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Innovation is the white space
In sculpture, it’s the negative space – what isn’t there – that makes what IS there so powerful. Negative space, also known as white space, is where nothing appears to be. In a positive focused society, we see what is, and rarely take the time to consider what isn’t. 
We focus on the solid and tangible, forgetting that it is the intangible compliment that completes the whole picture. Think yin yang. Positive and negative are rarely equal in size and shape, but always equal in importance.
In bonsai, it’s the space between the branches that creates a sense of movement. The mass of positive areas, the branches, appear to be moving toward the negative areas. It’s this dynamic relationship that attracts and holds a viewer’s attention.
In music, the rest between the notes is what gives the notes their power. The white space is what gives the listener time to consider or anticipate the next beat.
We don’t always understand what we see and hear as a dynamic relationship between black and white space. But, underneath our threshold of perception, we constantly look for the relationships of positive and negative, cause and effect, form and void. The foundation of binary code is based on the same principal in the expression of ones and zeros.
If an answer is a verbal form of positive space, it is in contrast to the void created by a question, the negative space. But, as with the appreciation of sculpture or music, we focus on the positive. When people describe the impact of a sculpture, they focus on the form, not the void that makes the form possible.
The reason conferences are so interesting is the exchange of knowledge - a dynamic reposturing of mental black and white space, questions and answers, voids and form. It’s an opportunity to reorganize our perception of what is, what isn’t, and what could be.
This week, I’m in Boston for the 5th annual Front End of Innovation conference. Summaries of the questions and answers I see and hear will be posted on Front End of Innovation USA 2008.
Chas Martin
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Reader Comments (2)
This concept of white space is really interesting - whilst I'd thought of innovation as providing 'what's missing', I never thought of it in terms of what's not there and then white space as enhancing what is there.
Thanks for this post, Chas. This is an interesting and helpful concept that could lend itself to quality management. For example, measuring incidents or faults that *didn't* happen.