Special Session: Building a Nation's Collective Brain

Inclusivity matters for the Collective Brain of the nation – this ranges from product innovation to education

Product innovation must be of significance to the Masses.

New products that appeal to all segments of society rather than just the inventors themselves are more likely to have a positive reception.

Education systems that meet the needs of the most disadvantaged children would meet the needs of all children.

Innovation in education has been relatively slow as the system still emphasises a narrow set of skills such as rote memorisation. Given the importance of talent in the digital economy, innovation in education should aim to equip students with skills relevant for their future, especially coding and programming.

Engaging with all aspects of community is necessary to grow the Collective Brain.

Community engagement is crucial in accelerating tech adoption.

It is not enough to only target the early adopters—to keep moving innovation forward, we must also target the masses and the laggards.

Community engagement also helps to weave together the rich and diverse history of society.

For example, the “Melaka In Fact” project engages with locals in the villages of Melaka to bring together perspectives that capture the richness of Melaka’s history, allowing people to take ownership of their own narrative.

Innovation in any field requires ‘X-factors’ such as trust, self-confidence and gut instinct.

A strong cohesive team requires trust among its members.

Teams are more likely to innovate when they know they have other teammates to support them through the process.

Fostering self-confidence in students is key to their progress.

Children must be given the tools to learn independently and with confidence. To motivate them to innovate, students must understand the real-world applications of their education syllabus.

Courage and gut instinct make a difference in product innovation.

It is not just understanding the product—it is also about understanding the end-user of the product. This requires innovators to have courage and gut instinct.