CLI Guest Speaker Reflection (BUS2-130 sec 10)
On Wednesday, April 9th, guest speaker Gary Richman came to a CLI session sharing his experiences with product innovation. To the class, he gave a personal anecdote where he and engineers at Excel developed a touchscreen notebook. At the time, the idea was very much disregarded by industry professionals and even by Steve Jobs, who saw no use for the touchscreen on a notebook. With his team, Richman conducted a trial run with a demo without Excel’s knowledge or consent. He then recorded user reactions, capturing their delight on camera, with a majority agreeing they would like to at least have the option of a touchscreen on their laptop. The video was shown to Excel’s higher-ups, who decided to greenlight the idea.
I think Gary Richman’s story is a fascinating one that showcases resilience and perseverance, It also teaches the lesson of trusting in your own ideas even when faced with criticism.