I just finished reading “How We Got to Now” and loved the book. It is informative and inspiring, and generated many ideas that may be applicable for my business and clients.

The book looks at the “hummingbird effect” on innovation and how it shaped the modern world. For those who have not read it, let me elucidate.

In his introduction, Steven Johnson explains that changes in the sexual reproduction strategies of flowers led to the evolution of hummingbird wings. Without flower nectar production, there would be no reason for hummingbirds to hover mid-air. The evolution of their wing was a direct result of their need to extract nectar and the environment around them.

Many human innovations have spawned, and will continue to influence, similar changes. For instance, the printing press led to mass production of printed material, which led to the realization of the flaws of human eyesight when reading materials up-close. Without printed material, humans did not realize a need for glasses.

Today’s Technology Innovations

This concept got me thinking about our clients and their innovations in areas that include better imaging of the earth, improved tools for collaboration, and leveraging artificial intelligence for human capital management. I could not help but wonder about the specific hummingbird effect our clients’ innovations will have on the world and into the future.

For instance, consider the introduction of collaboration tools, such as Smartsheet. In the years to come, it will be interesting to know exactly how professional collaboration will change the way people work. How will those changes impact an organization’s bottom line? And will tools for better collaboration impact small and large organizations equally?

In his book, Johnson explains that the productivity gains from bar-code scanners were not evenly distributed. An economist studied this and found that bar-coding benefits the big-box retailers as opposed to the small mom-and-pop stores. It is logical to assume the productivity gains from new workplace tools will not benefit everyone equally.

Clearly, it is early still for the examination of the impact of collaboration tools and none of these questions can be answered until there is an ability to measure results. There is plenty of anecdotal information, but in the years to come there will be better quantifiable data.

Similar questions could be asked of many other of today’s innovators. For instance, Communiqué PR’s client BlackSky will enable satellite imaging as a service to provide nearly real-time imaging of 90 percent of the earth. What will be the hummingbird effect of this innovation. How will it impact commerce on a global scale and how will it improve lives? What other innovations will be spawned from the ability to monitor the earth and its changes over time?

Collaborative Networks & Sharing Ideas

Finally, as I read Johnson’s book I was struck by the number of times he mentioned collaboration as it pertains to innovation and how ideas travel in networks.

For instance, Johnson explained that Thomas Edison’s “greatest achievement many have been the way he figured out how to make teams creative: assembling diverse skills in a work environment that valued experimentation and accepted failure, incentivizing the group with financial rewards that were aligned with the overall success of the organization, and building on ideas that originated elsewhere.”

Certainly, workplace collaboration tools will play a role in better assembling, aligning, and organizing work groups. Social networks such as LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook also will impact sharing and connecting with other like-minded people. The Economics of Technology Professor Susan Athey has already designed a study and measured how networks such as Facebook and network aggregators like Google have impacted the consumption of news.

Later in the same chapter, Johnson explains that if we think the “lone genius” comes up with an innovation, as opposed to the innovation coming out of the “collaborative network,” then we will create different policies. For instance, tighter patent control favors the genius, while open standards and employee participation in stock plans make it easier for the collaborative network.

Given this assertion, I have to think that tools that enable collaborative work will also have an impact, or a hummingbird effect, on the pace of innovation. Policy changes are imminent.

“How We Got to Now” is truly an excellent read for anyone working with entrepreneurs or organizations at the forefront of innovation. It will help you better understand our world, give you insight into human ingenuity, and provide you with a lens into the process for making incremental gains versus envisioning something truly revolutionary.