Value Engineering: A Practical Application of Creative Thinking

The use of purposeful creative thinking in business is continuing to grow because it is highly successful in solving problems. Occasionally, however, results are below expectations because either the wrong problem was solved or the ideas were not incorporated. Solving the wrong problem can be avoided through early and correct problem recognition and precise problem definition prior to the “creative phase”. Successful incorporation of feasible ideas may be assured by continuing use of creativity in the analysis, selection, development, implementation, and follow-up of the best ideas. Thus, effective use of value engineering avoids the possibility of allowing creative activity to become an interesting but nonproductive game.

By showing how value engineering discipline organizes the use of creativity, this paper emphasizes one of the reasons why VE is widely recognized as the best management discipline yet developed for reaping unbelievable profit rewards of practically oriented, logically applied creativity.