Innovation is key to productivity and wellbeing. While not always visible, innovation capacity underpins what we value as a community. The roles of engineers, alongside science and medical professionals and start-up entrepreneurs will continue to transform our planet.
With a historical record of ground-breaking achievements, engineering led innovation plays a critical role in improving society. There was James Watt’s steam engine in the mid-1700s that transformed textile manufacturing and transportation.
Nineteenth century mathematician Ada Lovelace’s role as the world’s first computer programmer laid the foundations for the extraordinary technology, we have available to us today. Henry Ford, born just a decade after Ada’s death, managed to create the assembly line method of mass production and moved a nation on wheels. Decades later, actress and inventor Hedy Lamar discovered frequency hopping that not only improved plane aerodynamics but also devised a methodology that directly influenced wireless communications (Wi-Fi). The list goes on.
These stories of discovery and innovation peppered through history help convey the potential amongst us and what can be achieved at junctures in time with resources, vision, verve, tenacity and collaboration - those qualities that frankly make us human.
Innovation is part of our DNA as humans
Innovation is prevalent and a leading change agent in humanity’s evolution. What is particularly interesting, is the role engineers have directly played across the three prior industrial revolutions.
First, our economics systems were industrialised and urbanised; secondly such systems were electrified and the third revolutionised via computers. Now, here we are poised at the dawn of Industry 4.0 with what has been described as the fusion and interconnectivity of the physical, biological and technology worlds.
The technological revolution has been turbo charged in a bright white spotlight over 2020 as it has collided with COVID-19’s economic, social and health perfect storm. This has amplified the pace of innovation in product development in the following ways:
- The Dyson company created a ventilator in a mere ten days
- Stage Kings, a small theatre production company in Australia, pivoted overnight to create flat-pack build at home desks and office furnishings for remote working life
- Louis Vuitton shifted its manufacturing processes to design and deliver hand sanitiser and safety products for the French health services and beyond
- Syrian refugee camps designed COVID-19 testing stations and sanitiser dispensing machines with a very simple resource - Lego
- GHD designed a 504-bed facility made from shipping containers in Qatar in 12 days.
These examples demonstrate that innovation is often best realised in times of constraint when there is a burning platform to drive radical change.
Next horizon of innovation
No matter the industry, there are numerous opportunities to contribute to the larger story unfolding by amplifying the human skills we have and utilising the technology that the digital age affords us.
Future historians will study in earnest and future generations will be impacted by our decisions and actions now. It is important we pause and note that we all have a responsibility to take lessons from the past, respect them, acknowledge them and build upon them, as extraordinary, amplified humans must do as we reset priorities and continue to work together for a more sustainable future.
Meet Jacyl
With over 20 years’ experience delivering innovation, Jacyl Shaw is the Global Director of D-Lab working with multi-sectoral clients from higher education, industry, start-ups, accelerator hubs, government and research agencies, she provides tailored consulting programs, projects and services. For more information, contact Jacyl at jacyl.shaw@ghd.com.
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