BRAINSTORMING 229. Connect Analogies Try to find a similar problem that’s already been solved 1 and reapply the solution to your situation . James Dyson, inventor of the Dyson Vacuum Cleaner, developed over 5,100 patents before arriving at the “Root Cyclone” technology used in his products. Where did the inspiration for Root Cyclone technology come from? A visit to a saw mill, where Dyson noticed that sawdust was being pulled out of the air and collected in a chamber via a large cyclone atop the roof of the mill. He took this concept of centrifugal force and put it into his vacuum, building a company with over $1 billion in annual sales in the process.2 1 One specialized field of this is called biomimicry—finding a similar issue in nature and seeing how nature resolved it. Check out htww.co/biomimicry. 2 See The Man Behind the Vacuum Cleaner. 122