Innovation for Chemical Engineers

In-company

Overview

In engineering, it’s useful to distinguish between creativity and innovation. Creativity is the act of having good ideas; innovation is the process of making the good idea a reality. We live in a changing world, and therefore the capacity to innovate is essential. This course brings the concepts of creative thinking and innovation directly to the chemical engineer, aiming to equip participants with sufficient background and techniques to improve their creative thinking, resulting in innovation of processes and products.

After an introduction to creativity in the context of chemical engineering, the course will provide an overview of the entire process of creative problem-solving, addressing the vital issue of problem definition, and the identification and removal of blocks to creative thought. We will then explore effective techniques for generating new ideas. Following this, we will consider techniques for converging on the most suitable ideas. The course closes by considering the implementation and evaluation of ideas, helping you translate your creative thinking into product and process innovation.

A series of case studies, activities and exercises adapted from the world of chemical engineering will be used to help you develop your aptitude for innovation. You will be encouraged to share experiences and challenges relating to creative problem-solving from your professional lives.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course, you will be able to:

• understand the role of creative thinking within the context of chemical engineering innovation
• appreciate the importance of environment and team dynamics in creative problem solving
• apply criteria to help define the real problem
• recognise mental blocks and initiate their removal by ‘blockbusting’ techniques
• appreciate a range of creative processes for identifying solutions to the real problem
• apply techniques for selecting an appropriate solution
• understand the process of implementing a solution effectively
• evaluate a solution against the criteria of effectiveness, safety and ethics.

Who will benefit

• Early career engineers who want to gain skills and experience required for chartered status
• Senior engineers who want to release the creative potential of their extensive engineering experience
• Teams and individuals tasked with delivering technical innovation for products and processes
• Teams and individuals tasked with process development and scale-up

Course outline

• Introduction to the creative process for engineers
• The importance of environment and team dynamics
• Defining the real problem
• Breaking down barriers to generating ideas; blocks and blockbusting techniques
• Techniques for generating new ideas and solutions
• Techniques for converging on the most appropriate ideas or solutions.
• Implementing a solution; the process of approval, planning, carry-through and follow-up
• Evaluating a solution for innovative, safety and ethical considerations

In-company delivery

This course is available for in-company delivery, either on-site or online. Content can be tailored to your specific requirements. Request a quotation.