Where Good Ideas Come From

Steven Johnson's Where Good Ideas Come From is really an interesting book about the environments most conducive to the development of good ideas. In the world of Google's 20 percent time and Microsoft's Building 99, it's no surprise that Johnson proposes that ideas will nurture and grow in an open environment. What surprised me about the book was the finding that more R&D discoveries are made in the conference room than in the laboratory. I know I should have realized it, but somehow I have this idealistic views of scientists and researchers with their eyes glued to microscopes and computer screens puzzling over some unsolvable problem, when in fact a game of softball or a quick drink with coworkers could provide more inspiration than the most elaborate research lab (not to diminish the importance of data and experimentation). I apologize that my video does not nearly do the book justice.