MESSAGE FOR WEEK BEGINNING 23rd February 2004

New Combinations

Why do buses have fixed routes? The answer is very obvious. People like to know where they are going. It would also be impossible to design a new route to satisfy all passengers. Perhaps there could be special bus stops dedicated to certain destinations. If enough people collected at such a stop then a bus would appear and take them there. For most of our thinking we are very happy to have fixed routes. This allows us to predict effects and actions. We design a way to get to our required destination by combining known routes. This is what technology is all about. Architects rarely design new windows or new arches. They use existing ideas in new combinations. There is very little opportunity, or even need, to invent everything from scratch.

Edward de Bono nmt
22nd February 2004