How does IET define Innovation to meet CEng Standards

Hi Shijo (hope I've got that right - apologies if not).

I'm a PRI, but that means I get to form a judgement on whether there is evidence of 'innovation', so hopefully you will find my response helpful. 

i totally understand the need for your question and I think this is one of the most misunderstood terms in UKSPEC and the whole distinction between C.Eng & I.Eng, so I'll try to answer your question as best I can.  

What it isn't necessarily,  though could be,  is r&d, creating totally new products or invention.  Obviously,  those would fit the bill,  but this is really about engineering innovation,  and that word engineering is all important, it includes the type of activities you apply in construction management, providing you are developing the construction methodology,  not just applying a process dictated by somebody else.  It means looking at a requirement or problem and,  as distinct from simply applying tried and tested solutions,  identifying alternative approaches.  It could be using a product or engineering solution tried and tested in other situations/ applications and using them in a new application,  or the converse,  applying an alternative approach/ product to a requirement/ problem that has  previously been addressed in a different way.  

Of course,  it shouldn't be just for the sake of it - it should deliver a benefit,  so it could reduce cost,  provide either a better quality or more cost effective solution, improve safety,  etc. 

In a construction context,  this could mean an improved construction methodology,  especially if this reduces cost,  improves safety and/ or improves quality or the ability to provide engineering assurance.  

in honesty,  though I'd want to understand more detail, so don't take this as a definite,  the example you quote, identifying a new planning tool to optimise use of construction resources sounds like a great example of what I would judge to be innovation.  If you've even designed the tool yourself,  so much the better, but  that isn't even essential,  it could be sufficient that you've taken best practice from elsewhere and applied it in a new scenario if it improves construction process or use of resources. 

So I guess a non- exhaustive checklist could include any of the following:

Identifying the best approach to a totally new requirement

Finding a more cost effective approach to an existing requirement by applying a new process (which may or may not have been used in other situations)

Improving safety by doing the same. 

Finding a way to improve programme by doing the same. 

Improving quality or engineering assurance by doing the same. 

But the important points are that it must deliver an identifiable benefit and it must be your own work.  

Hope that helps. 

There is a new version of UKSPEC on its way through,  and though I still have to see the detail,  the advance information does give promise that some of these grey areas will be made clearer. 

Hi Shijo (hope I've got that right - apologies if not).

I'm a PRI, but that means I get to form a judgement on whether there is evidence of 'innovation', so hopefully you will find my response helpful. 

i totally understand the need for your question and I think this is one of the most misunderstood terms in UKSPEC and the whole distinction between C.Eng & I.Eng, so I'll try to answer your question as best I can.  

What it isn't necessarily,  though could be,  is r&d, creating totally new products or invention.  Obviously,  those would fit the bill,  but this is really about engineering innovation,  and that word engineering is all important, it includes the type of activities you apply in construction management, providing you are developing the construction methodology,  not just applying a process dictated by somebody else.  It means looking at a requirement or problem and,  as distinct from simply applying tried and tested solutions,  identifying alternative approaches.  It could be using a product or engineering solution tried and tested in other situations/ applications and using them in a new application,  or the converse,  applying an alternative approach/ product to a requirement/ problem that has  previously been addressed in a different way.  

Of course,  it shouldn't be just for the sake of it - it should deliver a benefit,  so it could reduce cost,  provide either a better quality or more cost effective solution, improve safety,  etc. 

In a construction context,  this could mean an improved construction methodology,  especially if this reduces cost,  improves safety and/ or improves quality or the ability to provide engineering assurance.  

in honesty,  though I'd want to understand more detail, so don't take this as a definite,  the example you quote, identifying a new planning tool to optimise use of construction resources sounds like a great example of what I would judge to be innovation.  If you've even designed the tool yourself,  so much the better, but  that isn't even essential,  it could be sufficient that you've taken best practice from elsewhere and applied it in a new scenario if it improves construction process or use of resources. 

So I guess a non- exhaustive checklist could include any of the following:

Identifying the best approach to a totally new requirement

Finding a more cost effective approach to an existing requirement by applying a new process (which may or may not have been used in other situations)

Improving safety by doing the same. 

Finding a way to improve programme by doing the same. 

Improving quality or engineering assurance by doing the same. 

But the important points are that it must deliver an identifiable benefit and it must be your own work.  

Hope that helps. 

There is a new version of UKSPEC on its way through,  and though I still have to see the detail,  the advance information does give promise that some of these grey areas will be made clearer.