Inventology: How We Dream Up Things That Change the World

by Pagan Kennedy

Find out where great ideas come from.

A father cleans up after his toddler and imagines a cup that won't spill. An engineer watches people using walkie-talkies and has an idea. A doctor figures out how to deliver patients to the operating room before they die.

By studying inventions like these — the sippy cup, the cell phone, and an ingenious hospital bed — we can learn how people imagine their way around "impossible" problems to discover groundbreaking answers. Pagan Kennedy reports on how these enduring methods can be adapted to the twenty-first century, as millions of us deploy tools like crowdfunding, big data, and 3-D printing to find hidden opportunities.   
 
Inventology  uses the stories of inventors and surprising research to reveal the steps that produce innovation. As Kennedy argues, recent advances in technology and communication have placed us at the cusp of a golden age; it's now more possible than ever before to transform ideas into actuality.  Inventology is a must-read for designers, artists, makers—and anyone else who is curious about creativity. By identifying the steps of the invention process, Kennedy reveals the imaginative tools required to solve our most challenging problems.

Genres: Nonfiction, Science, Business, Technology, Audiobook, Design, History

270 pages, Hardcover

First published September 10, 2015

About the author

Pagan Kennedy is a regular contributor to the New York Times and author of eleven books. A biography titled Black Livingstone made the NewYork Times Notable list and earned Massachusetts Book Award honors. She also has been the recipient of a Barnes and Noble Discover Award, a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship in Fiction, and a Smithsonian Fellowship for science writing. Visit her online at www.pagankennedy.net.

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Reviews

[Andy · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I hear "things that change the world" I don't think of squirt guns.

[☼Bookish in Virginia☼]

Ever wonder who started the @name meme to show who your comment is meant for?

What about the wonderful guys who invented luggage with wheels? And why exactly didn't someone invent it waaay back in the 60's? It wasn't like people weren't traveling by air then.

These and other questions will be answered by Pagan Kennedy as she takes you into the world of inventing. Kennedy looks at inventing in a different way. Not as an analysis of serendipity or the result of genus, but rather as something even children in workhouses could do. She looks into 'who invents' and what environment are they in. What do they face everyday that keeps them so focused through the discovery process. She also goes beyond that to look at crowd sourcing and other social factors.

She personally divides the book up into 5 parts: Problem Finding / Discovery / Strategy of Prophecy and Futuristic Thinking / Connection of Ideas / and finally Empowerment.

I found this book entertaining and thrilling. It was eye-opening in the sense that it gave me a structure and words to apply to the field of 'inventology'. And it was great to get the backstories on so many creations. My very very favorite story was of the MIT teacher who works in Africa with her engineering students to create vastly important solutions to everyday problems using very low tech designs.

Find out why frustration and repeated drudgery has to do with invention is a wonderful thing.

~review copy
~5th book of 2016

[K Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an early copy of this book, and loved it! I didn't know how interested I'd be in the psychology of invention (I tend to be an impatient reader), but Pagan Kennedy has such a brisk, engaging way of telling stories that I found myself inhaling the book over a couple days. She stays away from overwrought academic theories and sticks to fun narratives (with a few helpings of history). It was fascinating to learn about the genesis of so many convenience items we take for granted -- from the sippy cup to the tennis ball picker-upper -- as well as more complex inventions, like prosthetic arms and 3-D printers. I also appreciated how the book is organized into discrete approaches to coming up with new things -- out of necessity, through serendipity, through futuristic thinking, etc. I came away thinking - hey, I could do that! (or at least my more industrious teenage kids could. Which reminds me - there's a fascinating story about a teenager developing a potential diagnostic test for pancreative cancer.) The writing is fun - and mixes the author's own perspectives and analysis and personal relationships (with inventors) with what must have been a TON of interviews. I probably shouldn't compare this with Malcolm Gladwell, who's his own brand, but I'm guessing that Gladwell fans will really like this book too.

[Philip · Rating 3 out of 5]

Inventology is, overall, a satisfying read.
It has science, but isn't dry.
It's informative without being preachy.
It has flow, but isn't frilly.
It's entertaining without being oversimplified.

Alas, it is also good, without being anything special.

Most of the takeaways from this book are pretty rudimentary. But, I found it very encouraging as an argument for deliberate creative thinking, and an example of how to systematize it and drive invention. Additionally, the cool anecdotes of how a few inventions came about are fascinating to read; and even if the book offered nothing else, it'd still be worth reading.

Furthermore, the format - shorter illustrative anecdotes leading up to a general conclusion - also allows for splitting the book up in neat little sections, makes it kind of ideal for commuter reading. Well, for that, or for piecemeal vacation reading in between naps...

[Victor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of stories made the book really interesting to read. I like how inventions and the history and causes are laid out and examined.

[Ayham · Rating 1 out of 5]

I see this book, as a collection of articles he wrote before in new york times.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author explored a wide variety of ways that people have come up with new inventions, and she focused on recent inventions. We're told about the invention of wheels suitcases to illustrate inventions that were created by people who deal with a problem on a regular basis. We're told about an MIT class that goes to 3rd world countries to immerse themselves in the problem so they can create solutions that are actually relevant. Much of the book discusses where various inventions came from and how they are developed, but it's done to illustrate the many various ways that products are invented.

The first part focused on inventions that were developed to address a need. The second part was about chance discoveries that opened up new possibilities. The third part was about looking into the future regarding possible future needs or technologies (like you'd find in sci-fi books). The fourth part was about connecting people with the answers to those with the problem, like people who are in a different field of study or that you just wouldn't expect to have the answer. The fifth part was about teaching creativity and inventing.

The book was interesting and easy to read. The author made some good points about inventing and how it's changing with access to crowd-funding, internet databases, 3D printers, etc. I'd recommend this book to anyone interested in the various ways things are discovered and invented.

I received this review copy from the publisher through Amazon Vine.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was interesting overall. I enjoyed reading about how things were invented, although that wasn't the point of the book. It was satisfying to find out that, given a large enough number of people doing the same thing over and over, the chance of an improvement being invented by one or more of these people is very high. I felt that the book was not that substantive.

[Trystyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is organized into example cases that each make a point about how inventors think about invention. I especially liked the distinction between invention (making the physical thing) and innovation (financing/businessing the thing). As the book points out these concepts aren't entirely separate, and a good invention often requires consideration of financing. I felt this point might have been a bit over emphasized with the focus coming down on simple invention over complex invention. This isn't necessarily bad, but the invention - innovation relation is quite different for simple inventions. I'd have liked more discussion of financing complex inventions (i.e. things that can't be done in one's garage), but I appreciate that the discussion was from the perspective of inventors themselves rather than from the perspective a corporate entity.

I do have one gripe with the example case of drug-design. I think the discussion misunderstands what's really inventive. The author can be forgiven for this as the misconceptions pretty wide spread even within the field, but it is a bit frustrating that a book on invention struggles to identify an industry wide failure / resistance to invent. Throwing a billion things at the wall and hoping one works isn't invention. Statistics'ing the results of a billion things thrown at the wall also isn't invention. Mechanism matters. I think if you want to talk about invention in biology it's more CAR-T, RNA vaccines, Inverse Vaccines -- not small molecule drugs.

While I thought this book could've been better, I'd love to see more books like it. If you're interested in invention I think it's worth reading.

[Marybeth · Rating 1 out of 5]

I know it's wrong to criticize a book for not doing what it never claimed to do. And I realize this book was probably intended to be a light, accessible way into the applied creative process. I was prepared to overlook the "report the press release" nature of the research (today it would be impossible not to learn that Elon Musk did not in fact invent the electric car with the slightest bit of investigation, but when this book was written I have no doubt that's what the press releases implied) because this is obviously an overview not a history book.

Then I got to the chapter about the Harrison Clocks and I was done. It's not false, exactly, but it leaves out some very key facts such as the Harrison's had their inventions taken by a competitor using the force of the British government, they only "won" the prize after their invention was in use (with almost no benefit to them) and they won a lawsuit, and so on. To read this book is to think John Harrison came out of nowhere and dazzled the world.

Like I said, I know it's unfair to hold a book like this to a high standard of accuracy but threats of imprisonment and decades of lawsuits just to get acknowledged seems a basic part of that story.

If all you want is easy-breezy inventor stories find something based on more up-to-date press releases.

[HoopoeGirl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delving into the question of how innovators invent, I found this to be super fascinating content that is very well presented. For me, one of the most interesting aspects of the book is the paradigm shift we've seen from invention genius being only the realm of well-funded corporate think tanks to the open system method of today's crowd sourced internet age. The fact that the modern tinkerer has more access to resources and tools in their garage than the elite engineers of the 1960's Bell Labs is mind-blowing.

The other take away for me was the emphasis on successful inventors having a talent for spatial-thinking abilities. I find this a rational conclusion, but one that, unless you possess an awareness of the process behind spatial reasoning, you may not understand. On that note, as a person who is always looking at the 'how' behind the 'why', I wonder if this book won't resonate as much for those who don't see the world as a set of variable permutations. I'm not an inventor, but I certainly understand their approach to creative problem solving. And this personal connection on top of such well presented subject matter grants an extra star to my rating.

[Smiley III · Rating 5 out of 5]

Helpful, about finding that little spot that pushes things forward. Pagan Kennedy, semiotician of the Generation-X set, understands -- nay, has it occur to her -- that ideas take place in space and time, and goes about traipsing about asking people where they were when things occur to them.

This space is as much cultural as anything, and bears out the author's thought since Pagan Kennedy's Living: A Handbook for Maturing Hipsters: "If we make our own fun, if we don't just let the corporations do it for us ... But you've gotta get out of the house, not just stay in with your RE/Search books and Jackie Chan posters." Living in an artistic colony myself, I know where your feet and ass land is where they occur to you.

I was fortunate enough to say hello to the author at a reading here in town (she drew me a Brannock device, from Paul Lukas's Beer Frame: Things We Notice Everyday But Take for Granted). It was a nice come round from having bought Stripping at 57th St. Books for me. Kudos! #rolandbarthes #mayaderen

[Ben Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

1-10 Takeaways:
1) Repetition leads to inspiration. Repetitious exposure to a task/thought on the cusp of "negative space" will result in inspiration.
2) Those who think that they are lucky, are more often "first users"; or, people who find inspiration when exposed to negative space. They believe that they are destined/guided to discover certain things, making them more observant. (On the "How I Built This" podcast, the entrepreneurs overwhelmingly credit their success to luck). Also, people who are curious are more likely to expose themselves to negative space, ergo more likely to be inspired.
3) Analysis of big data offers super human inspiration at the cusp of negative space.
4) Forecast markets and technologies so as to receive the right inspiration from the right negative space (easier said that done).

1-10 Questions:
1) NA

[Isaac Lambert · Rating 5 out of 5]

a really good quick read- with a clear and insightful thesis- how and why inventors invent, and how open source problem solving leads to such innovation. the source of inventions can be thought of in a variety of ways- solving ones existing problems (such as a tennis ball picking up cart), accidents and insights in how to apply them (artificial sweeter), and then almost prophetical and science fiction thinking (e.g. Da Vinci's drawings to the computer). the meta part really interested me- does LSD make people creative? and the fascinating story about Genrikh Altshuller and his 'Theory of Inventive Problem Solving', I wanted to hear more.

[Thu Nguyen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars for I like it. It's not a bad book, but while looking into the art of inventing is not a common subject, this book doesn't wow me as a breakthrough theory either.
I like it that the author focused on inventions in the last 50 years instead of going back to the beginning of the Modern era so the book doesn't read like a history book. It's half trivial stories, half highlighting world social problems. A lot about inequality and monetary obstacles that humanity is still facing when it comes to saving lives anywhere or improving life in the poorest places of the Earth.

[James Frederick · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was kind of like cotton candy. You enjoy it while you are eating it, even if there is not a lot of substance. Perhaps that is not fair to the author. There is almost too much, here, though. There are a thousand different things mentioned, but only a few of them really stand out. Once I am done, I cannot recall a lot of what I just read. It was not an unpleasant experience, though. Okay...cotton candy is WAY better. But this does not have the calories!

[Becky L Long · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read. I've seen so much misinformation about HOW good inventors get good that is nice to see a road map. If you are at all interested in making the next big thing, or maybe you thought up the next big thing, here's a good place to start to figure out the steps to take to flesh out the idea. I think teaching how to invent will be a crucial step forward that is absolutely necessary and soon.

[Shaunna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book during my search for a diverse view of innovation. This book was good with its smaller case study views of invention and design process; however, it was ultimately not the best for my needs. We chose The Runaway Species by Brandt and Eagleman because of the diverse coverage of popular culture topics and neuroscience tie-ins.

[Matt Hooper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pagan Kennedy dives into the minds of inventors in an attempt to divine how they see what others cannot. From a tennis ball hopper, to smart medical catheters, to a diabetic-friendly cookie that doesn't let you down on flavor –"Inventology" tells the stories of ordinary and extraordinary people creating something out of nothing.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read for consideration for the library's fall 2017 community program. I found it to be accessible, sometimes humorous, and very interesting. It's about what invention is, how it happens, and how inventors do it.

[Hunter · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very interesting read. I learned a ton. A lot of these inventions I never stopped to think about. I particularly liked the ones that were able to help a large amount of people around the world. It left me with many moments to share with my wife about, after reading it.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I quite liked this book. It was an informative read on the strange world of how all of us could invent.

And, it was one of my first books that I had read to me by Microsoft Natural Voices. I worked out pretty well.

[Carl · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pick this up based on the NYT review. It didn't hold up; just a bit too wide-eyed about the creative processes.

[Amelia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Inventology as a field is so important, should be required reading, esp for politicians and economics majors.

[Nona · Rating 3 out of 5]

As I listened this sounded interesting but I ran out of time and hope to pick it up later.

[Octopus · Rating 5 out of 5]

First time in forever that I read a book in only a couple days.
It's a very good book about creativity and engineering.

[Ruhm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really interesting.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author explains that out of neccesity, man has learned and invented things to make life easier and simpler. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

[Sara Goldenberg · Rating 2 out of 5]

it was not well written or that interesting. and i had such high hopes for it too

[John Senner · Rating 2 out of 5]

Seems like it should be amazing, but it is a collection of stories and generalities that don't seem to lead to anything solid.