Page 12 - AAA JULY-AUGUST 2012 Online Magazine

FEATURE INNOVATION

Innovation:

Making it Happen

Every airline organisation seems to be waving the
“innovation” flag at the moment. And there is no doubt
that innovation has made the industry more efficient,
more accessible – and safer. But exactly what is it –
and how do companies make sure it happens in their
teams? By Jeremy Torr

Back in 1987, northwest airlines have us believe. even though composite
pilot robert Plath was sick of lugging his structures and components have been
flight bag and suitcase on and off planes flying for decades, they are still being
as he did his job across the Us. he spent touted as innovative – it’s simply a matter
a weekend or two in his workshop, fixing of marketing and perception.
a pair of skateboard wheels onto the
bottom of a suitcase. it worked ok, but the Nature or nurture?
suitcases still wandered as they rolled, one thing that is obvious when it comes
and were hard to tow. his real innovation to innovative companies across the
was to add a handle that extended from the spectrum of manufacturing, services and
case, to give it guidance and a comfortable operations is that innovation does not
walk/tow position. the innovative wheely- just happen. it needs to have the right
case was born. environment, the right atmosphere to
how did Plath come up with such an nurture it, and the right infrastructure
innovative idea? it was born of necessity, to make sure it doesn’t get wasted in the
but as kurichi kumar, director of back rooms of the r&D department. ABOVE Virtual 3D walk-
research & technology at rolls-royce as Qantas executive manager of through technology
enables Airbus designers
seletar campus in singapore observes, customer experience alison webster to visualise interiors
the rollaboard (as Plath named his puts it, innovation is both a way of thinking
invention) was probably a quirk in the and of working. “it’s all about enabling RIGHT Naguib Mohd Nor
history of innovation. creativity and providing permission to take of Strand Aerospace
“innovation is not necessarily about risks, with the knowledge that success Malaysia says innovation
finding that one eureka moment. these might not always be the end game,” she has to be systemic
probably account for only about 1% of explains. webster says Qantas workers
all innovation,” he says. “the other 99% are encouraged and given a mandate to
comes from incremental improvement; think outside the normal development
changes to design, manufacturing processes and challenge the ways things
processes, materials and the relentless are done.
pursuit of excellence.” which is something “From the successes we have
that in general the airline industry is very achieved so far, we see the best way to
good at. impacting factors like safety, rule embed innovation into the workforce is to
application, certification and authorisation enable permission for it to occur, to drive
all make startling new innovations more the team to believe in ‘the possible’ and to
rare than many company blurbs would celebrate the successes,” she adds.
12 ASIAN AIRLINES & AIRPORTS JULY / AUGUST 2012 WWW.ASIANAIRLINES-AIRPORTS.COM