---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Hidden in the physical work space, in the…"
description: "\"“Hidden in the physical work space, in the user's words, and in the tools they use are the beautiful gems of knowledge that can create revolutionary, b..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2f/jon-kolko-103526_breakthrough_hidden-in-the-physical-work-space-in-the_2585294.jpg"
---

#  Hidden in the physical work space, in the user's words…

![“Hidden in the physical work space, in the user's words, and in the tools they use are the beautiful gems of knowledge that can create revolutionary, breakthrough products or simply fix existing, broken products. People do strange things - unexpected things - and being there to witness and record…” quote by Jon Kolko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2f/jon-kolko-103526_breakthrough_hidden-in-the-physical-work-space-in-the_2585294.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2f/jon-kolko-103526_breakthrough_hidden-in-the-physical-work-space-in-the_2585294.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2f/jon-kolko-103526_breakthrough_hidden-in-the-physical-work-space-in-the_2585294.jpg)

> ““Hidden in the physical work space, in the user's words, and in the tools they use are the beautiful gems of knowledge that can create revolutionary, breakthrough products or simply fix existing, broken products. People do strange things - unexpected things - and being there to witness and record these minute and quick moments of humanity is simply invaluable””

[Jon Kolko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kolko/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Observing everyday work spaces and user language reveals hidden knowledge that can inspire breakthrough or improve existing products.

**In simple terms:** Every spaces contains valuable ideas for innovation.

Key Takeaway

Observe and record everyday moments for insight.

Themes

innovation knowledge observation product design

Mood

inquisitive optimistic

Type

insight advice

When to use this quote

- product development
- team brainstorming
- user interviews
- design sprints

Key Concepts

user research human‑centered design creative process

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you capture fleeting ideas effectively?
- What processes help turn observations into breakthroughs?

A Different Perspective

Not all observed moments lead to valuable insights; filtering is required.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Breakthrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breakthrough/) [Breakthrough Products](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breakthrough-products-793399/) [Innovation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innovation/) [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Knowledge Create](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge-create-1010763/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [Products People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/products-people-658392/) [Unexpected things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unexpected-things/) [Work Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-space-1813171/)

## Related quotes

> [There are just moments when all the stars are aligned for breakthrough products.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sculley/there-are-just-moments-when-all-the-stars-are-aligned-for/)

[John Sculley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sculley/)

> [“The trick with selling breakthrough products is to explain them clearly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-lashinsky/the-trick-with-selling-breakthrough-products-is-to-explain-them/)

[Adam Lashinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-lashinsky/)

> [If knowledge can create problems, it is not through ignorance that we can solve them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/if-knowledge-can-create-problems-it-is-not-through-ignorance-that-we/)

[Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/)

> [Anyone, if he has a will and basic knowledge, can create something substantial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ammy-virk/anyone-if-he-has-a-will-and-basic-knowledge-can-create-something/)

[Ammy Virk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ammy-virk/)

> [Imagination without knowledge may create beautiful things, knowledge without imagination can create only perfect ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/imagination-without-knowledge-may-create-beautiful-things-knowledge/)

[Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/)

> [“The purpose of Knowledge is to create a doorway which leads to the Truth”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misha-hoo/the-purpose-of-knowledge-is-to-create-a-doorway-which-leads-to-the/)

[Misha Hoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misha-hoo/)

> [Knowledge management will never work until corporations realize it's not about how you capture knowledge but how you create and leverage it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/etienne-wenger/knowledge-management-will-never-work-until-corporations-realize-it-s/)

[Etienne Wenger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/etienne-wenger/)

> [“The ultimate aim of assimilating knowledge is to create new ideas or gain wisdom.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-zhu/the-ultimate-aim-of-assimilating-knowledge-is-to-create-new-ideas-or/)

[Pearl Zhu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-zhu/)

> [Lofts are great. But with a home, there is a lot to be said for delineated space. To have the luxury of a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-d/lofts-are-great-but-with-a-home-there-is-a-lot-to-be-said-for/)

[Mike D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-d/)

> [I want to make the work space more dignified and safe for women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parvathy/i-want-to-make-the-work-space-more-dignified-and-safe-for-women/)

[Parvathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parvathy/)

> [It does feel bizarre, having someone in your work space who's so much younger than you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margot-robbie/it-does-feel-bizarre-having-someone-in-your-work-space-who-s-so-much/)

[Margot Robbie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margot-robbie/)

> [My first work space is my office in the cookery school in Padstow. It looks out over the Camel Estuary. I'm very lucky because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-stein/my-first-work-space-is-my-office-in-the-cookery-school-in-padstow-it/)

[Rick Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-stein/)

> [As many have noted, the peril for authors is that our work space is too easily our play space.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-gavriel-kay/as-many-have-noted-the-peril-for-authors-is-that-our-work-space-is/)

[Guy Gavriel Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-gavriel-kay/)

> [My man has to be passionate about his work and me. Also, he should give me my space and not keep me on my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antara-mali/my-man-has-to-be-passionate-about-his-work-and-me-also-he-should-give/)

[Antara Mali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antara-mali/)

> [My work space is so visually crammed. It's like an insane candy store. The number of textiles I'm surrounded with is mind boggling. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-atwood/my-work-space-is-so-visually-crammed-it-s-like-an-insane-candy-store/)

[Colleen Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-atwood/)

## More by Jon Kolko

> [“What many refer to as intuition, then, is not the untaught or unteachable but instead is a learned understanding and respect of process, molded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kolko/what-many-refer-to-as-intuition-then-is-not-the-untaught-or/)

[Jon Kolko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kolko/)

[Explore all 2 Jon Kolko quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kolko/)

## More Breakthrough quotes

> [Real breakthroughs are not found because you want to develop some new technology, but because you are curious and want to find out how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-zeilinger/real-breakthroughs-are-not-found-because-you-want-to-develop-some-new/)

[Anton Zeilinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-zeilinger/)

> [The hardware and the software used in the Breakthrough project will be compatible with other telescopes around the world, so they too can search…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuri-milner/the-hardware-and-the-software-used-in-the-breakthrough-project-will/)

[Yuri Milner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuri-milner/)

> [Just like the breakthroughs, the bad stuff always takes you by surprise. (121)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-giles/just-like-the-breakthroughs-the-bad-stuff-always-takes-you-by/)

[Gail Giles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-giles/)

> [There are just moments when all the stars are aligned for breakthrough products.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sculley/there-are-just-moments-when-all-the-stars-are-aligned-for/)

[John Sculley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sculley/)

> [The founder of any branch must be more ingenious than the common man. However, if his achievement is not carried on by disciples of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-lee/the-founder-of-any-branch-must-be-more-ingenious-than-the-common-man/)

[Bruce Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-lee/)

> [Brokenness is often the road to breakthrough. Hang in there. Your time is coming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/brokenness-is-often-the-road-to-breakthrough-hang-in-there-your-time/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Historic changes and challenges. Breakthroughs in human knowledge and opportunity. And yet, for vast numbers across the globe, the daily realities have not altered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/historic-changes-and-challenges-breakthroughs-in-human-knowledge-and/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Obama is hardly the first president to seek rapprochement with our adversaries and reconciliation with our enemies, of course. But his determination to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-f-hayes/obama-is-hardly-the-first-president-to-seek-rapprochement-with-our/)

[Stephen F. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-f-hayes/)

> [... when things get rough, a breakthrough is just on the other side of the pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/when-things-get-rough-a-breakthrough-is-just-on-the-other-side-of-the/)

[Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/)

> [Tonight, after a breakthrough year for America, our economy is growing and creating jobs at the fastest pace since 1999.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/tonight-after-a-breakthrough-year-for-america-our-economy-is-growing/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [Opposition is just proof that you're close to a major breakthrough keepgoing!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rev-run-2/opposition-is-just-proof-that-you-re-close-to-a-major-breakthrough/)

[Rev Run](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rev-run-2/)

> [ Innovation is not a big breakthrough invention every time. Innovation is a constant thing. But if you don't have an innovative company \[team\], coming… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-welch/innovation-is-not-a-big-breakthrough-invention-every-time-innovation/)

[Jack Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-welch/)

> [“A reset isn't going backwards; it's clearing the path to move forward.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-rivera/a-reset-isn-t-going-backwards-it-s-clearing-the-path-to-move-forward/)

[Alex Rivera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-rivera/)

> [The consensus we arrived with States for amending the Constitution to implement GST is a major breakthrough. This alone has the potential to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-consensus-we-arrived-with-states-for-amending-the-constitution-to/)

[Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/)

> [Conceivably, blockchains could rely on a number of standards above the Internet's existing standards to allow a smooth bridging from one layer to another.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-mougayar/conceivably-blockchains-could-rely-on-a-number-of-standards-above-the/)

[William Mougayar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-mougayar/)

[Browse all 507 Breakthrough quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breakthrough/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Hidden in the physical work space, in the user's words, and in the tools they use are the beautiful gems of knowledge that can create revolutionary, breakthrough products or simply fix existing, broken products. People do strange things - unexpected things - and being there to witness and record these minute and quick moments of humanity is simply invaluable”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Jon Kolko"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kolko/hidden-in-the-physical-work-space-in-the-user-s-words-and-in-the/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Breakthrough"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kolko/hidden-in-the-physical-work-space-in-the-user-s-words-and-in-the/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2f/jon-kolko-103526_breakthrough_hidden-in-the-physical-work-space-in-the_2585294.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2f/jon-kolko-103526_breakthrough_hidden-in-the-physical-work-space-in-the_2585294.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2f/jon-kolko-103526_breakthrough_hidden-in-the-physical-work-space-in-the_2585294.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Hidden in the physical work space, in the user's words, and in the tools they use are the beautiful gems of…” — Jon Kolko",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Jon Kolko",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kolko/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Hidden in the physical work space,...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kolko/hidden-in-the-physical-work-space-in-the-user-s-words-and-in-the/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kolko/hidden-in-the-physical-work-space-in-the-user-s-words-and-in-the/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
