Iterative Design

What vacuums, airplanes, and flowers can teach us about failing fast

You might recognize the name James Dyson, from his eponymous invention, the Dyson vacuum cleaner. What you might not know is Dyson's journey to creating the revolutionary Dyson vacuum cleaner is a quintessential example of the "fail fast" philosophy leading to success. Dyson was born on May 2, 1947, in Cromer, Norfolk, England. He was educated at Gresham's School, an independent boarding school, before going on to study at the Byam Shaw School of Art and later at the Royal College of Art in London, where he shifted his focus from art to engineering. Initially interested in furniture design, he soon moved into the field of engineering, which led to his groundbreaking work in developing the cyclonic separation technology used in his vacuum cleaners. 

James Dyson’s path to fame began with personal frustration: the traditional vacuum cleaner he owned kept losing suction as its bag filled with dust. This inconvenience sparked an idea after he visited a local sawmill and observed how a cyclone tower removed dust particles from the air using centrifugal force. Inspired, Dyson set out to apply this principle to household vacuum cleaners. The process was daunting and prolonged, spanning approximately 15 years and involving 5,127 prototypes. Each failed prototype provided Dyson with valuable insights, guiding him toward incremental improvements in his design.

Dyson's persistence paid off when he finally developed the first bagless vacuum cleaner using cyclonic separation technology. This breakthrough not only solved the problem of diminishing performance but also revolutionized the vacuum cleaner market by introducing a more efficient and sustainable alternative to the traditional bagged design. Dyson's story underscores the power of embracing failures as stepping stones to innovation, demonstrating that sometimes, a long series of attempts is necessary to achieve a truly disruptive breakthrough.

Modern entrepreneurs, inventors, and product leaders can take a lesson from James Dyson’s iterative development process, particularly his embrace of failing fast as a strategic approach. Dyson's development of the cyclonic vacuum cleaner, through thousands of prototypes, exemplifies the value of rapid prototyping and testing. This method allows for quick learning from failures, each providing critical insights that refine the product's design and functionality. For today's product managers, adopting Dyson’s methodology could mean fostering a culture where failure is seen not as a setback, but as a vital step towards innovation. This approach emphasizes the importance of Discovery in product management—testing a wide array of ideas swiftly to discard what doesn’t work and evolve what does. By encouraging teams to iterate quickly and learn from each trial, product managers can drive their projects forward more efficiently, reducing time to market and increasing the potential for delivering truly innovative products.

The story of a human powered airplane is another lesson from history on the importance of iterative design and failing fast. In 1959, Henry Kremer, a noted British industrialist with a keen interest in aviation, launched an ambitious challenge that captured the imagination of engineers and adventurers alike. He offered a substantial cash prize to anyone who could successfully design and pilot a human-powered aircraft. This challenge stemmed from Kremer's desire to push the boundaries of human and engineering potential, and it would stand unmet for nearly two decades.

Dr. Paul MacCready, an American aeronautical engineer, became intrigued by this challenge. MacCready was not just any engineer; he was a visionary in the field of aerodynamics, known for his unorthodox approach to problem-solving. Prior to taking on the Kremer challenge, he had already distinguished himself in the field of gliding, earning accolades and setting records. His interest in the challenge was piqued not just by the prize, but by the sheer impossibility that seemed to have thwarted so many others before him.

Unlike previous contestants who adhered to a more traditional, slow-moving development cycle – typically spending up to a year preparing each prototype for a single test flight – MacCready introduced a novel, iterative process. He developed the Gossamer Condor, an aircraft that embodied the principles of lightweight design and simplicity. This allowed for rapid adjustments; the aircraft could be flown, evaluated, and modified in a matter of hours, not months. This agile approach to testing and development was revolutionary at the time and contrasted sharply with the lengthy cycles common in aerospace projects, which often prioritized extensive planning and meticulous, risk-averse testing over rapid experimentation.

Dr. MacCready's philosophy, "Find a faster way to fail, recover, and try again," was central to his approach. He recognized that each failure provided invaluable insights that could lead to successive improvements. This method was a stark departure from the norm, where the cost of failure was often deemed too high to embrace such rapid iteration.

The result of MacCready's innovative approach was the successful flight of the Gossamer Condor in 1977. This achievement not only won him the Kremer prize but also demonstrated the effectiveness of embracing quick iterations and learning from each cycle of failure and adaptation. MacCready's success with the Gossamer Condor not only marked a milestone in aviation but also served as a case study for modern engineering practices, highlighting the value of agility and adaptiveness in design and problem-solving. His work laid foundational principles that are increasingly relevant in today's fast-paced, innovation-driven industries.

I’m not a florist and I’m not even particularly fond of flowers but let me continue this discussion about the importance of trying multiple ideas quickly with a metaphor about flower arrangements. What I have noticed is that when I attend an event with centerpieces that have been professionally designed, they more often than not include many different varieties of flowers. This diversity not only brings multiple colors and textures into play but also balances the arrangement, allowing each flower to contribute its unique beauty without overwhelming the others. The combination creates a dynamic and compelling display that can adapt to more settings, appeal to a broader range of preferences, and mitigates the risks of one type of flower not performing well in that setting. 

This principle of variety and balance in floral arrangements can be effectively applied to the strategy of product development and innovation within businesses. Rather than focusing all efforts and resources on developing and perfecting a single big idea over multiple quarters, companies benefit more from experimenting with a multitude of smaller ideas. This approach reduces risk in several critical ways.

First, by diversifying the innovation portfolio, companies aren't putting all their eggs in one basket. Much like a florist wouldn't depend solely on the availability and condition of one type of flower, a business mitigates the danger of a single failure devastating its prospects. Each small idea acts like a different type of flower in an arrangement – some may not flourish, but others will thrive, ensuring the overall health of the company's innovative output remains robust.

Second, experimenting with multiple ideas allows for faster feedback loops and learning opportunities. In floral design, a florist quickly learns which flowers work best depending on the season, the occasion, and customer preferences. If one type of flower loses its petals quickly, it isn’t a big deal when it is amongst a number of other types of flowers. Similarly, companies can rapidly iterate based on customer feedback, market changes, and technological advancements. This iterative process, much like adjusting a floral arrangement to better suit its environment, enables businesses to adapt and evolve much more efficiently than if they were locked into a single, lengthy development cycle.

Just as a mixed-flower centerpiece provides a more versatile and resilient focal point for a table, a diversified approach to innovation creates a more dynamic and sustainable strategy for businesses. It allows for greater flexibility, faster adaptation, and potentially more significant breakthroughs, reducing the inherent risks of relying on a single, large-scale idea that may fail to adapt to rapidly changing market conditions.

Through the stories of a human powered airplane, a vacuum, and a mixed-flower centerpiece, we can find lessons about the value of iterative design and embracing a diversity of ideas. Each of these underscores the importance of allowing for quick failures and learning from them. This approach is not only about reducing risk but also about maximizing opportunities for innovation and success. By encouraging a culture of rapid experimentation and valuing a broad portfolio of ideas, companies can remain agile and responsive in a rapidly changing world. If your product teams have not adopted a fail-fast, iterative approach to product development, it may be time to consider how this methodology could transform their processes and outcomes. Integrating these principles can lead to a more dynamic environment where innovation is not just a goal, but an ongoing practice. This could fundamentally shift how they perceive and manage risks, turning potential failures into stepping stones towards greater achievements. In the end, adopting such a strategy could very well be the catalyst that propels your teams towards more profound discoveries and sustainable success.