The Secret of Invention: "Crystallization" of the Idea
This is the sixth article in the series The Secret of Invention, published in the popular Bulgarian magazine Young Designer in 1984. In it, I have examined an important phase in the process of invention - the moment immediately after the emergence of the new idea.
"Crystallization" of the Idea
The first signs of a nascent new idea are usually too vague. At this point, you want to pounce on the idea, to fully realize it, subjecting it to rigorous logical thinking. The result of this is deplorable - you deprive the idea of the opportunity to grow in a random and original way, you cut it off from its natural environment.
What should we do in order not to "kill" the new idea in its infancy?
First, let's try to keep it in our head for a while longer. Only when we feel that it has matured enough can we transfer it from the mental screen to a piece of paper or express it in words. But this should also be done carefully. Outline the idea (verbally or in writing) as broadly as possible. Pencil, soft eraser and paper - these are the most suitable tools for the purpose. Remember well: it is sketched casually, not drawn with a ruler and compass, so that you will not regret the effort when you have to erase repeatedly. Now it is important to answer the question: is the device operational? Only when we are satisfied that the answer is positive can we move on to detailed design development involving technical drawing, calculations, etc.
At this point, you are dying to experiment with the new device. Attention! There is also danger here. Prematurely dressing the idea in a construction freezes it in a state that is perhaps only an intermediate stage in its development. Therefore, it is desirable to initially make a very elementary model (mock-up) with the means at hand. If the invention is a mechanical construction, soft and plastic materials are suitable (soft wire, tinol, plasticine, styrofoam, and also details from children's constructors), and the electronic circuit is good to "stick" quickly (even carelessly) on a breadboard. Such models are quickly and easily modified, without regretting any of the numerous options. If, instead of plasticine, you had prepared the mechanical model by a milling machine, and the electronic one on a beautiful printed circuit board from foiled textolite, you would hardly have been able to afford further changes to these finished and perfect at first glance constructions.
After the idea has fully matured and you are deeply convinced of its rightness, you can share it with someone. But with whom? The moment of sharing is interesting from a psychological point of view in that the one who shares his own idea is at a disadvantage compared to his interlocutor. (In a similar situation is a young poet who is about to read his poems for the first time in front of someone he knows.) And if he turns out to be a well-educated but tactless specialist, as happens most often, you are in for a derisive attitude, taunts or at best a condescending pat on the back. After all, this is completely natural. You have dared to enter his domain, nay, you claim to have invented a more perfect device than any known to him. Therefore, run away from such "critics" of new ideas! Otherwise, you risk getting an ice shower that will cool your creative enthusiasm for a long time.
In this sense, it is desirable to share your idea with non-specialists in the given field. They will not subject it to destructive criticism because they do not have excessive self-confidence. At the expense of this, however, they can express interesting thoughts and considerations for its further development and application. Even just saying the idea, asking the right question can enrich it with new interesting thoughts.
At this stage, you may experience another disappointment - the possibility that your solution was previously reached by other inventors, ie. as some would say ironically, you have reinvented the bicycle. There is nothing wrong with this. The fact that the invention has already been made does not diminish your credit as an inventor, if, of course, you did not know about it and independently came to the same decision. What is more, you can even be happy that your idea is useful and applicable. The effort spent was not in vain, and sooner or later you will make a real invention.
(to be continued)
Eng. Cyril Mechkov
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