Potential Future Users Research Articles

Facilitating the Transition to an Inverter Dominated Power System: Experimental Evaluation of a Non-Intrusive Add-On Predictive Controller

The transition to an inverter-dominated power system is expected with the large-scale integration of distributed energy resources (DER). To improve the dynamic response of DERs already installed within such a system, a non-intrusive add-on controller referred to as SPAACE (set point automatic adjustment with correction enabled), has been proposed in the literature. Extensive simulation-based analysis and supporting mathematical foundations have helped establish its theoretical prevalence. This paper establishes the practical real-world relevance of SPAACE via a rigorous performance evaluation utilizing a high fidelity hardware-in-the-loop systems test bed. A comprehensive methodological approach to the evaluation with several practical measures has been undertaken and the performance of SPAACE subject to representative scenarios assessed. With the evaluation undertaken, the fundamental hypothesis of SPAACE for real-world applications has been proven, i.e., improvements in dynamic performance can be achieved without access to the internal controller. Furthermore, based on the quantitative analysis, observations, and recommendations are reported. These provide guidance for future potential users of the approach in their efforts to accelerate the transition to an inverter-dominated power system.

Database on apple fruit pests of the EU to support pest risk assessments.

In December 2013, EFSA received a first mandate from the European Commission DG SANTE to gather information on the pests of apple fruit (Malus domestica) in the EU territory (M-2014-0016). To satisfy the mandate, EFSA developed an overall approach to systematically collect information on EU apple pests and to organise it within a bespoke database with support from the Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety. Test data were collected for 12 apple pests (6 insects and 6 pathogens). Based on the experience gathered, the initial database structure was adapted and refined by EFSA, permitting more efficient data gathering. In September 2017, as a follow-up to the original mandate, EFSA was requested by the European Commission DG SANTE to test the suitability of the revised database in supporting risk assessors in third countries to carry out pest risk assessments of apple fruit as a commodity (M-2017-0203). As a first step, the data set on the 12 pests was migrated into the newly revised database structure. This was then converted into the MicroStrategy platform to provide a user-friendly interface for data search and visualisation. At the same time, a new data entry tool using the systematic literature review software DistillerSR was created to enhance data extraction for future data collections. The interactive data reports were shared with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) in New Zealand for their testing and feedback as potential future users of the database. The overall feedback collected from CFIA and MPI confirms that the EU database on apple fruit pests could become an important tool to provide third countries the necessary technical and biological information for their pest risk assessments. Addressing feedback from CFIA and MPI has further improved the database structure and metadata. The database of apple pests can be included in the EFSA Scientific Data Warehouse and extended to provide a comprehensive list of pests and host plants.

Improving access to health of Migrants in France. Qualitative assessment of a national guide

Abstract The National Public Health Agency and the Committee for the healthcare of persons in exile are providing, in the service of professionals, a Practical Guide for the care and the accompaniment of Migrants Foreigners living in precarious conditions, in France. The 2015 edition of this guide has been subjected to qualitative assessment in order to gather information regarding its use, the way it is perceived by its users, as well as their subsequent expectations, in order to design a new version that is more adapted to their needs. The study was carried out in December 2018 by an independent market research institute with the following design: 24 face-to-face interviews, whose duration was 1h30min, involving current users or past users: 6 working in structures specialised in accommodation for migrants, 6 in health care facilities, 6 in municipal or departmental social service facilities.3 focus groups, of 7-8 people, whose duration was 2H30min, involving potential future users of the guide. The recruitment of the participants took place in 3 cities as well as the overseas departments. The findings show: the legitimacy of this guide which is co-produced by an official national agency and an association recognized for its expertise.the interest of a transversal and multi-professional approach which allows to better grasp the social, legal and medical support and carethe need for information and operational resources This assessment underlines the relevance of the content and the symbolic importance of this guide which ’materializes’ the needs in terms of access to the rights and health of migrant people, often overlooked by professionals and administrations. It is thus a vehicle of vocational training and advocacy on this subject. The study provides concrete ways of optimization, particularly via digitalization, in order to cope with the rapid obsolescence of information, the availability of local directories and the need for exchange of professional practices. Key messages A national guide co written by a national agency and an association is a relevant tool to draw attention to migrants needs. Qualitative assessment highlighted the operationnal and symbolic role of this guide to foster cross professionnal work.

A user's perspective on GeoMxTM digital spatial profiling.

Characterization of spatial protein expression for multiple targets from a single tissue is difficult to perform, especially due to the limitations of multiplex immunohistochemistry and tissue heterogeneity. Therefore, a new technology is required that permits detailed and simultaneous expression profiling of proteins within a defined region of interest (ROI). To address this unmet need, NanoString Technologies developed a new technology, GeoMxTM digital spatial profiling (DSP), which currently enables simultaneous and guided detection of up to 40 antibodies (probes) from a single formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue. DSP probes are tagged with unique photocleavable DNA oligos that are released after guided ultraviolet exposure in specific ROIs. Digital quantification of the released oligos by NanoString's nCounter® system provides a detailed expression profile of proteins within these discrete ROIs. In this article, we will describe our experience with the GeoMx DSP platform using cancer FFPE tissues. These expression profiles will provide better characterization and understanding of tumor heterogeneity and the tumor micro-environment, enabling the improvement of patient therapy and the identification of potential biomarker signatures. The purpose of this article is to offer potential future users an independent insight into the DSP platform and a comprehensive idea of usability, including advantages and current limitations of the technology based on our current experience with the beta version of NanoString's DSP platform as part of the DSP beta-testing program. The GeoMxTM Digital Spatial Profiling (DSP) platform is a non-destructive technique for regional in-depth protein expression profiling. Using oligonucleotide detection technologies, the GeoMxTM DSP enables simultaneous high-level multiplexing on a single FFPE tissue. Here, we focus on our current experience derived from our biomarker research using the beta version of the DSP instrument.

Survey on the social acceptance of the productive façade concept integrating photovoltaic and farming systems in high-rise public housing blocks in Singapore

Productive façades (PFs) that integrate photovoltaic (PV) panels and vertical farming (VF) planters are designed to act as sustainable, multi-functional, modular building envelope systems. Singapore is the second most densely populated country in the world and its high-rise buildings play a critical role in the urban context offering a significantly larger surface area of walls than roofs. PFs represent an appropriate, novel technological response to a number of issues Singapore is facing such as a high dependence on imported energy and food, scarcity of land, planned reduction of greenhouse gases (GHGs) and the increase of high-rise greenery coverage. The potential of PFs in harvesting solar energy, which is currently the most viable renewable energy source (RES), and in utilizing the characteristics of the urban context, is promising. The study analyses the acceptance of the developed PF concept by its potential future users—residents of high-rise public housing blocks. A door-to-door survey was conducted among the residents of the Housing & Development Board (HDB) buildings (consisting of apartments or flats) with two main purposes: examining whether the residents accept or are positively inclined towards the PF concept and its implementation and secondly, identifying their preferences related to aesthetical qualities, use and maintenance of PF designs. The results indicate a highly affirmative response among a very high percentage of respondents towards gardening. They also indicate that PF concepts promoting small-scale VF adequately fit the needs of HDB residents. The preferences of the potential future users regarding PF types are further presented and discussed. The insights obtained will help further the knowledge on PFs and directly assist planners, architects, contractors and decision makers (DMs) as guidelines in the design of PFs in the tropics, enabling such systems to meet the needs, expectations and preferences of users and to address their concerns.

Sustainable Urban Transport Planning Considering Different Stakeholder Groups by an Interval-AHP Decision Support Model

Sustainable urban transport requires smart and environmentally-friendly technical solutions. It also needs to meet the demands of different user groups, including current and potential future users, in order to avoid opposition of the citizens and to support sustainable development decisions. While these requirements are well-known, conducting full surveys of user needs and preferences are tedious and costly, and the interests of different user groups may be contradictory. We therefore developed a methodology based on the prevalent Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), which is capable of dealing with the inconsistencies and uncertainties of users’ responses by applying an Interval Analytic Hierarchy Process (IAHP) through comparing the results of passengers to reference stakeholder groups. For a case study in Mersin, a coastal city in southern Turkey with 1.7 Million inhabitants, three groups were surveyed with questionnaires: 40 users of the public transport system, 40 non-users, and 17 experts. Based on interval pairwise comparison matrices, consisting of whole judgments of all groups, the IAHP methodology could attain a consensual preference ranking for a future public transportation system between the three groups. A sensitivity analysis revealed that the factor ranking was very stable.

User perceptions of avatar-based patient monitoring: a mixed qualitative and quantitative study

BackgroundA new patient monitoring technology called Visual Patient, which transforms numerical and waveform data into a virtual model (an avatar) of the monitored patient, has been shown to improve the perception of vital signs compared to conventional patient monitoring. In order to gain a deeper understanding of the opinions of potential future users regarding the new technology, we have analyzed the answers of two large groups of anesthetists using two different study methods.MethodsFirst, we carried out a qualitative analysis guided by the “consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research” checklist. For this analysis, we interviewed 128 anesthesiologists, asking: “Where do you see advantages in Visual Patient monitoring?” and afterward identified major and minor themes in their answers. In a second study, an online survey with 38 anesthesiologists at two different institutions, we added a quantitative part in which anesthesiologists rated statements based on the themes identified in the prior analysis on an ordinal rating scale.ResultsWe identified four high-level themes: “quick situation recognition,” “intuitiveness,” “unique design characteristics,” and “potential future uses,” and eight subthemes.The quantitative questions raised for each major theme were: 1. “The Visual Patient technology enabled me to get a quick overview of the situation.” (63% of the participants agreed or very much agreed to this statement). 2. “I found the Visual Patient technology to be intuitive and easy to learn.” (82% agreed or very much agreed to this statement). 3. “The visual design features of the Visual Patient technology (e.g., the avatar representation) are not helpful for patient monitoring.” (11% agreed to this statement). 4. “I think the Visual Patient technology might be helpful for non-monitor experts (e.g., surgeons) in the healthcare system.” (53% of the participants agreed or strongly agreed).ConclusionThis mixed method study provides evidence that the included anesthesiologists considered the new avatar-based technology to be intuitive and easy to learn and that the technology enabled them to get an overview of the situation quickly. Only a few users considered the avatar presentation to be unhelpful for patient monitoring and about half think it might be useful for non-experts.

Web-Based Health Intervention for Young People Who Have a Parent with a Mental Illness: Delphi Study Among Potential Future Users.

BackgroundYoung people who have a parent with a mental illness face elevated risks to their mental health and well-being. However, they may not have access to appropriate interventions. Web-based interventions may reach and meet the needs of this at-risk group, yet their preferences regarding the features of this medium are unknown.ObjectiveThis study sought to determine the utility of a Web-based intervention to meet the needs of young people who have a parent with a mental illness and their perspectives regarding the types of features of such a website.MethodsA systematic, 2-round Delphi study was employed to solicit the views of 282 young people aged 16 to 21 years (Round 1, n=14; Round 2, n=268) from urban and regional settings in Australia who self-reported that their parent has a mental illness. “Regional” was used to refer to nonurban participants in the study. After ascertaining whether a Web-based intervention was warranted, Web-based intervention features were identified, including how the site might be facilitated, topics, duration and frequency, and the nature of the professional contact. The extent to which young people agreed on the importance of these factors was assessed. Differences and similarities across gender and location were investigated. A mixed method analytic framework was employed using thematic analysis as well as 2-way between-groups analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) controlling for age and chi-square test of independence analysis.ResultsBoth rounds highlighted a strong preference for a Web-based intervention. Consensus was reached for a professionally monitored site, young people and professionals having equal input into the weekly facilitated sessions (eg, sharing the lead role in discussions or deciding on relevant session content), unlimited time access, 1-hour, open discussion, weekly sessions over 6 weeks, psychoeducation about mental illness, and considerations for the management of safety violations. There were significant main effects of location type and several of the preferred features for a Web-based intervention for young people who have a parent with a mental illness. However, effect sizes were small to moderate, limiting practical application.ConclusionsYoung people aged 16 to 21 years indicated a need for a professionally monitored, psychoeducational, Web-based intervention, with input from professional facilitators and other young people who have a parent with a mental illness, in addition to recommendations to external resources. These findings may inform the development of future Web-based interventions for this highly vulnerable group.

Designing with Publics that Are Already Busy: A Case from Denmark

Design research has recently turned the attention to how designers contribute to the organization of publics when designing objects. This also raises the question of what kind of “good” public is being pursued. In this article, we argue for the importance of taking pre-existing normative projects into account to avoid approaching publics as yet another instantiation of “users” of design objects. We develop the argument by discussing our recent attempt at designing an online data visualization tool for public use. Instead of inviting potential future users of our tool to a design workshop, we decided to adopt an ethnographic interest in the existing “goods” that guided the publics for which we wanted to design. Based on explorations of three sites, we found our publics to be already busy with concerns that were both highly relevant to the data practices we were trying to facilitate, while at the same time overflowing and provoking our framing of the publics we were attempting to engage. Drawing from work in Science and Technology Studies on multiple ways of “doing good” in practice, we propose a reconsideration in design of the publics that we hope to “spark into being,” by pursuing the question of how to design with rather than for publics that are already busy.

Successes and failures reported in a multiscaled framework constituted by biophilic projects engineered toward environmental recovery

AbstractThe process of landscapes' fragmentation has led to having two realistic complementary options: (a) developing techniques and approaches for conserving the healthy remaining forest fragments and (b) restoring degraded places. The second option can be conducted by projects that focus on restoring or rehabilitating the degraded environment. In this research, a framework was tested through a set of pilot‐scale projects in a highly urbanized Municipality of the southeastern Brazilian region (Sorocaba, São Paulo State). Four projects were carried out in order to test the efficacy of techniques devoted to solving different problems of environmental degradation (isolation of fragments, loss of biodiversity, soil erosion, and bioinvasion) in different environments (terrestrial [forested and nonforested] and aquatic [rivers]) through the acceleration and orientation of the process of restoration. Here, we show the main findings, discuss the potential and weaknesses found in each project, and offer some recommendations for future potential users. The projects are constituted of techniques and approaches that are all cheap, naturally based, and easy to be implemented and with a high probability of social comprehension and acceptance. In each project, we got interesting outcomes, considering all successes and limitations (for example, a high reappearance of vegetation in streams and strong control of soil erosion). This model embraces the main aspects of environmental recovering through a feasible, realistic, and socioecological approach, and it brings high potential to be used by other researchers and also for technicians and decision makers who search for feasible and realistic projects.

A proposal for engaging a stakeholder panel in planning post-mining land uses in Australia’s coal-rich tropical savannahs

In Queensland’s Bowen Basin, a major Australian coal reserve, areas of post-mining land are increasing. These areas have been subject to decades of coal-mining and, without appropriate transfer to alternative use, may remain as vacant land unable to be used for grazing or other productive uses. Research that informs new and revised policies and processes to optimize rehabilitation and post-mining land use planning is critical in assisting regional economies to transition to post-mining contexts. This paper explores the potential for panels comprised of stakeholders to agree on a beneficial land use, which is one of the four goals of mine rehabilitation and closure specified by the Queensland regulator. Whilst current guidelines require stakeholder consultation, there is little real evidence that rehabilitation and closure planning processes incorporate the perceptions of potential future land users in terms of the utility of ex-mining leases, socio-economic value and associated opportunities and risks. In contrast, existing literature reveals the range of influencing factors that landholders, especially graziers, may consider in determining the utility and value proposition of land packages. These include physical, agronomic, ecological, economic, aesthetic and recreational characteristics.This gives rise to two questions: (i) what role(s) can input from stakeholders and potential future land users play in considering the opportunities and barriers to incorporating ex-mine land into grazing properties; and (ii) what are the characteristics of an appropriate model for engaging and empowering a stakeholder panel to play those role(s)? This research identifies a potential role for stakeholders in adaptive management in collaboration with regulators and mining companies, via a process of long-term engagement among a cross-section of predominantly local people. Visual models of an authentic example are proposed as the basis for reaching agreements about the land use challenge and reconciling ecosystem, social and economic functions and values. This research thereby provides a narrative on both of the research questions raised and proposes a re-conceptualisation of rehabilitation goals in order to optimize post-mining futures.

P039: Application of the Delphi method to refine key components in the iterative development of a mobile tele-simulation unit (MTU)

Introduction: Safe and efficient provision of quality healthcare requires maintenance of knowledge and skills relevant to daily practice. This is particularly relevant in rural and remote locations where high-acuity low-occurrence procedures and clinical scenarios present even less frequently. Simulation based training is widely used to supplement clinical exposure and practice but effective delivery of this approach to the rural/ remote practitioner must address barriers of time, cost and geographical separation. Mobile tele-simulation is an innovative approach that may help in bridging the gap through delivery of effective mentoring using telemedicine technologies and tailored educational content. Methods: To help direct the iterative design cycle for the mobile tele-simulation unit, input from potential future users was felt to be essential. The Delphi method was employed to reach consensus among study participants on four key questions: 1) What applications would the MTU be best suited for?, 2) What technical requirements and teaching tools would be needed to make the MTU successful?, 3) Which fields, besides EM/medical education, may benefit from partnerships with the final MTU?, 4) What research studies could be developed using the MTU? It was decided in advance that two rounds would be the maximum due to time constraints of the larger MTU projects. The first questionnaire focused on demographics and the four questions above. Independent reviewers analyzed, compiled and compared responses. Participants were sent the updated list, asked to confirm their responses and then to rank the responses highest to lowest priority. Results: Fifteen of 17 first round participants completed the questions, giving an 88.2% response rate. All shared a simulation background. 66% were physicians, 13.3% medical students, and 20% staff at Memorials Simulation Center. 66% had been involved with simulation-based education less than 5 years, and the others greater than 5 year. 13 of 15 (86.7%) responded in round 2. Consensus was not reached statistically using Kendalls W test for each of the four questions. However, there were several responses that showed higher median ranks than the others under each question. Application use: rural healthcare training, and medical professional training Technical factors: reliable learner-mentor connection, and competent technical support Non-technical factors: knowledgeable mentor and content relevant to locations practice, Research studies: training needs assessment from rural sites, and learners experience compared to stationary simulation center Conclusion: Input from a heterogeneous group of simulation users was sought to help prioritize key features in the development of the Mobile Tele-simulation Unit. Although statistically the study did not reach consensus, valuable feedback was compiled and pragmatically applied in the iterative development cycle.

Opinion mining in management research: the state of the art and the way forward

In the past decade, the explosive growth of social media has led to the emergence of a wide variety of information sources that can significantly impact individual level decision making processes. This has resulted in an increasing availability of unstructured textual data and automated evaluation of opinions, attitudes, and emotions has been accepted as an indispensable analytical tool in diverse domains. Consequently, there is a strong need to understand the underlying technical aspects of this emerging new field of analysis. In the current paper we address this need by reviewing the state of the art in sentiment analysis, summarize some of the important recent applications of sentiment analysis and offer future directions for further research. This paper differs from earlier reviews in a number of ways: first, it offers preliminary technical exposition of various techniques following a simple classification scheme so as to help potential future users to develop overall understanding of this rapidly developing field; second, it discusses in greater detail some of the more recently proposed techniques to solve a set of problems in specific management domains; third, it also presents some examples to elucidate how combining sentiment analysis techniques with conventional econometric approaches can help us solve business specific problems. The main goal of this paper is to generate more interest about this interesting new domain among management researchers.

Designing an mHealth application to bridge health disparities in Latina breast cancer survivors: a community-supported design approach

ABSTRACTLatina breast cancer patients in the USA report significantly worse cancer-related symptom burden and health-related quality of life than non-Hispanic whites. However, health literacy (e.g. knowledge about cancer, coping skills and communication) has been found to improve quality of life. In this paper, we present a case study of the methodology used to design Mi Guía (My Guide), a mobile application that aims to improve symptom burden and health-related quality of life among Hispanic women who have completed active treatment for breast cancer by increasing their health literacy. We developed a community-supported approach to building the application, which involved: (1) eliciting feedback from community leaders such as support group organizers and facilitators who are bilingual in Spanish and English, prioritize patients’ preferences and best interests and have a unique knowledge of the women and their needs; (2) conducting a formal evaluation of design principles based on previous interaction design research and user responses; (3) incorporating feedback from potential future users. In this paper, we discuss our methodology, and the challenges and benefits of this approach. We believe that future studies that aim to develop mobile technologies for underserved populations may benefit from a community-supported approach to design.

The effect of online scheduling on employees’ quality of life

ABSTRACTOnline employee scheduling has increased in popularity in recent years, especially among hourly workers who have grown up in the information age and the flexibility it provides increases their sense of job autonomy. This article reports on two studies that investigated the impact of work scheduling flexibility on employees’ personal well-being. One study collected data from current users of an online scheduling product and the other study collected information from hospitality management students who are potential future users of online scheduling software. The studies found that online scheduling helps to enhance employees’ personal well-being through satisfaction with schedule flexibility and job autonomy.

A feature-based survey of model view approaches

When dealing with complex systems, information is very often fragmented across many different models expressed within a variety of (modeling) languages. To provide the relevant information in an appropriate way to different kinds of stakeholders, (parts of) such models have to be combined and potentially revamped by focusing on concerns of particular interest for them. Thus, mechanisms to define and compute views over models are highly needed. Several approaches have already been proposed to provide (semi)automated support for dealing with such model views. This paper provides a detailed overview of the current state of the art in this area. To achieve this, we relied on our own experiences of designing and applying such solutions in order to conduct a literature review on this topic. As a result, we discuss the main capabilities of existing approaches and propose a corresponding research agenda. We notably contribute a feature model describing what we believe to be the most important characteristics of the support for views on models. We expect this work to be helpful to both current and potential future users and developers of model view techniques, as well as to any person generally interested in model-based software and systems engineering.

Elderly Attitudes Towards Service Robot Appearance

John Hudson et al analyse people's attitudes to robots to be used in caring for the elderly using Eurobarometer data relating to November/December 2014 on approximately 1000 people in each EU country and found results different with the age. [1]Besides, robots as the synonymous product with high-tech, most of the domestic research has focused on the technical problems. Study about robot appearance ethics and aesthetics is few. So the purpose of this article is just to discuss the issue about eldely attitude to robot appearance. It extracted the mainly two relevant effect factors through referring to literature review and combining with overseas research experience in this field. The conclusion is that when to design robot appearance should take user’s age into account and clarify what service do the elderly want to get from the robot. Another factor that cannot be ignored is the influence of social context. So to design service robot for the future potential users who are growing up under the exposure of science fiction frequently also need to keep paying attention to appearance changes of the robot in the literature and art works.

Technologies for physical activity self-monitoring: a study of differences between users and non-users

BackgroundDifferent kinds of physical activity (PA) self-monitoring technologies are used today to monitor and motivate PA behavior change. The user focus is essential in the development process of this technology, including potential future users such as representatives from the group of non-users. There is also a need to study whether there are differences between the groups of users and non-users. The aims of this study were to investigate possible differences between users and non-users regarding their opinions about PA self-monitoring technologies and to investigate differences in demographic variables between the groups.Materials and methodsParticipants were randomly selected from seven municipalities in central Sweden. In total, 107 adults responded to the Physical Activity Products Questionnaire, which consisted of 22 questions.ResultsSignificant differences between the users and non-users were shown for six of the 20 measurement-related items: measures accurately (p=0.007), measures with high precision (p=0.024), measures distance (p=0.020), measures speed (p=0.003), shows minutes of activity (p=0.004), and shows geographical position (p=0.000). Significant differences between the users and non-users were also found for two of the 29 encouragement items: measures accurately (p=0.001) and has long-term memory (p=0.019). Significant differences between the groups were also shown for level of education (p=0.030) and level of physical exercise (p=0.037).ConclusionWith a few exceptions, the users and the non-users in this study had similar opinions about PA self-monitoring technologies. Because this study showed significant differences regarding level of education and level of physical exercise, these demographic variables seemed more relevant to investigate than differences in opinions about the PA self-monitoring technologies.

Solar fashion: An embodied approach to wearable technology

Abstract Using Pauline van Dongen’s ‘Wearable Solar’ project as a case study, the authors argue that materiality and embodiment should be taken into account both in the design of and the theoretical reflection on wearable technology. Bringing together a fashion designer and scholars from cultural studies, this interdisciplinary research aims at advancing the design and academic study of wearable technology. The interdisciplinary framework involves a mixed-method approach: a combination of research through design; interviews with wearers during fittings; and theoretical reflection. A theoretical and methodological focus on materiality allows for a sustained analysis of embodiment and embodied experience, while it also enables attention to the materiality of the textile and the technology involved. This ‘embodied approach’ is situated in ‘new materialism’ and more specifically in a of reappraisal Merleau-Ponty’s phenomenology. Through the exploration of ‘embodied design’, the lived experience of the wearer is incorporated into design practice, research methods and theoretical analysis. The relevance of wearable technology for potential future users can only be advanced when new meanings and values are created through interaction with the design. Working through a phenomenologically driven research through design, solar technology is better integrated into fashion so as to make ‘solar fashion’ more wearable in the near future.

End-users as co-developers for novel green products and services – an exploratory case study analysis of the innovation process in incumbent firms

Studies focusing on green innovation have shown that companies can gain a competitive advantage by collaborating with multiple stakeholders in the innovation process. Since novel green innovations are often systemic in nature and require changes in consumption behavior, end-user integration along the innovation process may be particularly relevant for the success of such products and services. The main aim of this paper is therefore to add to our understanding of the role of users in the green innovation processes of incumbent firms. The comparative case study in the context of e-mobility and smart housing outlines the methods used by three European incumbent firms to integrate users at different stages of the innovation process as well as their motivation and benefit.The findings show that users were basically co-developing the novel green product or service from the beginning. In the cases under review, early and constant end-user integration served as a risk-management tool, since it uncovered behavioral changes induced by the innovations among potential future users. This helped companies to overcome risk aversion towards the development of genuinely new green products and services and to bring these to the market. Field trials similar to living labs proved to be of particular importance for gaining insight into the everyday lifestyle of users. Thereby, the paper stresses an approach to green innovation in incumbent firms, which has not been given much attention in literature before. In addition, our cases show that the benefits of user integration can not only be high for rather incremental green innovations but also for genuinely new innovation in highly technological industries. User integration helped the case companies to uncover behavioral changes in the consumption phase and strengthening market acceptance. We conclude that firms may profit from an extensive user input throughout all phases of the innovation process to develop novel green products and services, and call for further research on how firms can overcome entry barriers to user integration in green product development in the future.