Revving up the engine of progress

Dr Munib Karavdic is the founder and CEO of WAVE Design, which has a longstanding partnership with @AuManufacturing and has been involved in this title’s Australia’s 50 Most Innovative Manufacturers campaign for the last couple of years. He shares some observations on what sets the best innovators apart.

There’s a quote from the legendary football coach, Jimmy Johnson: “The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra.” At WAVE, we believe that “little extra” is embedded in innovation. It’s what elevates ideas – solutions – from good to game-changing, and it’s the force we’re committed to helping organisations discover within themselves. 

So, what is an innovation? Many people mistakenly believe innovation needs to be jaw-dropping or groundbreaking, but at its core, it’s about creating value in unexpected ways. Innovation is about identifying challenges that matter and solving real problems.. It’s about pushing boundaries, exploring the unknown, and embracing change, positioning businesses to lead in local and global markets. 

Do you think you belong on @AuManufacturing’s list of Australia’s 50 Most Innovative Manufacturers? Apply to be recognised in this exclusive group here. It’s completely free to enter, and we’ll be celebrating the announcement of the 50 Most Innovative list and the award winners at a special breakfast event on May 7 at Crown Melbourne, during Australian Manufacturing Week.

Why is innovation critical for Australian manufacturing? Innovation isn’t just a perk for manufacturing—it’s essential. We’re currently witnessing a low contribution of manufacturing to our GDP, hovering around 6%. We’re at a turning point where manufacturing can be redefined in Australia, leveraging the knowledge economy to meet today’s global challenges. 

There are many tangible benefits associated with innovation – but three of the most relevant here are: 

1. Innovation builds resilience: In a competitive, rapidly shifting economy, innovation helps organisations and industries adapt and thrive, by rapidly responding to emerging trends. 
2. Innovation fuels growth: By embedding lean practices, intelligent manufacturing, and eco-friendly approaches, we pave the way for long-term, sustainable success. 
3. Innovation boosts the national economy: It creates new jobs, enables regional development, and strengthens Australia’s position on the world stage. 

Now, let’s look at what we’ve learned from @AuManufacturing’s recognition of the top innovators in the sector over the last few years. Having had the privilege of helping set up the judging criteria and evaluating these inspiring companies, I’ve observed four main qualities that set these top innovators apart from the rest: 

1. They understand the problem: The leaders in innovation have a deep understanding of customer needs. They go beyond immediate feedback. They anticipate evolving demands, and seek to deeply understand the root cause of the problems faced by their customers. 
2. They use rapid prototyping and iterative improvement: The best way to reduce risk in manufacturing is to start small, and slowly scale up. Cardboard prototypes that cost nothing to build. Computational models that hint at real-world capabilities. Simple prototypes reduce the cost and cycle time of making improvements. While launching with a fanfare is fun, the wisest companies know a “soft, and quiet” launch is the best way to ensure success. Build. Test. Learn.
3. They have dedicated resources and an agreed process for innovation: Innovation must be more than a tagline. Many companies claim innovation is “at the core of everything they do” but few follow through on that promise. Winning manufacturers have a defined process for innovation which is a critical indicator of success. Knowing how to frame the problem, research the problem, generate ideas to solve the problem, develop a concept, design and test a solution and finally launch the solution to market is the best way to achieve results, again, with the lowest risk possible. 
4. They see technology as an enabler – not the solution: Many organisations (and engineers) fall in love with their solutions. It’s understandable. Many spend months, sometimes years, perfecting the mechanical, digital, and other systems that enable their solutions to work. But that’s just the point. That word. Enable. At the end of the day the things we build are there to do something of value. While it’s tempting to call a new system or process innovative, it’s actually the value solutions create, not the solutions themselves, that define innovation. 

At WAVE, we firmly believe that innovation is the engine of progress. It’s our mission to help organisations tap into their potential, harnessing creativity and resilience to unlock new opportunities. So, let’s bring that “little extra” to Australian manufacturing. Thank you.

This above message featured in the launch webinar for Australia’s 50 Most Innovative Manufacturers, published last week. The webinar be seen below. It also features a Q and A with Stefanie Winwood from BluGlass and Martin Kadaravek from Pectin 360.

Australia’s 50 Most Innovative Manufacturers is an annual campaign by @AuManufacturing. The current version has been made possible through the generous support of Australia Wide Engineering Recruitment, TXM Lean Solutions, the Industry Capability Network, Bonfiglioli Australia, the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre and the SmartCrete CRC. You can nominate here (there is no administration fee) until March 15.