It’s also helpful to separate function from form. When we look at an object, we tend to see its function. A barometer, we think, is for measuring pressure. A hammer is for driving in nails. A box is for storing objects. But this natural inertia toward the function also gets in the way of innovation. If we can look past the function to the form, we can discover other ways that the product, service, or technology can be used. For example, if you can view the typical barometer simply as a round object, it can also be used as a weight. If you view a box as a flat platform with sides, it can also
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