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6 December 2012
For today’s pragmatic, outcome-focused and
time-poor professionals, incorporating the regular use of an online
community to solve technical challenges may sound like a waste of
precious time.
If we deconstruct what is typically required at the
front-end to solve complex engineering challenges, the valuable
role that an online business forum can play in inspiring business
leaders to innovate, becomes more apparent.
‘Solving a difficult technical challenge in
our business in the past has traditionally started with getting a
good mix of people with complementary skills and experience into a
room with a white board to brainstorm,’ comments Mike Muntisov, GHD
Executive Director and a civil engineer of more than 30 years.
‘Realistically, the solution is unlikely to
fall out in the first session but rather; the challenge becomes
better defined, which is critical to getting the best solution
further down the track. Over the years, as our business has
expanded into new regions. Challenges now require a more
multi-disciplinary approach - it now makes more sense to recreate
that same dynamic virtually so that we can tap into a broader range
of skills and knowledge.’
This thinking mirrors other processes adopted
by the infrastructure sector in recent times to promote innovation
on large capital works projects such as alliance structures, where
teams from different organisations merge to collaborate from the
start of a project to deliver more effective outcomes by leveraging
diversity in approach and thinking.
In launching the Innovation Interchange in
coming weeks, GHD is taking the logical next step to promote
innovation in the infrastructure sector by introducing interactive
web technology to the challenge solving process. This opens the
door to a wider network of collaboration partners including
infrastructure managers, technology providers and other key
organisations working within the industry value chain such as
industry associations and research institutions.
The Innovation Interchange is an exclusive
business to business community designed to facilitate collaboration
between infrastructure managers in the water sector around emerging
challenges facing their operations. ‘Collaboration amongst peers
worldwide may fast-track the path to appropriate solutions. Or,
connections can be made through the portal to innovative technology
providers that may have either existing solutions or a commitment
to working towards one,’ continues Mike, who is also the program’s
lead for engaging with Infrastructure Managers.
The team behind the development of the
Innovation Interchange does not see the portal replacing the way
business relationships or solutions are currently developed.
Innovation Interchange Communications Manager
Tammy Lau offers, ‘There will never be a substitute for off-line,
face to face relationship building in business particularly when
innovating. Rather we see the portal as providing organisations
with a more efficient and cost effective method for key staff to
form productive business relationships by removing the tyranny of
distance and opening up a wider pool of collaboration partners. By
going online, the opportunities to connect more productively
offline across the industry are enhanced.’
Registrations of interest to become a
participating Member of the Innovation Interchange are now being
received from organisations across Australia, New Zealand and North
America. For more information about how to register, go to www.innovationinterchange.com