Innovation Workshop 2020

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The 2020 Water Conference will include a new opportunity to promote innovation in our industry. There is a 1.5 hour slot devoted to this challenge, that I have agreed to coordinate.

From experience, the best technical innovation occurs when there is a known problem to solve that can have extensive application. Often solutions can be adapted or developed by building on existing technologies or approaches. For this commitment we often fall to the supplier, consulting or scientific communities for investment.

So why not help these communities - by identifying problems?

This workshop will be devoted to revealing technical problems facing the industry. When we know how extensive these problems are, there should be more incentive for them to commit to development of new solutions through innovation.

You are invited to help.

Would you be prepared to present your big six challenges that your employer faces in the next 30 years? They must be challenges that are constrained by:

  • Ready access to suitable or new technology
  • Legal or planning limitations
  • Public or community group opposition
  • Geography and/or resource use
  • Skills

NOTE: Cost is a constraint that is deliberately omitted. Innovation will not happen when it is constrained by cost from the onset.

  • You would have no more than 5 minutes to present. This would allow 12-15 presentations in the session.
  • As the workshop proceeds, the audience would be asked to prepare questions about these challenges that they record and pass to the coordinator of the workshop.
  • After the workshop, the coordinator would then undertake to collate the challenges and questions and canvass the industry to identify how widespread the issues are. The results of the canvassing would then be given back to those in the room as challenges for future innovation.
  • I hope you are keen to take part in trying out a new idea to link our water industry that enables Water New Zealand to show technical collaboration and leadership for its entire membership.

If you are willing to present or even just send me your challenges, please contact me at:

Rob.Blakemore@wellingtonwater.co.nz
Tel 021302801

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