They're flattered by someone asking for their opinion or ideas. Put together a team. Keep focused on the intended results, not on what's happened before. Do some brainstorming. And have fun.
Many people try to reinvent the wheel.
Often a problem can be solved in a similar way another problem was solved. Perhaps a different industry, a different company, another era. By reading and studying what others do or have done, you can often relate it to your own situation. Stay Open to Ideas and Insights Some of the best ideas and inventions have come as flashes of insight oftentimes when they were least expected. Archimedes was taking a bath.