How simple! Why no one had thought to do this before?

Definition: Si El is a very simple, but very effective improvement of commodity, service or technology that could be done for a long time ago (all conditions and opportunities for this have existed for a long time), but for various reasons had not been done, and after finally been done - captured the all market. All Si El have eight characteristic features (see below).

Surprisingly, but it is a fact: people invented television, computer, an atomic bomb, and even flew to the moon BEFORE they guessed to add usual small wheels to suitcase. This improvement dramatically changed the situation on the market. Just go to any airport, to make sure.

Experience shows that there is a whole class of very simple inventions (called Si El, short for Simple Element) about which you feel like saying, «Wow, how simple! And why no one had thought to do this before? »

All history, people have been creating very simple improvements like this. Though, they do it mainly by accident.

Here are just some examples of Si El, from the most ancient times to the present day:

- Addition of stick to sharpen stone led to the creation of a stone ax - one of the first tools that made us as a human.

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

- A man tamed horse in ancient times. It is known that in Babylon about 3000 years BC they had horses. However, the earliest mention of the saddles is only to the 2nd half of the first millennium BC.

Really weird, people have created more complex things (such as the Egyptian pyramids) much earlier than they thought up a simple device - a saddle that made horse riding as comfortable to humans, and in addition, protect the horse's back, distributing the load more evenly over it.

- Adding a stirrup to a saddle (IV century) allowed the rider to sit firmly on the saddle, not only pushing his feet, but maneuvering his center of gravity. Warrior was able to use the sword, heavy axes, long swords and spears to attack in any direction. Besides that, he could shoot a bow more accurately. The invention of the stirrup led to a change of tactics and strategy of war. Immediately after using this innovation the Byzantines began winning Goths (previously they suffered defeats from Goths 'cavalry)

Historians believe

that the stirrup gave a huge advantage to William the Conqueror in the battle of Hastings, which was the last decisive step of conquest of England.

- After equipping sailboats with a keel they were able to sail against wind (tacking). The invention of the keel helped Columbus to discover America, and Magellan - to make the first trip around the world.

- Chlorine was first obtained by the Swedish chemist Carl Scheele in 1774. But only in 1853, surgeon P. Karacharov proposed to add chlorine to the water to disinfect it.

According to opinion of many scientists, chlorination of water - is the biggest invention in medicine. Exactly chlorination of water, not the discovery of antibiotics, insulin, or heart transplant saved the most lives. It stopped the spread of cholera, intestinal infections, etc.

- After sailing keel equipment, they were able to swim against the wind (tacking). The invention of the keel allowed Columbus discovered America, and Magellan - to make the first trip around the world.

- Chlorine was first obtained by the Swedish chemist Carl Scheele in 1774. But only in 1853, surgeon P. Karacharov proposed to add chlorine to the water to disinfect it.

Chlorination of water is a good example that shows that the Si El applies not only to material objects (goods), but also to technology.

- Equipment shoe laces allow people with different instep to comfortably wear standard footwear. Despite it is extremely simple and cheap invention, the laces were recognized as one of the most profitable inventions of the 19th century.

- Modern glasses were invented by adding BTE arms to a pince-nez.

- The wristwatch was created by adding straps to a pocket watch.

- People use the kettle for heating water for thousands of years. But only in 1921 a whistle. was added to it.

- Adding sticks to candy has led to the emergence of Chupa Chups, which is successfully sold in 170 countries. With this improvement children were able to feast on sweets and protect their hands and clothing from sticky sweetness.

- Applying cigarettes with filter will partially reduce concentration of harmful substances in the inhaled smoke of smokers. Since the 1960s, such cigarettes dominated on the market.

- Peepholes were added to doors. Currently, practically all exterior doors are equipped with peepholes.

- REM and other sleep phases were discovered in the fifties of the last century. It was discovered that the person who is in a phase of «rapid» sleep wake harder. In addition, after such awakening one feels bad night's sleep.

Only in 1989, I proposed to add REM and other sleep phase's sensor to ordinary alarm clock. It made possible to wake people up in the most favorable time for waking. One can sleep less time during the night and wake up easier in the morning (please see the application of my invention № 1471171 on the right - I was the first who proposed to use REM and other sleep phases in alarms).

Now mobile app Sleep Cycle Alarm Clock (based on this invention) is very popular in many countries. In addition, SleepTracker.com (USA) and aXBo.com (Austria) produce such «smart» alarms too.

Analyzing these examples, you can see that all Si El improvements have the following features (characteristics or properties):

(1) The problem that was solved by this is improvement, had existed for long time BEFORE but remained unnoticed for a LONG TIME;

(2) the technical capabilities to implement this improvement also existed for a long time;

(3) this improvement was accomplished by adding a relatively cheap and simple element to an existing product;

(4) this simple element had a different (compared to the original product) functionality.

(5) the initial product design changed slightly.

(6) the way of using the product is changed considerably, becoming markedly more simple and convenient.

(7) Si El product become better and more comfortable not directly, but in a new and unexpected direction. For example, wheels did not made suitcase stronger or more capacious. Kiel did not made ship more high-speed. Straps did not watch more accurate, etc.

(8) Si El products are not just successful. They capture all the potential market for a very long time. This is especially surprising in our time when the product life cycle is getting shorter shorter. Thus, modern wrist watches and glasses people have been using for decades. A fish hook design, which added a spike, not allowing the fish to jump off it, has remained unchanged for thousands of years.

The example of the suitcase shows that manufacturers had not seen a long overdue and very promising market opportunity for a long time. However, if this happens with a suitcase, then something like this could happen to any other commodity. So, any long-known product can be turned into a unique Si El novelty. You should only add right simple element to it.

Knowledge of the properties (1) - (8) will help you to do it consciously and deliberately.

Any search becomes much easier if:

1. You know that what you are looking for, objectively exists,

2. You have some information about how it looks.

You can use the mentioned above examples rules and properties for turning your product or service into Si El.

If everything is done correctly, your customers will start talking, "Wow, how easy and how convenient! And why no one had thought to do this before?"

If you want, I'll help you. I have been working on the concept of Si El all my life and I has already created 27 such novelties. My experience will help you get the Si El quickly, reliably, and "right."

As Ross Perot said, "The scale of your success depends on how you respond to unexpected opportunities as they arise."

Shamil Sabitov.

number4 (at) yandex.ru

sh.sabitov (at) gmail.com