The emphasis in judging applicants for the AIPC Innovation Award will be on how effectively the innovation addresses its stated objectives, which may be to improve efficiency, increase marketability, effect cost savings, achieve environmental goals or improve market position. Specifically, the evaluation criteria that will guide the panel of judges are as follows:

1. Originality of the innovation:

a. Is it a new concept or a variation of an existing idea?
b. Is it unique to congress centres or adapted from other areas?
c. Was it developed independently or in cooperation with others?

2. Impact of the innovation:

a. Will it make a fundamental change in processes or simply a minor adjustment?
b. Will it impact multiple operational areas or just one specific area?
c. Will it lead to more potential uses / applications within other functions of the organization?

3. Practicality of its application:

a. Will it be readily integrated into existing systems?
b. Will it be cost-effective to implement?
c. Does its implementation present any risk / uncertainty to ongoing operations?

4. Measurability of the benefits:

a. Is there a measurable cost saving?
b. Does it result in measurable revenue increases?
c. Does it create measurable efficiencies in operations / marketing?

5. The development process:

a. Did the development of the innovation lead to better internal processes (i.e., teambuilding, problem solving?)
b. Can the development approach be applied to similar problems / opportunities?
c. Will staff learn / benefit from the experience?

6. Applicability:

a. Is this an innovation that can be applied to other facilities?
b. Is it specific to one region or country, or could it be applied internationally?
c. Could it lead to changes in how industry processes are carried out?