Structuring User Involvement in Panel-Based Living Labs

Dimitri Schuurman,Lieven De Marez

doi:10.22215/timreview/606

Abstract

IntroductionAlthough the quotation topping this article may sound dated, this line of reasoning is closely associated with the technology-push paradigm and has dominated the view on innovation for a long time. The market-pull paradigm, dating back to the 1960s, shifted the focus from pure invention and development of technology towards the eventual adopter and user of the

Highlights

The quotation topping this article may sound dated, this line of reasoning is closely associated with the technology-push paradigm and has dominated the view on innovation for a long time
With the recent advent of the open-innovation paradigm, end-users have reclaimed their place within innovation processes, in new media and ICT
This article sheds light on the question of which users to involve in a living lab project by providing a framework for customer characteristics in innovation

Summary

Technology Innovation Management Review

Dimitri Schuurman and Lieven De Marez “ ” I just invent, wait until man comes around to needing what I've invented. A shift towards open innovation approaches with systematic user involvement has occurred within media and ICT. One of the emerging frameworks structuring these initiatives is the "living lab" approach. Despite the growing evidence of the beneficial nature of customer involvement in product development, research into specific user characteristics for innovation is still scarce, in living labs, with the notable exception of literature on lead users. Within the context of living labs for ICT and media innovation, an application of the lead-user framework looks promising as a way to structure and facilitate user involvement. This article is based on the experiences of three Flemish living lab initiatives with a panel-based approach and provides a customer characteristics framework that guides user involvement in living labs

Introduction

Customer Characteristics for User Involvement

User Characteristics in Living Labs

Conclusion