Whether building a grape arbor, crafting the solution to an environmental problem, or fabricating a new Web site, an invention team should definitely consult conventional plans, conventional wisdom and leading authorities to see which strategies have been tried in the past, which elements have proven successful and which aspects might require a fresh approach.

This opening stage of research is all too often the final step for teams without faith in their own creativity, originality and abilities, but progress requires something more demanding and more exciting. We are looking for value added, the next generation of mousetrap or mouse or track pad. We are committed to the notion that human ingenuity can usually find ways to enhance and improve what has gone before.

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