Incremental inspiration
My job as a programmer is to solve problems: customers need something that doesn’t exist yet and I have to solve problems in order to make that ‘something’ into, well, something. My success as a developer is largely dependent on how good of a problem solver I am. I have a large array of disparate tools, a goal, and the resources to build. The work, then, must be to combine all of those in an innovative fashion to produce a result that is cost effective and functional.
This singular focus at work requires dedication and time to nurture. Because of that, it tends to spill into my non-work life as well.
Every day we use tools. Some are new, most were designed a hundred years ago or more. If you take a look around you, you will see things that were designed to solve a problem someone had decades ago. And they did solve that problem. But, the solution is often only ‘good enough.’ The tool becomes popular and since it ‘works’ most people stop looking at the solution and no one bothers to improve it.
It’s this intrinsic and subconscious hunt to find a problem and solve it that drives a lot of my inspiration. It tends to happen best when I’m not even looking for it.
I spent the first week of January in Toronto. While at a breakfast restaurant, I used a syrup dispenser. It seemed normal enough: I pulled the tab button and syrup fell out onto my French Toast. It works, right? Sure, I guess. Here’s what I thought when using the dispenser:
- Every time you use a syrup dispenser you have to wipe it/wash it clean. That takes time and it’s easy for a restaurant’s image to suffer if it’s not done.
- Why does a syrup dispenser have a unique and unconventional release mechanism to spread the syrup? No other container I know of has this system. This means it is more expensive to manufacture than using something more common or simpler.
- There is a lot of waste produced when you spread syrup onto French Toast as much of the syrup ends up spilling down the side of the container.
- Isn’t there a better way to get syrup from a container to my French Toast?
Why not this?
- Press the button and the same amount of syrup comes out every time.
- The syrup comes out away from the container making the likelihood of getting sticky syrup on the container unlikely.
- These containers are common in bathrooms as soap dispensers. This means the same company that produces soap dispensers can also sell their goods with no modification to restaurant supply companies as syrup dispensers. Read: cheaper.
Inspiration doesn’t only come to people who sit in a room all alone until they magically develop an idea that will change the world. It usually comes in the form of incremental inspiration: someone asks these three questions:
- Do we need to do this at all?
- Why are we doing it this way?
- Is there a better way we could be doing it?
The answers to all three of those questions lead to inspiration.
Comments
Posted on 19th January 2012 by Natasha
Have you actually tried this new idea for a syrup dispenser? I'm intrigued, and curious to know if it works. I'd be willing to give it a try.
Posted on 23rd January 2012 by John Rockefeller
I'm so happy that this blog post has generated so much attention regarding incremental inspiration as well as syrup dispensers in general. Just before answering your question, Natasha, I will also copy a question I received from a friend which is in a similar vein:
"Neat post on the syrup dispenser. Have you tried syrup in a soap dispenser? Does it work? My only question was about the stickiness and viscosity of the syrup and wether it would tend to gum up the dispenser mechanism. It might also be a problem is the syrup hardened inside the nozzle or formed a skin. :-)"
My response is though I have not tried it personally, the goal isn't to find a solution right away, it's to incrementally make it better and never stop that process. Even if a change makes the situation worse, it's still incrementally better because you have that data to improve it in the next revision.
Compare the process Edison used to create the light bulb and many of his thoughts on the subject: http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Thomas_Edison
Regarding the viability of the syrup dispenser itself, I would think that adding a valve at the end of the spout, as is done with some mustard and ketchup containers, would prevent air from coming into contact with the syrup unless a sufficient amount of pressure is placed on the button. Preventing air from reaching the syrup will ensure that it lasts longer and will not gum up the nozzle.
Also, the spring mechanism could be constructed in a way (if not done already) that it does not come into contact with the syrup at all. I have to admit, my understanding of soap dispensers is cursory.
Best,