Ask HN: How do you manage exotic tech?

[j256]

For example, if you're Richard Hendricks (HBO's Silicon Valley), how do you get your staff to execute on your new exotic compression algorithm? Or, if you're Larry Page, how do you do get the Jeff Deans of the world to build Big Table, etc?

In other words, if you're running a business that requires pushing the edge of innovation; how do you ensure that the project actually succeeds and creates business value? How do you prevent these projects from devolving into endless black-holes of research?

[tlb]

It's so hard that the few people who can manage it earn billions of dollars. So don't expect an easy recipe for success.

The founding team needs someone who understands the technology very well, and can build at least a prototype themselves. They need to be good at identifying the best people to hire, convincing them to join, and motivating them to solve the important problems for the business. And they need to convince customers to start using a half-baked version 1 so they can get feedback and improve the product.

Founders At Work [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1590597141] has good stories about how things really happened at several companies.

[cpach]

I agree strongly regarding the book recommendation; it’s a really really good book.

[rolph]

look at the requirements for registering a patent, these are the properties of a finished stage of development, and a prototype.