Big Ideas, Ideal Job, and other Holy Grails

Alumni Leadership Talk at IIT Chennai, Oct, 2012

Recipe for Big Ideas, Ideal
Jobs, and other Holy Grails

Viswanath Poosala (vishy)

Head of Bell Labs – India

viswanath.poosala@alcatel-lucent.com| twitter: vishyp

Blog: http://vishypoosala.blogspot.com
All Rights Reserved © Alcatel-Lucent 2006, #####

I can’t believe I’m standing on

this side of CLT!

Seriesly

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11
21
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312 2 11

Innovation = New & Useful


Bell Labs Innovations that changed the World

31,000+ patents, 2+ U.S. patents granted each workday

1876 1939 1947 1954 1958 1962 1969
The Telephone 1st Digital The Transistor The Solar Cell The Laser The Telstar Satellite Unix
Computer

1988 1989 1995 1996 1997 1997 1997
Digital Cellular HDTV Data Mining & SCAPEL Electron World’s Smallest 2nd Gen ATM High-res Map
Visualization Beam Lithography Transistor Switching of Dark Matter
Chips

N M 2003
E2E Network
Antennas2 AntennasSecurity Reference
Architecture
Foundation of new
ITU X.805
1998 1998 1998 1999 2000 2002 specification
Wide Bandwidth 100% Plastic Allwave™ All Optical 3.28Tbps BLAST (MIMO)
Optical Amp Transistor Bandwidth Capacity Router Transmission Hi- Capacity RF


Can we engineer Innovation?

“it’s in the genes” “it can be put in a manual”


A recipe for innovations: from mind to market

Problem

Solution

Prototype

Try it out

Try it out on
more people


Problem

Don’t have to look too far for problems and opportunities


Problem

Get Real about WHOSE problem you are solving (ideally yourself!)

KNOW who your customer is (name, address, face,
issues)

Create use cases. Very detailed. With names of
real people against it.

Talk to them. Again and Again.


Random Slide


Solution

Where do new ideas come from?

Wait for that spark

Or

Make them happen


Solution

We hardly think about thinking

Critical thinking: Is it TRUE?

Creative thinking: What else is possible?!


Solution

A recipe for thinking up new ideas

Study

1. Study: Gather available information
from IN and OUT
Create
2. Create: Propose an idea

3. Build Up: Focus on how well it works
Build Up
4. Critique: Focus on whether it will
work
Critique
5. Refine: Address the problems

6. Decide
Refine

Decide


Solution

Lateral thinking tricks for generating new ideas

Suggest the outrageous
 No one buys books anymore

Ask the opposite / Break the Cliche

 Shopping  What if the shop pays the
buyers?

Pick an unrelated (even random!) word

 Kangaroo on Campus


Solution

Thinking dynamics: Jumping is faster than walking

Logical push Side track
 This is so. Hence this follows.

Creative Pull
 This COULD be so. If we make that
Main track
jump, then what?

Direct
Roundabout


Random Slide: Let’s think outside the basket


Prototype

Roadmap: Keep it simple.


Prototype

A-B-Cs of Product Roadmapping

•A: Can’t drive the car
without it

•B: Would consider paying
for that A/C

•C: Will take it if it’s free


The Ideal Career
1. pays me the most

2. my parents and advisors want me to take

3. uses my skills best

4. lets me do what I love doing the most

Engineering one’s way to success

Write your goals down

Road ahead
 What do you want to achieve? (Think BIG)

 Write your goals down (Think SPECIFIC)

 How do you get there? (Think like an ENGINEER)

 What is the First step you can take – TODAY (Act
like an ENGINEER)

Key Takeaways
1. Build up before Tear down

2. 3 tricks for disruptive ideas

3. Leave some time for silence

4. Write your goals down

5. Do what YOU LOVE the most

Don’t let your past achievements
limit your future

I still can’t believe I’m standing on

this side of CLT!

Thank You!

poosala@alcatel-lucent.com

Twitter: vishyp

vishypoosala.blogspot.com

Bell Labs India

Innovating for Emerging Markets
and Beyond


Bell Labs India
Innovating for Emerging Markets and the World

2004
Launched in Computing Sciences
User & NW Analytics, Privacy &
Located in Bangalore Security, Mobile banking,
World-class talent with MS and PhDs Content Delivery, HCI

Networking Research
RAN Virtualization, Carrier
Cloud, Green networks,
Our Mission Whitespace networking, Low-cost
•Create disruptive innovations connectivity
that impact the lives of millions
of people in emerging markets
and beyond Alcatel-Lucent Ventures
Kaveri Mobile Smart Loading

•27 | Bell Labs India All Rights Reserved © Alcatel-Lucent 2006, #####

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