Tinkering is all you need
When you try to create something novel in a given area, whether it is a product, process or technology, do you always know how things will unfold?
When you try to create something novel in a given area, whether it is a product, process or technology, do you always know how things will unfold? Is there always a recipe describing where to start and where to finish in creating new things? As you might guess, we do not have a definite answer in most cases. Even as we embark on a new journey with very detailed design and implementation plans, things might not turn out as we intended due to a variety of factors – including economic and technological obstacles or changes in the business landscape.
Although planning is indispensable, a different, complementary approach is needed to make planning and execution more robust. In such cases, we might draw inspiration from nature. As the saying goes, ‘nature is a tinkerer, not an inventor’. In other words, in nature, many different possibilities are tried out in parallel to come up with a workable solution. In a business context, a similar approach can be a valuable tool in cases where volatility and uncertainty are key dynamics.
Tinkering does not mean that we should try out all possible options without due consideration. Obviously, some filtering of ideas is essential, but tinkering enables an organization to try out untested or less obvious paths through small beginnings. As different options are tried out at small scale, tinkering also enables an organization to run experiments in parallel (to a certain degree). To apply tinkering effectively in different areas, we have listed some key considerations below.
- Different options, parallel run, quick evaluation. To tinker effectively, you need to approach the problem with different potential solutions which can be tried out and evaluated quickly. This might be the development of a software prototype, an Internet of Things solution, or a new FMCG product. The key takeaway is that you should be able to explore different routes quickly and efficiently to see what works and what does not.
- The power of digital. The need for speed is a key ingredient in tinkering. To achieve this rapid trial-and-error cycle, it is important to leverage digital tools. They can be utilized in design, prototyping, testing, evaluating, running repetitive processes, and managing the whole experiment. Without such accelerator solutions, it will be nearly impossible to run tinkering at scale.
- The age of AI. Tinkering can be a very valuable use case for leveraging AI techniques and capabilities. Creating a large number of solution paths, filtering them based on different criteria, designing and running experiments can all be practical areas to deploy AI. The recent developments in generative AI can also open up new pathways to implement tinkering in different areas. Designing and running parallel possibilities together with an AI co-worker can be a very different exercise to attempting it through standard methods.
- Never waste anything. Tinkering oftentimes does not give feasible solutions. As you quickly go through various different test cases in parallel, many attempts will fail as they produce unsatisfactory results for one reason or another. However, just like in nature, the remnants of these trials should be fed back into the evaluation process to come up with new paths and new methods. In other words, nothing goes to waste in nature and a similar approach can be applied to the business environment.
Though it might sound myopic, tinkering can be an important approach for certain business problems. In the same way that nature progressed for millions of years, tinkering can be used in different industries with the help of a robust digital toolset.
The views expressed in this article are the views of the author only. This article provides general information and a point of view; it should not be considered as professional advice.
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