Toolkits for open innovation - the case of mobile phone games

Abstract

User toolkits enable consumers to develop customized product applications without having dedicated technical knowledge. Applied in the field of handheld computing, toolkits are a very powerful instrument to meet the growing demand for customized mobile applications. In this paper, the theoretical principles and functionalities of user interaction toolkits are translated into a technical software concept for mobile phone games. The presented toolkit is a new Internet based application allowing users to create a customized game on their desktop computer and to transfer it to handheld devices. In contrast to well known open source software development projects, no programming expertise is required. Thus, participation of innovative users is comparatively easy. In line with the open source concept, but as an extending feature to the toolkit approach, the presented solution is embedded in an online community. Thus, contributions by innovative users can be stored in a library leading to a continuously growing information pool of available components. Games and components can be passed on easily between customers, facilitating the adoption of other users' contributions as well as collaborative development between users. The community feature of the toolkit does not only provide the common toolset of online communities allowing for user-to-user communication, e.g. chats and bulletin boards, or text based contributions, e.g. recommendations, product evaluations and voting tools, but it also enables users to exchange and jointly develop actual product prototypes. In this regard, the presented 'toolkit for open innovation' is the foundation of a 'value web' in a unique manner: a value web in between consumers and users. The paper further derives economic benefits of the developed toolkit for mobile phone game creation theoretically and integrates them into a diversified business model. The toolkit as a distinct performance feature has the potential to establish a social environment for its most enthusiastic users and thereby to strengthen user relationships with the provider and increase overall business success.