Demanding Demand (The Creativity Explorer. Episode 164)

Hi,

The first telephone booths in Zagreb were installed in 1889, 8 years after the first telephone. But they were only installed in train stations, hospitals and post offices.

It was not until the 1930’s that free-standing telephone booths were installed in the streets. And in their first year of operation, almost half a million calls were made from them.

When a new technology comes in, we seem to quickly think of “how” it should be used – (Telephone booths should be at train stations and hospitals) – and then we think we have figured out the new tech. But we often miss the other opportunities that are out there. Turns out there was a huge demand for telephone booths all over town…

What tech do you think we have “figured out” only to, in a few years’ time, suddenly realise that the big potential for this tech was somewhere else? Would love to hear your thoughts – post a comment on LinkedIn.

(I learned about the Zagreb telephone booth story at their Nikola Tesla Technical Museum, that I visited last week before delivering my speech at LEAP. As someone who is into creativity and innovation, I could not miss a tour to a Tesla Technical Museum. 😉

Fredrik Haren – The Creativity Explorer