm clock -- got it covered with the Clock app
> road map from AAA -- not necessary
> calculator for money conversion if out of the country -- there's an app for that too
> boarding pass -- electronic version on phone
> weather forecast -- up to the minute radar available with a swipe
> Sudoku book for plane -- electronic version loaded
As I looked at the list, I also realized that what was included on the iPhone wasn't necessarily brand new; instead it combined in an easy-to-use way things that already existed. Maybe you can't come up with the next invention that sells 318 million units*, but can you add value to your organization (and glee to your customers) by re-packaging things that currently are disparate? Can everything you need for college enrollment be all in one place (preferably on a user-friendly app that is available 24/7)? Is it possible to integrate all the decisions you need to make in building a home into one device or app? Could you pull together all the tourist information needed by city/by age/by luxury level for the major cities instead of asking your colleague for insider advice?
Marcel Proust wrote: "The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes." How can your eyes re-imagine new ways to pull things together?
-- beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com
@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com
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