Innovation and Creativity in Engineering Design: Module Overview

This module aimsto show you that an innovative and creative approach to solutionsto technical engineering problems can bring value to almost any engineering activity, and how they are increasing in demand with engineering employers. It will help you develop some advanced skills in design and innovation so that you can apply them in ‘embedded contexts’ which reflect your own engineering discipline and career development trajectory.

In this module students will explore how successful innovations emerge and how designers, technologists, managers and end-users create and apply new ideas and inventions. Students will look at how these are translated into marketable products or processes and how they can combine commercial and competitive advantage with ensuring a socially, economically and environmentally sustainable future. Students will work individually on a project that makes use of the ideas and methods taught in the course.

On successful completion of this module, student should be able to:

1. Critically evaluate and apply appropriate innovation and creativity tools and techniques to solve a technical problem to achieve a sustainable future.

2. Reflect objectively on your own career aspirations and potential professional development for the next 10 years to produce a suitable output for dissemination.

You will also acces environmental life cycle analysis and appropriate future technologies in your engineering discipline.

As part of your continuing professional development you will assess how ethical engineering concepts and your responsibility of as an individual engineer is part of your future career as an engineer striving for a sustainable future for the planet. You will also consider how this interaction with the responsibilities of governments, industrial companies and nongovernmental institutions. You will plot your career path using an appropriate technique such as trajectory diagram and produce an enhanced CV for external use.

A list of possible examples of suitable areas which could be used for your solving of technical problems is shown below. These are not exhaustive and you are encouraged to explore novel ways of achieving the learning outcomes;

- Apply creative methodologies for the solution of a design problem that affects the function of a component and undertake a suitable study to overcome this,

- Undertake a study of your engineering industry and look at a specific problem in design, manufacture, construction or infrastructure.

- Solve a process problem which has affected the manufacture of a project, the supply of a service or a maintenance activity.

You will undertake a structured reflection on your work to solve a particular technical problem and locating the demonstrable outcomes in an academic context.

An individual technical report and presentation (any format) that demonstrates the use, and application of innovation and creativity concepts and theory to solve a technical problem to achieve a sustainable future This is word count includes the initial innovation project report 2,500 words in length or equivalent with a power point presentation of around , giving a total word count of words

An individual refection of your own career aspirations and potential professional development for the next 10 years, you should use the appropriate tools from the module and be guided as to the output medium.