Innovation Through Task Unification

Thomas Edison’s water pumping gate is a perfect example of the Task Unification innovation technique in which an additional task is assigned to a resource, like a product or service component. This technique involves listing the product’s internal and external components and assigning an additional task to create a virtual product that delivers potential benefits. Nissan’s Easy Fill Tire Alert is another example of this technique where the car horn is assigned the additional task of letting drivers know when they reach the right tire pressure. We can also assign an external component the additional job of an internal component, like the Play Pump, a merry-go-round that provides fresh water to sub-Saharan African villages.