Thanks to Sam for remembering Wired's five-year anniversary article on the creation of the iPod, which validated some of our own experiences (and thoughts) about the innovation process. One of our joking mantras throughout this process has been, "Whatever we do, it can't suck." Then we saw this gem in reference to Anthony Michael Fadell, a lead designer on the iPod:
Only after agreeing did he learn that the job was to put together an MP3 music player that would work with Apple's existing iTunes application and would not suck.
At the Ithacan conferences, we heard several times about how the creation nets process helped develop the iPod. Something important that should be pointed out is:
There is no single "father of the iPod." Development was a multitrack process, with Fadell, now on staff, in charge of the actual workings of the device, Robbin heading the software and interface team, Jonathan Ive doing the industrial design, Rubenstein overseeing the project, and Jobs himself rubbernecking as only he could. For specific tasks, Apple drew on experts working elsewhere in the company. Fadell also contracted with key outsiders, notably a San Jose company called PortalPlayer and a small firm of Apple expatriates called Pixo.
The net built by Apple wasn't just an ad hoc team thrown together, it was a targeted group of experts who were all aimed at a single, pre-established goal. Finally, those experts didn't go into the process with a goal of changing the world, only building a really good music player.
No one mentioned that this product might transform Apple and set the technology world, the business world, and especially the music industry on their heads. Because no one suspected it would.