​Why engineers’ inventions fail

Or: How the secret to your success can be found in a kids’ movie

Many engineers hope that they will come up with an invention that will be the foundation of a successful business. A business that will lead to wealth and their own legacy. However, this does not happen that often. And I know engineers who have tried taking this path, but failed, despite their excellent engineering ability.
What went wrong for them?
They had a good idea. A clever idea. One that only few could come up with. But it was not something that was needed – it was not the foundation of a business.
In this article, I am going to explain the difference between a clever idea and something that is a worthy invention. And from that, the mindset you need to ensure any idea you pursue will have a much greater chance of success.
The first problem is that people can get caught up in their invention. They like it, and they assume (or hope) that others will like it too. All they need to do is explain it to everyone – then everyone will want it.
But that’s not how it works. No matter how clever the idea is, others will not care about it unless it makes their life easier.
So the question is not:
Is this a good idea?
The question to ask is:
Who and how does this help?
And then, even more importantly:
How much does it help them?
If you can’t provide a solid answer to the last two questions, then your invention is just a clever idea – not something that will be the foundation of a business.
Don’t start with the clever idea. Don’t think that if you just keep on thinking, you will eventually come up with a great idea for an invention that everyone will want.
Instead, start watching the world around you and asking:

• What are people struggling with?
• What do people keep complaining about?
• What takes too long?
• What costs too much?
• What needs too many people?
• Where are resources wasted?
• What breaks too often?
• What is done badly because everyone has simply accepted that this is the way it is done?
• What makes people worry?

With this focus, you will have a genuine issue that you can focus on.
If you have read my earlier articles, then you will note how this is similar to outcome driven innovation, as developed by Anthony Ulwick. You don’t start by asking what product you can invent. You start by understanding what people are trying to get done. Then you understand where they are struggling to get it done.
That is much more powerful.
Because then the invention has a job.
It is not just a clever thing looking for somewhere to belong.
Have you ever seen the movie Robots? It’s a good movie so check it out when you get the chance. There is a successful inventor character called Bigweld who has the phrase:
See a need, fill a need.
That saying practically summarises this whole article in one sentence.
This mindset also changes how you should think about patents. Another trap for the engineering looking to invent.
A patent can be very useful. I am not dismissing them. If you have something valuable, and someone else could copy it, then protecting it can matter.
But a patent does not create value.
And it is not evidence that you have a good idea.
I know people who have made this mistake. They had an idea. They thought it was a clever idea. They took it to an investor. The investor said that they would not consider it unless it has a patent.
So they got a patent. They spent money. A lot of money.
And then it all failed – the investor was not interested once they heard about it.
Because it did not solve a problem.
If someone asks you for a patent first, then do not consider them a suitable investor. Instead look for someone who asks:

• What problem does this solve?
• Who has this problem?
• How often do they have it?
• What does it cost them?
• What are they doing now to deal with it?
• Why is the current approach not good enough?

And then asks:

• How does your invention make that better?
• Does it save time?
• Does it save money?
• Does it save resources?
• Does it reduce risk?
• Does it remove effort?
• Does it make something easier?

That last one is probably the simplest way to think about it. Most inventions that matter make something easier in some way. Not always easier for everyone. But easier for someone who cares enough.
And that is where a business can start.
There is another useful point here. If you really do have a good idea, you should be able to get interest from people who fund ideas.
I have heard this from multiple people on the financing side of inventions. If the value is really there, funding can be found. If the idea clearly solves a valuable problem, then people with money will be interested.
Investors will not always be right, but they see a lot of ideas. They see a lot of people who are convinced they have something. They are trained, or at least experienced, in looking past the excitement and asking whether there is a commercial reason for the thing to exist.
That means their response can tell you something.
If a professional investor can quickly understand the value, that is a good sign.
If several of them cannot, that is also a sign. Either this is not going to succeed, or you have not explained how your invention saves people time, money, resources, etc.
And you need to be open to either possibility.
Do you need to refine your presentation, or, do you need to move on to another idea?
This is difficult because your invention can become personal. You have spent time on it. You have thought deeply about it. You might have imagined the business it will spawn. You might have imagined the success. You might have imagined the legacy. And you think nothing need change – the path to success is clear and obvious.
But it’s not going to be like that.
So you need to change something. Maybe the way you explain it. Maybe the whole idea.
Either way, be like Bigweld – looking for problems first -– see a need fill a need.