Unlocking Global Innovation: Learning from Nasscom's Product Conclave

The flight was not delayed and I landed at 3:30 AM at BIAL. Immigration-Bags-and a cab later, I was in the apartment by 5:00 AM. So the plan was to get to Nasscom's Product Conclave to get a better sense of innovation on the ground with Indian product companies and customer experiences and needs. This promised to be a good place to learn all that. After sms'ing my helpful Nasscom contact, I was soon in 'Aura' listening to Vivek Paul's story at 10:30 AM. Tried, a bit Jet-lagged, but excited on Thursday Nov 10, 2011.

I wasn't sure what to expect and had gone with an open mind. During the day I met, spoke with, and heard Nasscom members, CIOs of companies from large India conglomerates to SMEs, excited startups who think they have almost made it, optimistic startups who think they will make it, hard working and enthusiastic Nasscom volunteers, marketing services, web design services, all looking to collaborate with Product companies. The excitement was definitely there. I had to re-establish the valid axioms: 

1. Innovation was striving and healthy in India

2. Technology was not a challenge

3. Engineering deliveries were not a challenge

Conclusion: We should be on the top of the game. Good. Optimistic. In other words 'Aall izz well' ?

However folks were talking about "many a miss between the cup and the lip". 

One wondered. If talent existed, the money was coming in, the organizations delivered, then what was missing?  My experience of working in and with India with products organizations for 25 years allowed me to spot some of the gaps. Like an old fashioned doctor, I searched for the pulse to find the root cause. I discovered three.

The first: Product management in the truest sense was missing.

The second: Executing large complex projects with global impact and across large customer accounts/successes was still a challenge.

The last: Innovation management was voodoo magic.

One of the advantages of living and working in silicon valley is that not only one finds the skills and knowledge to attack these challenges, but also gets a ready-made environment along with a strong foundation.  So while the structure is still good looking and well designed, it lacks the proper foundation and environment.  This degrades the product innovation experience. 

We've found the locks and the keys. Now is the time to unlock global innovation.

Man and Machine: A love story

In the summer of 1984, I started a love affair with a machine called the Apple IIe personal computer. I had landed an internship at the Econometric Group in Delhi and they were using this machine to generate color graphics for the upcoming general elections on TV.

Little did I know then that a geek-god called Steve Jobs (along with buddy Steve Wozniak) had produced this wonderful machine. Over the years I used almost all Apple products - Mac SE (cute), the eMac, various iMacs, various Mac books, various iPods, the Apple TVs, the iPhone and all those other gizmos and great software... iTunes, iLife, iWeb, Pages, Keynote..... all are spiritually connected to the Apple IIe (and the Apple I) in the simplicity of usage. Every time I see a new Apple product, I feel the same wonder and amazement when I saw my first Apple computer 27 years ago.

Steve became a role model, a pathbreaker and has always challenged me to think beyond the possible and think different; and learn when not to let one's ego get bigger than the man, when he was ousted out from Apple. He also taught us how to build a vision and bring it to reality with when he came back to Apple. My family and I enjoyed every Pixar movie that saw the light of the day with his encouragement and involvement. We sadly watched as his health plummeted and the message that he gave out that every day could be his last, as he led Apple into being the world's largest market cap. company just 2 weeks ago on Aug 9, 2011

Today as Steve says "Unfortunately, that day has come", one is filled with sadness as one realizes what is stopping this unstoppable man. As he steps down voluntarily as CEO of Apple this time, I wonder who will start the next love affair for 22 year olds with wonderful machines that are now part of our lives.