enhancement and innovation. Enhancement means to take some existing product or service and make it better. Innovation provides a completely new way of doing something, or a completely new thing to do, something that was not possible before.

Now add the necessity to cater to the many wants—whims, opinions, and biases—of the people who actually purchase products, and the task becomes a major challenge.

cognition interprets and understands the world around you, while emotions allow you to make quick decisions about it.

design things that must accommodate both creative thinking and focus.

too much anxiety produces a phenomenon known as “tunnel vision,” where the people become so focused they may fail to see otherwise obvious alternatives.

Americans tend to want to excel as individuals, whereas Japanese wish to be good members of their groups and for others to be satisfied with their contributions.

psychologist Alice Isen and her colleagues have shown that being happy broadens the thought processes and facilitates creative thinking.

usability (or lack thereof), aesthetics, and practicality.

One cannot evaluate an innovation by asking potential customers for their views.