Jean Laval Chue HimDirector| Stella Aurorae Accountants Pty LtdSydney, Nsw, Australia
If we take the example of Ali Baba, Jack Ma is attributed as the inventor/ creator of Ali Baba. But did he implement the Ali Baba system? I don't think so. He had the idea but his teams implemented it. So we should not consider an invention as purely the Implementation but rather as an illuminating idea that is/are implemented by teams of IT and tech experts.
Other examples are The Internet, GPS and Pixels. The idea germinated in a person's mind, but Teams implemented and researched them. What you guys, as PM think? Saving Changes...
Jean,
Invention is the birth of a new and novel concept. There is often much to be done before the concept is technically feasible, and more before it is practicable enough to implement.
Moving from theory to application often requires the development of significant enabling technology. The speed of light being constant was established before the satellites and computers were developed to measure time differences accurately. Pointillism allowed artists to create pictures from dots using paint long before electronics could illuminate dots on a screen. The math behind fluid flow and structural analysis software commonly used today, existed in the 1960s but was completely impractical until data storage size grew many orders of magnitude and computing algorithms became much more sophisticated.
The invention is frequently far before the implementation. The typical flow in business is that R&D generates practical concepts from scientific principles, most of which will never be used. Product development attempts advance concepts to where they are technically feasible and often invent the supporting technologies. Design engineering attempts to advance proof-of-concept prototypes to something that goes into a final product.
Keith
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1 reply by Jean Laval Chue Him
Apr 25, 2025 1:51 AM
Jean Laval Chue Him
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Hi Keith
"Product development attempts advance concepts to where they are technically feasible and often invent the supporting technologies. Design engineering attempts to advance proof-of-concept prototypes to something that goes into a final product."
That's an interesting point you are saying here, which I think is right.
PMO Leader | Speaker & Mentor | Content Leader – PMOGA Latin America
Hub| Catholic University of UruguayMontevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
Invention and implementation are two very different stages within the process of creating and implementing ideas:
Invention: It is the act of creating something new that did not exist before.
It involves creativity, originality and innovation.
It can be a product, a technique, a concept, a solution. Example: Someone invents a new methodology to manage projects based on emotional intelligence.
Implementation: It is the act of putting an idea or invention into practice.
It involves planning, execution and adaptation.
It seeks to make the idea work in the real world. Example: An organization adopts this new management methodology and applies it to its projects. In short: Invention imagines. Implementation makes reality. One without the other is incomplete: a great idea without action does not transform, and action without purpose can lose direction.
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1 reply by Jean Laval Chue Him
Apr 25, 2025 1:53 AM
Jean Laval Chue Him
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Yes, Fabian cannot agree more with your observation.
" In short: Invention imagines. Implementation makes reality. One without the other is incomplete: a great idea without action does not transform, and action without purpose can lose direction.
Saving Changes...
Jean Laval Chue HimDirector| Stella Aurorae Accountants Pty LtdSydney, Nsw, Australia
Apr 24, 2025 7:53 PM
Replying to Keith Novak
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Jean,
Invention is the birth of a new and novel concept. There is often much to be done before the concept is technically feasible, and more before it is practicable enough to implement.
Moving from theory to application often requires the development of significant enabling technology. The speed of light being constant was established before the satellites and computers were developed to measure time differences accurately. Pointillism allowed artists to create pictures from dots using paint long before electronics could illuminate dots on a screen. The math behind fluid flow and structural analysis software commonly used today, existed in the 1960s but was completely impractical until data storage size grew many orders of magnitude and computing algorithms became much more sophisticated.
The invention is frequently far before the implementation. The typical flow in business is that R&D generates practical concepts from scientific principles, most of which will never be used. Product development attempts advance concepts to where they are technically feasible and often invent the supporting technologies. Design engineering attempts to advance proof-of-concept prototypes to something that goes into a final product.
Keith
Hi Keith
"Product development attempts advance concepts to where they are technically feasible and often invent the supporting technologies. Design engineering attempts to advance proof-of-concept prototypes to something that goes into a final product."
That's an interesting point you are saying here, which I think is right. Saving Changes...
Jean Laval Chue HimDirector| Stella Aurorae Accountants Pty LtdSydney, Nsw, Australia
Apr 24, 2025 8:16 PM
Replying to Fabian Crosa
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Invention and implementation are two very different stages within the process of creating and implementing ideas:
Invention: It is the act of creating something new that did not exist before.
It involves creativity, originality and innovation.
It can be a product, a technique, a concept, a solution. Example: Someone invents a new methodology to manage projects based on emotional intelligence.
Implementation: It is the act of putting an idea or invention into practice.
It involves planning, execution and adaptation.
It seeks to make the idea work in the real world. Example: An organization adopts this new management methodology and applies it to its projects. In short: Invention imagines. Implementation makes reality. One without the other is incomplete: a great idea without action does not transform, and action without purpose can lose direction.
Yes, Fabian cannot agree more with your observation.
" In short: Invention imagines. Implementation makes reality. One without the other is incomplete: a great idea without action does not transform, and action without purpose can lose direction. Saving Changes...
I agree with Jean's latest comment: " Invention imagines. Implementation makes reality. "
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1 reply by Jean Laval Chue Him
Apr 25, 2025 9:21 AM
Jean Laval Chue Him
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Yes Yousefi I think that's why pure sciences including maths computer sciences are vital for innovations.
Saving Changes...
Jean Laval Chue HimDirector| Stella Aurorae Accountants Pty LtdSydney, Nsw, Australia
Apr 25, 2025 7:44 AM
Replying to Abolfazl Yousefi Darestani
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I agree with Jean's latest comment: " Invention imagines. Implementation makes reality. "
Yes Yousefi I think that's why pure sciences including maths computer sciences are vital for innovations. Saving Changes...
Luis BrancoCEO| Business Insight, Consultores de Gestão, LdªCarcavelos, Lisboa, Portugal
Jean Laval Chue Him Great reflection! You are absolutely right in distinguishing invention from implementation — and as Project Managers, we often find ourselves at the critical intersection between these two worlds. Drawing from a recent article I wrote on "Orchestrating Creativity: Harmonizing Neuroscience and Design Thinking for Innovation," invention relates deeply to those "illuminating ideas" — often sparked by divergent thinking, emotional engagement, and the brain's capacity to create new connections. It’s the moment of insight — the "Aha!" — that sets the stage for innovation.
Implementation, on the other hand, requires convergent thinking: the discipline, planning, collaboration, and technical expertise to turn that spark into a structured, real-world solution. It's where PMs play a crucial role, aligning teams, processes, and resources to make those ideas tangible.
In the examples you mentioned — Alibaba, the Internet, GPS, Pixels — the original inventors provided the vision, but it was through orchestration, leadership, and collaborative execution that these inventions became the transformative realities we know today. In short: Invention = Creativity and Ideation Implementation = Structured Execution and Delivery Both are essential — and mastering the art of harmonizing them is what drives true innovation!
Curious: how do you, in your projects, create the right environment for both invention and implementation to thrive?
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1 reply by Jean Laval Chue Him
Apr 25, 2025 5:49 PM
Jean Laval Chue Him
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Hi Luis, first of all, I need to have a strong motivation and purpose for the invention. Then I THINK of how pure sciences i.e. Maths, Computer Science, Physics, Chemistry and any other fields can help me think of finding a solution to the problem or let's say pain point I'm trying to solve. Then I prove logically using light weight prototypes that the science and scientific solution align and will solve the pain point. Then I try to form a suitable team that would tackle the implementation and also iteratively work on the ideation/invention. for improvement. Many a times we don't know from the outset how to implement, so we have to build a working prototype first and then iterate until we get a working prototype. Accidental discoveries as we go along are also part of the process of ideation and implementation. I must add that the ideation and implementation might not be a linear process but an iterative process. Now even when we have a final working prototype it is always a work in progress as new technologies are discovered not necessarily by me or my team but in the world, and we try to implement these new technologies to our invention. I must add that choosing the right team members who share the motivation, vision and purpose of the project/invention/product is vital for success. So a shared commitment and vision and goal for the project is essential for all team members.
Saving Changes...
Jean Laval Chue HimDirector| Stella Aurorae Accountants Pty LtdSydney, Nsw, Australia
Apr 25, 2025 9:52 AM
Replying to Luis Branco
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Jean Laval Chue Him Great reflection! You are absolutely right in distinguishing invention from implementation — and as Project Managers, we often find ourselves at the critical intersection between these two worlds. Drawing from a recent article I wrote on "Orchestrating Creativity: Harmonizing Neuroscience and Design Thinking for Innovation," invention relates deeply to those "illuminating ideas" — often sparked by divergent thinking, emotional engagement, and the brain's capacity to create new connections. It’s the moment of insight — the "Aha!" — that sets the stage for innovation.
Implementation, on the other hand, requires convergent thinking: the discipline, planning, collaboration, and technical expertise to turn that spark into a structured, real-world solution. It's where PMs play a crucial role, aligning teams, processes, and resources to make those ideas tangible.
In the examples you mentioned — Alibaba, the Internet, GPS, Pixels — the original inventors provided the vision, but it was through orchestration, leadership, and collaborative execution that these inventions became the transformative realities we know today. In short: Invention = Creativity and Ideation Implementation = Structured Execution and Delivery Both are essential — and mastering the art of harmonizing them is what drives true innovation!
Curious: how do you, in your projects, create the right environment for both invention and implementation to thrive?
Hi Luis, first of all, I need to have a strong motivation and purpose for the invention. Then I THINK of how pure sciences i.e. Maths, Computer Science, Physics, Chemistry and any other fields can help me think of finding a solution to the problem or let's say pain point I'm trying to solve. Then I prove logically using light weight prototypes that the science and scientific solution align and will solve the pain point. Then I try to form a suitable team that would tackle the implementation and also iteratively work on the ideation/invention. for improvement. Many a times we don't know from the outset how to implement, so we have to build a working prototype first and then iterate until we get a working prototype. Accidental discoveries as we go along are also part of the process of ideation and implementation. I must add that the ideation and implementation might not be a linear process but an iterative process. Now even when we have a final working prototype it is always a work in progress as new technologies are discovered not necessarily by me or my team but in the world, and we try to implement these new technologies to our invention. I must add that choosing the right team members who share the motivation, vision and purpose of the project/invention/product is vital for success. So a shared commitment and vision and goal for the project is essential for all team members. Saving Changes...
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