Categories & Domains
WAiTTA and the National iAwards have aligned. The Awards span ICT excellence across seven domains recognising individual achievement, product innovation and project excellence. There are 19 awards detailed below.
WAiTTA and the iAwards provides opportunties to both the companies at the cutting edge of technology innovation as well as leading professionals across the industry to be recognised and celebrated.
The following Domains are for groups to enter: Development, Industry, Services, Society and Student. Groups could be teams, companies or organisations whether an internal IT department, a start-up software developer or a joint client project. WAiTTA and the iAwards seeks to shine a spotlight on ICT product, technical solutions or projects showcasing innovation.
WAiTTA and the iAwards also recognises the contribution of individuals in the ICT industry in the Professional Domain: WAiTTA recognising the CIO of the Year and ICT Educator of the Year. And the WAiTTA Achiever Domain recognising the WA ICT Achiever of the Year. Many of these individuals work in larger organisations but the sector is also significant for the number of successful one-person or very small organisations who are world beaters in terms of innovative output.
The recognition of the work these people do, and their contribution to the strength of the overall digital economy, in Australia, is a vital element in ensuring ICT innovation is nurtured and encouraged.
Domain Overview
Development Domain
ICT in Australia’s research and development system, and
its resultant achievements, has achieved remarkable international success which
has put the industry in this country at the forefront of world attention in
many sectors.
Australian innovation across all sectors has seen
developments in the gaming sphere from individuals and small start-ups
through to major breakthroughs by groups such as CSIRO whose innovation has,
for instance, make wifi viable across the globe.
The
remarkable achievements being seen in the Development Domain are not limited by
the size of the companies or groups involved, or by number of individuals
concerned, but rather by the vision of those whose commitment and enthusiasm to
ICT appear boundless.
Industry Domain
Industry Domain
Awards recognise excellence in the application of ICT in a number of vertical
markets that delivers productivity improvements.
From robots in advanced manufacturing, to ICT systems that power cities and
undepin financial institutions and mining exploration and operations on which
our economy is based, technological innovation is the driving force which makes
it all happen.
Australian ICT developments are at the cutting edge of world innovation of
processes, systems and operation procedures and
are now widely utilised internationally to increase productivity and
output while maintain sustainable and ethical practices.
Services Domain
Services Domain encompass a broad range of areas, many
of which we may take for granted as consumers, students, citizens or patients.
Innovation is moving this sector along at huge speeds and the changes will
continue to affect everything we do in all facets of our daily lives.
Designed to deliver superior outcomes in service
delivery ICT helps those in the sector to implement efficiencies, to plan
costings, and develop forward projection models from which to build for the
future and form the foundations of ongoing sustainability.
Society Domain
Society Domain Awards recognises ICT excellence that meets current and ongoing community,
social and environmental needs of Australians wherever they are located.
Technology infrastructure is changing the way we as a society connect, work and
play.
The use of ICT to improve the community and lifestyle of
everyone either directly or indirectly,
is a guiding principle of the rapidly developing global digital economy in
which Australia is a major player.
The Society Domain encompasses the broad spectrum of
innovation from within the home, SMEs, agriculture and local industry through
to protecting the environment, implementing sustainable regional development
practices and providing a high standard of living which can remain a reachable
target into the foreseeable future.
Australian innovation is a world leader in developing and implementing
ICT that makes a difference to society.
Student Domain
Student Domain Awards recognises excellence in
Secondary, Tertiary Undergraduate and Postgraduate Student Projects. ICT
studies can be fun as well as educational and the projects undertaken by
students often display novel and unique approaches in applying innovation to a
wide range of highly creative and functional concepts. More often than not
adopting outside-of-the-box concepts, these projects can at times set the
scene for future commercial applications.
Educational institutions are often seen as the incubators
of innovative ICT practice, and the list of how everyday innovations which have
been created by students at such facilities are staggering. Formal and informal
competition between these institutions to continue coming up with good ideas
which are not only ground-breaking but also may have commercial applications is
intense, with the result that the standard of innovation is of the highest
order. The reputation of the institutions, and the career prospects of the
students involved, is often boosted by the quality and innovativeness of their
ICT project work.
Professional Domain
The Awards span the achievement of outstanding
individuals including the CIO of the Year and ICT Educator of the Year.
The contribution of these professionals to the ICT industry is fundamental to
its growth and success and Australia boasts some of the most innovative and
creative individuals in this sector whose input is second to none.
Many of these professionals work in larger organisations but the sector is also
significant for the number of successful one-person or very small organisations
who are world beaters in terms of innovative output.
The recognition of the work these people do, and their contribution to the
strength of the overall digital economy, in Australia, is a vital element in
ensuring ICT innovation is nurtured and encouraged.
Achiever Domain
WAiTTA celebrates the Western Australia ICT Achiever of the Year. An
individuals outstanding contribution to the ICT Industry in WA.
Category Overview
Achiever Domain - Achiever
The Achiever award recognises an individuals outstanding contribution to the ICT industry in WA. Past winners include IS managers, academics and persons who have built significant ICT organisations in WA. Nominations for this award may be made with or without the knowledge of the person being nominated.
Only the winner of this category will be announced at the Awards.
Development Domain - New Product
Early market product release (software, hardware, firmware)
The New Product award recognises an outstanding ICT product developed by an Australian organisation. The award covers the whole field of ICT (software, hardware, firmware etc) and can be from an established or start-up organisation. The New Product must have moved on from the conceptual stage and into production and sales. If the product has not yet reached this phase refer to the R&D category.
Development Domain - Research & Development
Pre-commercial research and development
R&D spending in Australia equates to more than 2% of GPD, or about $30 billion annually, and as such attracts huge numbers of innovators across all sectors of our business and daily lives. One of the great hurdles is moving from the concept of a good idea to that of a good idea that has workable applications which can be widely used. Australian innovators are increasingly moving from being predominately R&D modifiers - adapting existing products and processes that have already been developed, modified and then marketed - to being highly successful first-mover R&D innovators.
Development Domain - Tools
Management, middleware, integration and platforms
ICT solutions that provide tools for the management or creation of hardware or software infrastructure are integral to the success of providing stable and efficient platforms on which to build efficient operating platforms for all sectors of business, industry and personal life.
The challenge for innovators is to try to foresee what business may need and develop the tools and infrastructure to enable these business demands to be met in real time but within the pragmatic constraints of budget and practicality.
Industry Domain - Financial
Banking, finance and insurance
The application of ICT in the financial sector is critical to the success of organisations within it, and to giving them a business edge in this highly competitive market. Central to this is the ability to apply innovation that meets the demands of the community for access and security, while also satisfying business imperatives and stringent government regulations. The commercial financial market is truly global and processes and systems need ICT solutions to ensure they can compete in real time across international boundaries and regulatory systems.
Industry Domain - Industrial
Manufacturing, construction, transport, utilities
Industry is experiencing a new industrial revolution with the digital economy the overarching motivator and deliverer of change within this sector. Encompassing areas across a range of industry segments including advanced manufacturing, construction, transport, logistics and utilities. Australia is regarded as a leader in ICT industry innovation and many locally developed products and processes have made their mark internationally. From small business to giant enterprises, industry has embraced ICT innovation to deliver improved outcomes in industrial processes and activity.
Industry Domain - Resources
Mining, oil and gas exploration, operations and processing
Australias abundant mineral resources, sophisticated mining equipment, technology and services industry, and proximity to the rapidly growing Asian markets, have made it a world leading mining and oil and gas nation. Next generation improvements in productivity are likely to come from innovations in the fields of automation and integration of the overall knowledge base seamlessly across the resources value chain.
Digital productivity is core to this vision through dealing with large and complex data sets, extracting knowledge from data, building intelligent and automated machines suitable for remote operation and in integrating the mining, oil and gas processes -- from exploration through extraction, processing to end-of-life rehabilitation. A strong focus on R&D and innovation in the resources sector includes the development of mining, oil and gas software and equipment; scientific analysis; exploration assessment technology; processing technology; environmental services; and health and safety services and equipment.
Professional Domain - CIO of the Year
Awarded to the CIO demonstrating the most substantial improvement in the performance of their organisation based on excellence in ICT leadership and innovation.
The Chief Information Officer of any organisation is at the helm of innovative development and change within that organisation, and it is their vision and willingness to move forward and take risks that can set their comany ahead of the field.
By demonstrating substantial improvement in the performance of their organisation based on excellence in ICT leadership and innovation, the CIO directs and implements ICT operations with a view to budgetary and performance targets while also looking for that innovative edge to increase competitiveness.
Professional Domain - ICT Educator of the Year
Awarded to a Western Australian educator who has shown excellence in ICT education and demonstrated exceptional outcomes for both students and employers.
ICT educators are the developers of future ICT leaders and their influence on the future direction of the industry is profound. By enthusing young students about ICT and the excitement and possibilities the industry offers, these educators are the funnel through which tomorrows ICT generation is directed.
Western Australian educators are known for their excellence in ICT education and for demonstrating exceptional outcomes for both students and employers; skills and attributes ensure the industry is in good hands moving forward.
Services Domain - Consumer
Retail, media, entertainment, gaming, tourism and communications
Consumer focused industries are fast moving and highly competitive sectors where ICT innovation can enable companies to move quickly and seamlessly from a product focus to a customer focus by providing the technology to deliver in line with customer requirements rather than to production possibilities.
With digitisation, the new media and entertainment industry embrace the best ICT innovation to set the companies or individuals involved apart from the throng and make them leaders in their field. From gaming - where Australia is a world leader - to development of social media platforms, innovative application of ICT is a game breaker. Underpinning this is communications technology that is broadly seen as the exchange of thoughts, messages, or information by means such as speech, signals, writing, or behaviour in short just about everything we all do in business and private activities all day, every day.
Services Domain - Education
e-Learning, training and development
The scope of education is expanding on an almost daily basis and has moved from traditional areas such as schools and tertiary institutions into homes, businesses and industry. Finding new and innovative products to open new markets for e-learning, while expanding existing ones, has produced some extraordinary results from Australian innovators.
The local market, however, is not quarantined from global competition and a challenge is to continue growing the uptake of e-learning through innovative product and ensuing customers and learners are able to easily adapt to the new format of learning.
The Education iAward recognises the most successful and innovative application of ICT to the delivery of education and training.
Services Domain - Government
eGovernment, governance, public sector
Government has moved from an initial phase of transitioning traditional services to online models through to improving service delivery for the community via the implementation and development of ICT innovation being applied to new products and refining existing ones.
The challenge for innovators in government is to continue improving service delivery to community while meeting government budget and efficiency targets. At the same time, demands to broaden the reach of government services to ensure maximum uptake must be met.
The Government iAward is presented for outstanding ICT innovation dedicated to delivering improved government service delivery or other electronic initiatives to the community.
Services Domain - Health
e-Health, healthcare and telehealth
Development of ICT solutions in health in Australia support superior outcomes across the broad spectrum of services and activities delivered by health-care professionals. These innovations will help the implementation of e-health and increase accessibility to health services for all Australians.
ICT innovation is helping to ensure health data is secure while also giving individuals and health professionals immediate access to records from anywhere in Australia, potentially saving lives in emergency situations. Other major e-health are revolutionising the health sector and making reforms to Australias health-care system a reality.
The nomination may be any application of software and/or hardware that relates to the services provided by a healthcare organisation, system or professional to promote, maintain, monitor, manage or restore health in individuals or communities.
Society Domain - Community
Digital inclusion, e-community and social cohesion
ICT is rapidly helping to break down the barriers that prevent some members of the community from fully participating in, and contributing to, their society. Australian innovators are renowned for their developments that enhance social inclusion and improve the wellbeing of the community.
The recognition of the importance of ICT in supporting, promoting and encouraging social inclusion and community cohesion has presented the sector with challenges in how best to develop and apply innovation to facilitate these goals while also ensuring the technology is accessible and affordable.
Society Domain - Regional
Regional, rural or remote ICT solutions e-agriculture, agribusiness, rural development
The Regional category covers innovative ICT solutions in a regional, rural or remote location. Solutions may be developed by organisations based outside of the capital cities employing ICT professionals and supporting the growth of the local software economy. This category also covers projects whereby implementation and benefits are predominantly delivered to regional, rural and remote communities, excluding nominations in the Mining and Resources area. This may cover but is not limited to e-agriculture, agribusiness, rural development, local government or businesses. Initiatives in NBN early release sites or towns outside of the capital cities are encouraged to showcase their unique applications of ICT to their local context.
Society Domain - Sustainability
Green IT and environmental sustainability
ICT spending globally is expected to top $3.7 trillion this year, a growing percentage of which is on technology developed to improve environmental outcomes to meet community expectations while allowing for sustainable and viable business and industry growth.
Companies and individuals within the green and sustainable IT sector are faced with the challenge of developing solutions that offset, or at least minimise, the consequences of development and economic growth while meeting the needs that demand such development and growth. Using ICT innovation for cleaner, greener technology has become an imperative for the community, government and industry and one which presents huge opportunities to Australian innovators.
Student Domain - Postgraduate Tertiary Student
Postgraduate study is for the first time being recognised by WAiTTA and iAwards in 2013 as increasingly outstanding innovations are being developed in the shadows on campus. Tertiary Student Award recognises the most outstanding project undertaken by a tertiary (postgraduate) student or group of students during either coursework or research Masters, Doctoral or Post-Doctoral programs.
Student Domain - Secondary Student Project
The inclusion of a broad range of ICT subjects through secondary school curriculums has presented young students with great opportunities to explore this exciting field and examine the almost unlimited career offerings which ICT can open up.
Secondary Student Award is presented to the most outstanding ICT project undertaken by a secondary student or group of secondary students.
Student Domain - Tertiary Student Project
Tertiary Undergraduate study often has students work collaborative on a project which replicates how real IT projects are run in industry. It may be a university assignment or extra-curricular project undertaken by the student or student group who are registerd as active undergraduate students in higher-learning institution, such as college or university.
Tertiary Student recognises the most outstanding project undertaken by a tertiary (undergraduate) student or group of students.
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