June 2011
The medium is the message. – Herbert Marshall McLuhan People new to innovation ask Mr. Ronald Jackson (founder of Jackson Systems ) for advice. So he wrote a short book for them, Should I Patent My Great Idea? , based on his experience in developing 10 patented inventions and in bringing 40 products to market. Mr. Jackson, with his characteristic enthusiasm for innovation, introduced us to his new book. We learned that his advice resides as much in how he developed and marketed his book as in the content of the book itself. Mr. Jackson’s approach to innovation is practical and hands‑on, whether the invention is a HVAC zone control system or a book. His book presents an overview of innovation and its risks, provides advice and options (including sample documents) for minimizing those risks, and leaves the reader to decide whether s/he has enough time, money, and enthusiasm to innovate. “Work on ideas with which you are somewhat familiar.” “Do as much of the work as