Inventors are people who invent things. They create new andunique processes or products, or improve upon existing ones to make something
new and unique. The things that they create are known as inventions.
An invention might be as a one-off: for example, some peopleinvent (or improve upon) just one single process or product in their
lifetime. However, many others are orhave been serial inventors. They come up with lots of different ideas, some of
which have changed the world.
Examples of inventors
There are many examples of inventors throughout history, andmany were very much serial inventors:
Thomas Edison is best known for inventing the light bulb.However, he actually held over 1,000 US patents, and established the world’s
first industrial research laboratory.
Barnes Wallis invented the ‘bouncing bomb’, used in the‘Dambusters’ raid against the Ruhr dams during World War Two. However, he also
designed a geodetic airframe for airships, which was used in several World War
Two airplanes, including the Wellington bomber, and was instrumental in
designing several other types of bomb.
Leonardo da Vinci is perhaps one of the world’s best knownserial inventors. His ideas were eclectic and ranged widely from flying
machines through to solar power generators and calculators.
On the face of it, these men had little in common excepttheir status as inventors. However, it seems likely that they also shared some
common traits and skills that enabled them to succeed.
Skills for Inventors
There is no ‘one size fits all’ when it comes to inventors.
Inventors may be employed, like Barnes Wallis. However, theymay also be developing their ideas in their own time, a bit like Leonardo da
Vinci. A successful inventor of this kind might then sell their idea to a
business, or go on to become an entrepreneur, by setting up their own business
to market their own invention.
Different types of inventors may need slightly differentskills—but there is a common core that they will all share.
1. Innovation Skills
Perhaps the first and most obvious area for inventors is tobe able to innovate.
Innovation was defined by Rosabeth Kanter as:
“The process of bringing any new, problem-solving idea intouse… Innovation is the generation, acceptance and implementation of new ideas,
processes, products or services.”
It therefore includes both generating new ideas to solveproblems, and turning them into practical solutions. There are several
different types of innovation, including basic research, sustaining innovation
(also often known as incremental innovation because it tends to happen by
improving on existing products or processes), and disruptive innovation (when
new competitors join existing marketplaces and do things differently).
All these need both ideas that provide practical solutionsto problems. The art of innovation lies in correctly defining the problem, and
then finding a new way to solve it.
There is, after all, no point in reinventing the wheel. Aninventor therefore needs to find a problem that is currently unsolved, and then
identify a solution.
2. Creative Thinking Skills
Creative thinking is the art of looking at situations in newways, and therefore being able to identify new solutions.
Some people think creatively quite naturally: their brainssimply work that way. However, many people need to use creative thinking
techniques such as brainstorming or lateral thinking techniques to help engage
the more creative side of their brain. It may take a while, but with practice,
most people can develop these skills. They can then start to find new and more
creative solutions to problems—or even realise that there may not be a problem
at all!
3. Resilience
Inventors need to have a reasonable amount of resilience:that quality of ‘bounce-back-ability’ that will enable them to keep going
despite setbacks.
Inventing is not always easy or straightforward, and ittakes time. There are likely to be many hurdles, from difficulties in
developing your idea, through to problems persuading other people of its
merits.
Case study: The Dyson Story
James Dyson, the inventor of the world’s first baglessvacuum cleaner has gone down in history for his sheer resilience.
Dyson first started work on his vacuum cleaner in 1978. Ittook him five years, and over 5,000 prototypes, before he had a suitable model.
However, the need for resilience doesn’t stop there. Dyson could not find a
manufacturer for his product, because of its potential impact on sales of bags
for vacuum cleaners. He ended up setting up his own company to manufacture his
product.
He commented once:
“I've always thought that schoolchildren should be marked bythe number of failures they've had. The child who tries strange things and
experiences lots of failures to get there is probably more creative.”
4. Communication Skills
Communication skills are a vital set of skills for mostpeople, including inventors.
Inventors need to be able to communicate orally and inwriting for many purposes. In particular, they must be able to explain their
ideas clearly and succinctly to other people.
One particular area where communication skills may behelpful is in ‘pitching’ your invention to potential investors. In this
process, you have to present your idea to investors in such a way that they are
convinced by your case, and agree to invest. This therefore requires both good
communication skills, and strong persuasion and influencing skills.
From Inventor to Entrepreneur: Developing a Business
Inventors may choose to take their invention to the nextlevel themselves, by becoming an entrepreneur and setting up their own
business.
If so, they will need to consider how they want to developtheir idea (and our page on developing a business idea may be helpful). In
particular, they may wish to think about whether they licence their idea (for
example, by taking out a patent), or use it themselves (perhaps keeping it as a
‘trade secret’).
Support with patent applications
If you are considering taking out a patent, it is a goodidea to talk to an experienced registered patent attorney. They can advise on
the best way to manage the process—and indeed, whether it is necessary or
advisable.
There are also other companies that can provide supportthrough the patent application process, such as InventHelp patent services.
Successful entrepreneurs also have a wide range of skills,which are included in our page on Entrepreneurial Skills.
A Final Thought
James Dyson may have made the journey from inventor toentrepreneur to billionaire captain of industry. However, many other inventors
have no wish to make that journey. They are happy to simply continue
inventing—and that’s absolutely fine.
