Iteration: What an opportunity
January 10th, 2009
I have the privilege of sitting on the Scientific Advisory Boards of 3 Orthopaedic device companies, and as recently as this morning in NYC, at the Hospital for Joint Diseases, witnessed the critical value of the scientific method. Product development requires testing and feedback, and the by-product of "iteration" is invariably a better mousetrap.
After 4 hours this morning, at a debriefing session, all part of the process of improving an offering before commercial launch, someone mentioned how nice it would be if the delay and inefficiency of "Iteration" could be avoided.Think about it--huge cell phones of a decade ago, sony walkman's before the tiny Ipod, TV's from your youth compared to flatscreens------why could'nt we leap to where we are now in one fell swoop?
Well--it just does'nt work that way. Progress requires Iteration--success...failure...experi-
mentation...improvement.
Any efficiencies extracted from obviating the necessity of Iteration would be gained at the expense of "knowlege,growth, and learning"-----all part of the development process.
With respect to Surgical expertise etc, it's been said that "good judgement comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgement." Indeed, years of hard work and a never-ending pursuit of excellence are critical ingredients to success. The wisdom of experience--"Chie"---(see a previous blog)is something gained through Iteration.
Let's hope that such a process never ends!!
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