Steve Jobs famously said innovation is "saying no to 1000 things" before you say yes.
For more than a decade, Apple has used Pablo Picasso's Bull to drive home the lesson.
Here's a breakdown 🧵 https://t.co/eCt6fdHpix
In Dec. 1945, Picasso created "The Bull", a series of 11 lithographs (stone prints).
With each successive print, a bull is simplified and abstracted. Picasso's goal was to find "spirit of the beast".
At Apple, employees are taught this philosophy. https://t.co/q7IUcvvlpj
With each successive print, a bull is simplified and abstracted. Picasso's goal was to find "spirit of the beast".
At Apple, employees are taught this philosophy. https://t.co/q7IUcvvlpj
Below are the 1st, 4th and last stone print.
The bull progresses from:
◻️a realistic drawing
◻️to a deconstructed image w/ the famous "abstract" style
◻️to lines outlining a shape
Through 11 iterations, Picasso simplified the image until it captured the "essence" of the bull. https://t.co/X2vrsTuFiT
The bull progresses from:
◻️a realistic drawing
◻️to a deconstructed image w/ the famous "abstract" style
◻️to lines outlining a shape
Through 11 iterations, Picasso simplified the image until it captured the "essence" of the bull. https://t.co/X2vrsTuFiT
Picasso said of the abstraction process:
"Two holes. That’s the symbol for the face, enough to evoke it without representing it. But isn’t it strange that it can be done through such simple means? Whatever is most abstract may perhaps be the summit of reality.” https://t.co/St6FkVhP6A
"Two holes. That’s the symbol for the face, enough to evoke it without representing it. But isn’t it strange that it can be done through such simple means? Whatever is most abstract may perhaps be the summit of reality.” https://t.co/St6FkVhP6A
Enter Apple University.
In 2008, Steve Jobs tapped the dean of Yale School of Management to create an internal training curriculum for Apple.
The program was meant to teach new employees Apple's culture and design philosophy (the teachings are rarely shared with the public). https://t.co/BeoM4IyrCq
In 2008, Steve Jobs tapped the dean of Yale School of Management to create an internal training curriculum for Apple.
The program was meant to teach new employees Apple's culture and design philosophy (the teachings are rarely shared with the public). https://t.co/BeoM4IyrCq
Picasso's Bull is a popular topic at Apple University.
Apple uses the evolution of its mouse as an example of the philosophy (e.g., the buttons were "abstracted" away). https://t.co/GkVOVTZ8Jz
Apple uses the evolution of its mouse as an example of the philosophy (e.g., the buttons were "abstracted" away). https://t.co/GkVOVTZ8Jz
For new employees, Apple also taught the lesson by contrasting its Apple TV remote with existing smart controllers (significantly fewer buttons). https://t.co/j6mfPS8G3e
The Picasso way of saying "no" and capturing "the essence" extends to business strategy.
When Steve Jobs returned as CEO in 1997, Apple was near bankruptcy and on a streak of failed products including a gaming machine (Pippin) and a personal digital assistant (Newton). https://t.co/snOUJvoAHo
When Steve Jobs returned as CEO in 1997, Apple was near bankruptcy and on a streak of failed products including a gaming machine (Pippin) and a personal digital assistant (Newton). https://t.co/snOUJvoAHo
During one meeting that discussed all of Apple's products (way too many), Jobs shouted "stop...this is crazy" and got up to draw something on the whiteboard.
It was a 2x2 matrix laying out his product line:
• Desktop / Portable
• Consumer / Pro https://t.co/pvLtInVSi5
It was a 2x2 matrix laying out his product line:
• Desktop / Portable
• Consumer / Pro https://t.co/pvLtInVSi5
By saying "no" to a ton of fluff and simplifying the product offerings, Apple would start its legendary resurgence.
Its market cap was <$5B upon Jobs' return... https://t.co/eeXjlI8Q1W
Its market cap was <$5B upon Jobs' return... https://t.co/eeXjlI8Q1W
...and reached~$350B by the time he passed in 2011.
The evolution of the iPod/iPhone followed the Picasso Way, especially with the removal of the trackpad (and introduction of touchscreen). https://t.co/SmUIhazSJq
The evolution of the iPod/iPhone followed the Picasso Way, especially with the removal of the trackpad (and introduction of touchscreen). https://t.co/SmUIhazSJq
Per Jobs, “You have to deeply understand the essence of a product in order to be able to get rid of the parts that are not essential,”
Sounds like Picasso.
Speaking of which, check out Picasso drawing the Bull at the end of Apple's legendary "Think Different" advertisement. https://t.co/V71jeXawyZ
Sounds like Picasso.
Speaking of which, check out Picasso drawing the Bull at the end of Apple's legendary "Think Different" advertisement. https://t.co/V71jeXawyZ
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Here’s a clip of Jony Ive explaining Steve Jobs philosophy of saying “no” and how Jobs’ superpower was “focus” https://t.co/WqJ97kC1mE
The SpaceX engineering process has a similar philosophy of simply getting rid of unnecessary parts. @elonmusk
Very cool: The intro for Apple’s 2013 WWDC has an animation that touches on the exact points of “focus” and “1000 nos for every yes” (h/t @t87) https://t.co/DWc9zsOwbk
Here’s a video of Steve Jobs talking about focus and saying “no” (h/t @HowtoStartupYC)
https://t.co/t7JqhQDfiQ
https://t.co/t7JqhQDfiQ
Last (related) tweet: Just got back from Spain and saw Picasso’s Guernica for the first time in person.
Wrote about it here: https://t.co/0NhbZq20Ol
Wrote about it here: https://t.co/0NhbZq20Ol
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