Designing for the future: One cash maker at a time.

How does commercial viability play a pivotal role in determining which innovations make it out of the ideation phase? This story provides insight into the type of individual, who creates that particular point of relevance for emerging products and services.

It wasnt so long ago, that the idea of the Internet itself was just a scenario from science fiction. As we all know and see around us, science fiction has become fact, for so many things we now take for granted. Whether its taking pictures on your mobile phone, or chatting with the satellite office via webcam, or even paying your bills online-technological innovations have seeped into our everyday lives.

Who comes up with this stuff? Sure, its the scientists and engineers who develop the underlying technology, but what about the people who determine how users will interact with it? What will the user experience look and feel like? What functions will the product or service carry out? Why will we opt for using these innovations when were still just learning to work the remote on the VCR ?

Throughout history, there have always been people who bring probability into possibility and eventually into reality by the powers of their imaginations. "Imagination is more important than knowledge." Said Albert Einstein, and thats more relevant now, than in any other time. Today were at a crossroads in how much of a leap we can take towards the advancement of our world. Weve become a digital society simply by demystifying the power of 0s and 1s, and where we take it from here, relies solely on what we can imagine the possibilities to be. Around the corner, there are infinite more possibilities as we are on the verge of cracking the code of the essential building blocks of all that we know (nanotechnology). With each new discovery, there stem, exponentially, more possibilities to transform our world.

Unfortunately, these types of high-level idealistic optimism often die their premature deaths on college campuses, R&D archives, with living room philosophers, or worse, in the minds of some of the best inventors in the world. Because, discovery alone just does not guarantee a shift in human progress. Like it or not, Its basically all about the ka-ching!

Commerce plays the pivotal role, in determining what sticks and what gets lost in libraries. Robert Anderson of Scotland invented the first electric carriage some time between 1832-1839 (the record is uncertain), but were still fighting over control of fossil fuel economies. In the US, the cell phone providers fight over less than 5% of the prime spectrum, while the rest of the available bandwidth remains unused; and worse yet, tied up in FCC legislation. (See Forbes article: "Dead Air" by Scott Foley, 11.25.02)

This of course changes the minute we introduce a concept thats commercially viable! Introduce an idea that makes money today, and you can be 100% sure that it will be the next hot ticket must have this shopping season. X-Box anyone?

So who are the people who come up with these kinds of ideas? Who can offer solutions that can save and or make money for business? Whos qualified to bring forth the next technological revolution? Well, its not that dramatic, and its not exactly whom you might think. Artists, engineers, designers, musicians, scientists, writers, inventors and everyday people make valuable contributions daily. These innovations come in incremental, measurable achievements, and collectively amount to nothing short of amazing advances. Those (ideas) that make the cut are usually an integral part of commercial ventures. Thats where creative thinkers add value to our collective progress.

One such creative thinker is Ray Podder. Ray started out as a graphic designer by trade, but over time developed as a writer, strategist, and all-round problem-solver. He realized the value of these skills to accommodate the needs of todays business. He got his start creating commercially viable ideas during the emergence of the Internet. He was responsible for designing online products such as a demo module for bill payment for BofA, and he was hooked. Since then, Ray has designed online engines for configuring networks for AST computers. Hes designed a VOD (video-on-demand) model from the ground up for OzzTv. Produced and designed a proprietary network management softwares logic flow and GUIs (graphical user interfaces) for HiGHKU, Inc. [for use by Local Exchange Carriers (like SBC) and Service Providers (like AOL)]. And most recently, mobile applications and services for wireless, and media management initiatives. (See: http://www.memoirinc.com)

"Creative problem solving is second nature for us creative professionals. We do this stuff every time, when we help develop a brand strategy, or create an ad campaign. As always, all Im doing is focusing my energy towards what people want." says Ray. His designing for what people want has gotten startups with emerging technologies to get funding during a depressed economy, and is currently getting the attention of companies with new products and services entering the marketplace.

For guys like him, its simple. You have a technology that can do something like say, deliver secure uninterrupted data. He comes in and puts himself in the seat of the customer. What would they want to do with it? What kind of features would make it useful to them? Why would they even want it? ...And more importantly, how is it going to make the company, who has developed this technology, money? You see guys like Ray have figured out the difference between ideas that get shelved, and ideas that move us forward. "Its too bad that it ultimately comes down to money, but Id rather see an innovation see the light of day, than become a point of discussion in coffee shops" he says.

Today, Ray has a growing creative communication business called RPMdesign (http://www.rpmdesign.com), but his passion is always thinking of the next. He carries a pen and paper with him wherever he goes, because he never knows where inspiration will strike. "Today, its everywhere. Whether reading industry pubs, going to the market, or watching TV. The availability of so much information around us inevitably shows us what more we can do with it, or whats missing from it." Well, its proving to be relevant for Ray. Armed with only the power of his ideas, he is approached by technology pioneers to filmmakers, TV show producers and product designers. They come to him to take their ideas to the next level. Ideas to transform their innovations into products and services poised for adoption. Ideas that, well, make money.