Daniel Eran DilgerWriting for Fortune, Bill Buxton, a pioneer in human–computer interaction and former researcher at Xerox PARC who is now a principal researcher at Microsoft Research, observed that Steve Jobs is listed as an inventor on 313 patents, and the lead inventor of more than 30.
But Jobs' credits as an inventor or co-inventor among Apple's patents were not just honorific, Buxton wrote. "Based on my own experience, I find Steve's participation entirely credible."
He added, "Apple would be stupid to put anyone's name on a patent, much less a high profile name like Steve's, if that person hadn't made a legitimate contribution. Doing so would not only invalidate the patent, it would expose the company and its brand to serious damage when revealed. Apple is many things; stupid is not one of them."
Buxton noted that while collaborating with Jonathan Ive on over 200 design patents, Jobs still left Ive in charge of design, which he said reinforces the lesson that "you must have a senior design executive, and they must engage at the highest level."
Following Jobs' example, Buxton wrote, "executives need to know their own weaknesses as well as their strengths in order to make sure that all of the requisite ground is covered", offering the recommendation "study how he managed the delegation of those other aspects of the business while he was working with Jonathan and the design team. Then emulate that in managing the things that fall outside of your own personal comfort zone — such as design, for example."
Buxton concluded, "Steve Jobs was not, and is not, a designer. Nor, I suspect, would he ever describe himself as such. He spoke about Apple's success in terms of curating the customer's experience. I think that is a great way to put it. And so, while I don't consider him a designer, I do believe that he is certainly one of the greatest curators that I have ever met, or know of. And for that, he has always had my respect."
Buxton describes himself as "a relentless advocate for innovation, design, and - especially - the appropriate consideration of human values, capacity, and culture in the conception, implementation, and use of new products and technologies."
Christine McKee
Andrew O'Hara
William Gallagher
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51 Comments
Finally, vindication for the curators of the world.
Time and time again we hear the same tired story of how events should be remembered and applied, and learned from it.
The reality is most CEO's have zero vision, they know they have zero vision, and their egos will prevent them from admitting it.
People like Steve Jobs, HP's founders, etc... they were a special breed of people.
CEO's nowadays simply care about the bottom line, and have zero interest in doing something that actually improves society as a whole. The way the universities pump out MBA's and these clowns think they're ready to lead/create companies is hysterical to say the least.
But Jobs' credits an an inventor or co-inventor
Typo #5 today
Sometimes we need to step back and listen to the real experts and innovators. I always get upset by the vitriol spewed at Steve Jobs by the anonymous denizens of tech forums. But then I remember that these types are just know-nothing tools. Their comments are just about as important as the dingle-berries hanging from a cow's behind, mine included. Every real expert in the tech world knows what Jobs accomplished and how he changed the way we live and use technology. Hell even I knew that the first time I laid eyes on an Apple ][+ in 1982 and I'm not that smart.
I have Bill's book, "Sketching User Experiences". He has a large section of the book devoted to Apple and Steve Jobs. His feelings about this aren't new.