Phenomenon of Si El

In his Rules for success, Steve Jobs said: «Look for opportunities for a big breakthrough.»

One of possible ways for such searching may be the following:

1. Analyze big breakthroughs that already happened,

2. Discover natural rules and patterns that are common to them,

3. Apply these rules to a specific problem in the light of modern conditions.

Here is how it might be in practice:

John D. Rockefeller first realized that doing business in oil processing is more profitable than its extraction. As a result, he became the richest man in the history of civilization.

Bill Gates was the first to realize that developing business is less profitable in the manufacture of computers rather than software development for them. And he became the richest man of his time too.

Do not you think that Gates knew and did (almost a hundred years later) the same as Rockefeller, only in relation to the conditions of his time?

In 1913, Henry Ford invented an assembly line (conveyor) for car manufacturing. It was one of the biggest breakthroughs in the business history.

This idea was not very new. In particular, they used similar line in Chicago slaughterhouses earlier. Moreover, in 1776, Adam Smith described the prototype of the conveyor on the example of a pin factory. Over 137 years before Ford Adam Smith showed that if a process was divided into several separate operations and if separate workers performed each operation, the efficiency of labor might raise greatly.

Formally, Ford applied the well-known idea for the new conditions of the arising Industrial Age. But what he had done changed the face of the modern world greatly. So Henry Ford was named for the best businessperson of the 20th century.

If the idea of the conveyor applied to the new conditions of the Industrial Times, was so successful, let us try to apply it to the new conditions of our arising Information Age (just like Bill Gates applied the John D. Rockefeller's approach).

At first glance, the idea of the conveyor is used widely now. Indeed, when they create a new product, at first marketings examine the preferences of the market, then the designers are work out a new model, then workers produce a novelty etc.

Let us concider a good example showing that this approach may falter, and therefore it need quality improvement.

It is surprising but people have invented television, computer, A-bomb, and even flew to the Moon earlier than somebody guessed to add rollers (wheels) to ordinary suitcase.

This case suggests that the suitcases 'manufacturers, designers, etc. did not see the obvious market opportunity for a long time, and their customers could not meet the very urgent need - not to carry the luggage, but just roll it.

Please note the following features:

1) The problem that was solved by the improvement, existed for a very long time, but no one noticed it;

2) Technical capabilities for realizing the improvement also existed for a long time;

3) This improvement was realized by adding of relatively cheap and simple element to already existing and well-rnown product;

4) The simple element had a different (compared to the original product) functionality;

5) The initial product's design has been changed slightly;

6) Method how to use the product has been changed considerably, becoming markedly more simple and convenient.

Let us call a special kind of improvement that meets the six (the seventh one will be pointed below) features by a new term «Si El» (short for «Simple Element»). In the other words, Si El - this is what makes a person think, «Wow, how easy it is! Why no one had done it earlier? «

History shows that people have been making Si El improvements since ancient times.

Here are some concrte examples:

- Adding a sharpened stick to stone led to the creation of a stone ax - one of the first tools that make us human.

- By adding tin to copper, the people got the bronze. Bronze knives, swords, axes, etc., were sharper and stronger than copper ones. This invention has been so important in the development of civilization, that whole era was called the «Bronze Age».

- After sailing vessels were applied with a keel, they were able to sail against the wind (as tack did). This invention helped Columbus todiscover America, and Magellan - to make the first trip around the world.

- They added ear holders to a pince-nez and got modern eyeglasses.

- They added laces to shoes amd made them more convenient for people with different forms of feet.

- They added watchband to a pocket watch and got modern wristwatch.

- They added a filter to cigarettes and got more popular product.

- Adding teflon coating to usual pan gave us a unique kitchen utensils, which are easier to clean, and in which food can be cooked without oil.

They added a detector of REM and other person's sleep phases to ordinary alarm clock and got novelty that can wake a peson up in the best physiologic moment for waking. Such alarm clock helps a person to sleep less than usually but wake up easy in the morning and feel good during all day (see my invention No. 1471171 SU).

Now SleepCycle mobile application, based on this idea, has become a huge success with a # 1 paid app position in many countries, including Germany, Japan and Russia.

Please note - all the examples have mentioned above Si El features.

Experience shows that the Si El goods become not only successful. They capture the entire potential market for a very long time (this is the seventh feature of the Si El).

For example, people have been using modern wristwatches and eyelasses almost one hundred years. Another striking example: they added a spike to a fishing hook (in order fish not to jump off it). This construction remains unchanged for several thousand years.

As you can see, from time immemorial, people have been using the method of Si El all the time, but before they did it intuitively, by accident.

Now, designers create thousands of new products, but only a very small part of them meets the features of Si El.

In our Information Age requirements for the conveyor is changed.

Each product has two components, two components - material and immaterial ones. Just there are two kinds of deterioration of the goods - physical and spiritual ones. During the Industrial Age, material component was decisive. In our Information Age, intellectual component become increasingly important.

Unfortunately, nowadays, many people continue to look at ideas from yesterday's position. They think: «Bare idea has no value» or «I have more than enough ideas myself» etc.

Yes, the «bare idea» can not be used directly like a finished product. Ideas have a different destination. Figuratively speaking, ideas are seeds of which can grow crops, but not ready sandwich.

However, what will grow depends on what kind of seed were sown. No one can grow apple tree from the seeds of cucumber.

Just like this, what you get in the market depends directly on what seeds were sown initially.

In the 17th century, they gave a fortune for one bulb of Semper Augustus tulip in the Netherlands. Now the Netherlands is the undisputed leader in tulips market. This example clearly shows how «seeds» are important.

The concept of Si El allows adapting the idea of the conveyor to the conditions of our Information Age. Now we shoud focus on creating intellectual components, not on material one (as it was before).

Any search becomes much easier if you know the features of what you are looking for (and if you know, it exists).

If you know that the phenomenon of Si El exists, and that almost any product may be improved so that novelty meets mentioned above features of the Si El, then your search will be focused and purposeful.

If you initially focus and concentrate only on the search for Si El improvements, you will not be satisfied by any other solutions. You will keep looking up until you reach the desired result. Yes, it will require more time and money (this is an indicator that your effords are moved from physical component to intellectual one). As a result, more and more Si El goods and services will appear on the market.

Gradually they will become as widespread as Ford's cars became a common commodity in the early 20th century.

The process of creating of a new product or service will be divided (as before) into a number of separate operations. A new additional operation will be added - the operation of the development of Si El.

This operation may be divided into several sub-operations, each of which will be served by individuals with complementary skills and abilities. New professions «Si El Developer», «Si El Promoter», etc. will be in good demand.

Now they conduct surveys of consumers hoping to find ideas for new products. Surely, suitcases 'producers and designers interviewed their customers many times. Nevertheless, they did not find any idea to add wheels to suitcases. It is not a coincidence. Even Henry Ford said: «If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.»

The concept of Si El changes the approach to the creation of breakthrough products: instead of the consumer survey, you should look for a way to add a simple element to an existing product. The novelty must correspond to the seven Si El features.

Let me conclude with another two Steve Jobs 'Rules:

- «Create your future, not simply outperform your competitors».

- «If there is a more advanced technology, use it, not paying attention to the fact that no one has yet started to use it.»