The June 9, 2007 issue of the Economist ran an article titled “How does Apple do it?” After many had left it for dead a decade ago, this is the company that sets the pace in the consumer electronics industry. The article highlighted two main development strategies: First, Apple looks both within and outside its walls for new product ideas, an approach referred to as “network innovation.” The iPod, a notable example, was the brainchild of a consultant that Apple hired to run a project; not an employee. Second, Apple is obsessed about looking at new concepts through the eyes of its customers. Everybody gives testament to the importance of this commitment, but few live it. “If we build it they will come” is a sure path to failure.