Innovation Process Model of the Meaning of a Service - A Case Study in Home Automation

Abstract

Instead of a market-pull and technology-push dichotomy, applying one of the Six Senses posited by Pink (2006), the ‘Meaning’ in product innovation, this study proposes an Service Innovation Process Model based on the Design Driven innovation (DDI) process advocated by Verganti (2009), and business model configuration depicted by Battistella et al., (2012). The latter is already an extension of the former; this study further extends the model to a service design, value co-creation with stakeholders, market penetration, and market feedback as a complete cycle. The objective is to bring in radical service innovation with minimum possible risk. Repertory Grid technique had been employed to explore the affordance of the proposed new applications in the DDI process in a case study of Home Automation. It was found that the findings in the Repertory Grid were quite aligned with those in the DDI process. The case study illustrated stakeholders’ involvement throughout the process is required in order to achieve the objective. It also reveals a real life example in designing the detail workflow/process/user experience of a new service after the DDI process. Product-focused had to be complemented with service-focused innovation in order to be sustainable. Although there is no one-size-fits all Innovation process model, this study demonstrates a practical way to explore the ‘Meaning’ of a Service in a holistic practical approach.