I took another look at my dog-eared copy of  Tom Kelly’s The Art of Innovation after I posted Kathy Sierra’s take on his newest book earlier today.  One passage I came across that I highlighted when I first read it was this one, which resonates with me even more now than it did before:

Whether it’s art, science, technology, or business, inspiration often comes from being close to the action.  That’s part of why geography, even in the Internet age, counts.  And why so many high-tech companies have emerged from Silicon Valley — and not Connecticut or even New York.  New ideas come from seeing, smelling, hearing — being there.

This sensory immersion is why people still fly to other parts of the country for face-to-face meetings with clients, customers, and colleagues, even in the information age; why phone or videoconferencing often doesn’t do it.  It’s also why people still go to museums, to be inspired in the presence of original artwork, though a digital image may be easily available on their home computer screen.

Asking questions of people who were there, who should know, often isn’t enough.  It doesn’t matter how smart they are, how well they know the product or the opportunities.  It doesn’t matter how many astute questions you ask.  If you are not in the jungle, you're not going to know the tiger.

Come to BlawgThink.  Join us in the jungle.