OnInnovation: Visionaries thinking out loud. A video oral history project advancing a culture of innovation powered by The Henry Ford.
Topics & Playlists
Alfred Taubman - 29 Videos
Become acquainted with "third dimensional thinking", Alfred Taubman's perspective on the way inventive people look at things with an eye to making them better. Explore the relationship between design and taste, and then join Taubman in a considered look at the rise of the mall, the multifaceted nature of retailing, and the power of threshold resistance as a window for gaining insight into the shopping experience.
Stan Ovshinsky - 36 Videos
With over 400 patents spanning a 50-year career, Stan Ovshinsky, together with his late wife Iris, has developed an array of energy and information-related inventions that have advanced many technologies and industries--all in pursuit of a vision of a hydrogen-based economy.
Mitchell Baker - 20 Videos
What does it take to steer a small, volunteer-run organization to success in a world of vastly larger, for-profit competitors? What role do policy decisions play in the ultimate success of a new and improved technology? In Mitchell Baker's account of the making and managing of Mozilla, passion, persistence and cool practicality all play a role.
Henry Ford and Innovation - 6 Videos
Today's innovators have much in common with Henry Ford. Check out these clips from Steve Wozniak, Elon Musk, Lyn St. James and Don Chadwick to see how they also took advantage of opportunities, were curious about the world from a young age, took risks and sometimes failed, collaborated with others, found out what they did not want to do in life and found their passion.
Learning from Failure - 3 Videos
Many innovative endeavors are risky. What if you fail? Innovators discuss what they learned from failure and why the freedom to experiment and fail is important.
Future of Transportation - 4 Videos
Innovators talk about where transportation is heading in the future. Ideas span hydrogen and electric engines, inflatable cars, space travel, and new breeds of motorized sport.
Hiring Practices - 2 Videos
Advice, experiences and lessons from the front line about attracting and keeping talented people on your team.
Racing to Win - 3 Videos
Carroll Shelby and Lyn St. James talk about the importance between winning and sponsor relationships.
Lyn St. James - 45 Videos
A longtime sports car enthusiast, in 1992 the Ohio businesswoman was the first woman to win Rookie of the Year at Indianapolis and went on to compete in dozens of top professional races worldwide. Over the course of her career she held dozens of closed circuit speed records and set many other firsts, including being the only woman to win an IMSA GT race driving solo.
Carroll Shelby - 32 Videos
Get the ultimate insider's account of the different--and much more dangerous--world of racing in the 1950s and learn how Carroll's early career led to his decision to build his first car. Follow him through the excitement and challenge of creating a small, highly specialized company that demanded a high-degree of creative freedom no less than the continued support of major manufacturers to make its concepts a reality.
Pierre Omidyar - 12 Videos
How can individuals become inspired make change? What type of environment is necessary for regular people to have an impact on the world around them? Learn how Pierre Omidyar found the power to make a difference and the space to go experiment with new ideas.
Elon Musk - 22 Videos
How does one person balance diverse interests and manage successful endeavors in space technology, sustainable energy and the Internet? From his early days teaching himself to program computers, learn how Elon Musk has worked to improve the quality of life for everyone through technology.
Toshiko Mori - 32 Videos
Throughout her career as a practicing architect and educator, Toshiko Mori has pursued a technical interest in the properties of materials--and especially synthetic materials--in addition to her concerns for purity of line, visual lightness and thermal performance.
William McDonough - 34 Videos
Learn about one of the fastest growing trends in the world's industry. Join William McDonough as he explains a future where "industrial design" and "environmental intelligence" are synonymous.
Don Chadwick - 26 Videos
When Don Chadwick and Bill Stumpf designed the Aeron Chair for the furniture manufacturer Herman Miller, they started from a purely personal standpoint. They set aside other styles and traditions and asked the simple question, "What would I most like to sit on?" A complete mastery of the furniture designer's tools and craft enabled them to arrive at the answer.
Steve Wozniak - 59 Videos
Wozniak talks about "fun" as a driving force behind what he does, whether its playing pranks, playing Seqway polo, or designing machines. That idea and his constant tinkering led him to designing the Apple I and II, computers he said were built for fun.
