Eternal Values, Modern Innovations
In the heart of Scotland, a man named James Watt had a brainwave as he traipsed across Glasgow Green. It was 1765, and what Watt saw in that moment transformed the world – or so the story goes. You see, Watt didn't just come up with a neat idea for a steam engine, he envisioned an entirely changed bargain between man and machinery.
Watt's genius was in thinking of adding a separate condenser to the steam engine. By insulating the engine's main cylinder, he ensured the engine ran hot – a drastic improvement over the humongous and inefficient steam engines existing at the time. But, as MIT Professor David Mindell, engineer and historian, explains, Watt scored a major win with more than just a lone epiphany.
"You think Watt just had this magical moment where he finally figured it out," says Mindell. "But it took him twenty years of grueling work, feeding a family, and facing numerous setbacks to make his vision a reality."
Watt partnered with entrepreneur Matthew Boulton to bring his invention to the masses in 1775. The partnership proved fruitful, and over time, Watt's steam engine would power the powerhouses of the Industrial Revolution – textile mills, railways, you name it.
Mindell argues this tale of steam power is the perfect example of what's called "process innovation." It isn't just about inventing a cool new thing, but refining and optimizing existing processes to push the envelope of what's possible.
Today, process innovation remains relevant as ever. Most technology-driven growth comes from a series of tweaks and improvements, like the slow but constant evolution of Watt's steam engine. Mindell tackles the nuts and bolts of process innovation in his upcoming book, "The New Lunar Society: An Enlightenment Guide to the Next Industrial Revolution," set for release on February 24 by MIT Press. As a professor of aeronautics and astronautics and the Dibner Professor of the History of Engineering and Manufacturing at MIT, Mindell's been thinking deep on innovation, co-founding the Work of the Future initiative in the process.
In short, if you thought Watt's steam engine was a one-hit wonder, think again. The full story of the steam engine is the story of humanity's unrelenting march towards progress, inch by inch, tweak by tweak. That's the power of process innovation, beautifully tied up in a steam-filled machine.
- James Watt's steam engine, despite being a single invention, evolved over twenty years due to persistent refinement and optimization, a testament to the concept of process innovation.
- Watt's partnership with entrepreneur Matthew Boulton in 1775 was instrumental in bringing his steam engine innovation to society, powering the powerhouses of the Industrial Revolution.
- MIT Professor David Mindell, an engineer and historian, argues that Watt's steam engine serves as a prime example of process innovation, a critical component in driving technology-driven growth.
- Mindell, a professor of aeronautics and astronautics and the Dibner Professor of the History of Engineering and Manufacturing at MIT, explores the essence of process innovation in his upcoming book, "The New Lunar Society: An Enlightenment Guide to the Next Industrial Revolution," set for release on February 24 by MIT Press.
