“You don’t make money with standalone products but through integrated services”

April 14, 2010, LEGO Kids Tech Challenge: Bilund, Denmark. This one day workshop harnessed inspiration and creative ways to come up with techniques to teach children through technology that hasn’t been invented yet. LEGO is a natural tool for getting girls interested in technology, because it makes it easy to visualize just how creative you can be with science (more on this later) and bridges the gap between art & technology.

The keynote speaker, Peter Hesseldahl (journalist & writer) spoke of advances and changes in the software industry. He states, that the way to make money is not by creating standalone products with more and more features, but instead through integrating with existing services. There is already so much out there – why build another email tool or social networking platform?

“There is diminishing yield for enhancing a product. The value add comes from integration. Take a look at what Apple and Nike did by combining the iPod with the shoe to enhance the experience of using both products.”

Parasiting Principle

Mr. Hesseldahl speaks of the parasiting principle – meaning, leverage existing platforms and leverage ambient resources.  “There’s a lot already out there – don’t create new technologies and instead leverage existing resources such as:

• social networks
• GPS, compass, sensors
• power
• screens
• loudspeakers

“There’s a lot of information in the air already and in kids pockets”