Engineering Design as Creativity, Innovation and Value Adding.
Includes Sub-Courses: Creative Thinking Processes & Strategies, Managing IP and IP Marketing.
2-3 April 2025, 4-5 June 2025, 8-9 October 2025
ECSA CPD Accreditation. Credits: 2 – CPD Reference number: SAIChE-381.
A new and interesting course to enhance creative developments and innovative ideas in all fields of engineering. There is something of a dire need for creative work in Africa and it is important to see the possibilities in the right perspective. The course first addresses the thought processes of the human mind and the sub-conscious mind to point out the first level of important constraints from human biases and illusions and then addresses an interesting, focussed summary of thinking processes from global leaders in these studies.
A main topic of review is counter-intuitive thinking as so much of big science (Einstein, Planck) innovation and engineering is counter-intuitive (CI) and a lot of CI thinking has pointed the way to seeking opportunities for innovation and importantly value adding. Prior times have seen much CI research work done under the auspices of E4A and associate companies and CI is thus used as a main sector of case studies for this course.
Du Pont was also an associate of E4A and E4A predecessors and a short course on their awards program is also addressed to use as illustrations of innovative work.
The IChemE program titled – Chemical Engineering Matters will also be shared.
An overview of intellectual property (IP) – its nature, value & limitations will be presented.
This course also provides an analysis of constraints from marketing, cost of development, human needs focus and energy optimisation.
The concluding sessions will address a range of developments that overcame hurdles and these will be used to direct effort in future workplaces.
MAIN OBJECTIVES
The lead objective is to develop skills amongst attendees to seek out opportunities that can be applied in the African workplace to add value to African companies and benefit economies on many fronts. Much emphasis will be placed on avoiding excessive constraints and keeping an open mind to drive new business opportunities and achieve real value-add.
Economic benefits are achieved through break-through new processes and products.
Attendee comments:
“Very Insightful and valuable course”
– Hannes P.
“I enjoyed that this was an online course, it was presented in a very professional and engaging manner”
– Jo L.
“I am really happy and impressed with the content. I think this should be presented at university to future engineers”
– Fakih FN.