The art of innovation.. Lessons from Apple..

Economist is a higly regarded magazine for me. More on topics of technology, finance and less of world affairs..
Anyway the article l am referring to tells about the key ingredients of Apples' success.

1- Innovation can come from without as well as within.
Remember that Mac OS X is based on the Mach kernel and is derived from the BSD implementation of Unix in NEXTSTEP..

2- Design new products around the needs of the user, not the demands of the technology. Strive for simplicity...

3- Set the trends yourself, keeping user needs and simplicity in mind. Ignore what market analysts, staticians say for a minute..

4- Fail wisely, learn from past mistakes ..
e.g Music phone developed in conjuction with Motorola failed, iPhone is designed with lessons learnt.

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The art of software development can learn alot from the above principles.
Finding the sweet spot of usability/simplicity with complex requirements/workflows is one thing.

Resisting to use the latest/greatest technology for the sake of using one is one thing.(Remember AJAX?)

Short, faster delivery cycles and risk management is one thing (to fail early and wisely)
Lean development practices tell alot about it.

But as a last usual remark talk is cheap, walking the walk is different than talking the walk..
If it wasnt so, we would be seeing more Apples, 37signals, interface21s around us..