Engineering Innovatrion Starts With Seeing Analogies

A very good article in the Wall Street Journal this morning by John Pallack - See The Analogies, Change The World.  This is a key message for engineering - many of history's most important breakthroughs were made by seeing parallels - how a plane is like a bike.  Key points from the article:

• The "analogy" is a fundamental way of thinking.
• The world of innovation is all about parallels and connections - which is also the world of the analogy.
• Always question conventional analogies.
• Think in terms of multiple analogies.  This could be why the polymath engineer is better at innovation and creativity.
• Excel at looking at diverse sources when moving down the analogy path.
• I think engineers must have the ability to simplify a world of based on complexity - the world of analogies is a key ingredient in this process.  Steve Jobs had the great line - "Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication."