After the first post, here I suggest you another report from Nordic Innovation Centre, a longer and more detailed one, edited by Emily Wise and Casper Høgenhaven: “User-Driven Innovation. Context and Cases in the Nordic Region“.
In this report, user-driven innovation is defined as the process of tapping users’ knowledge in order to develop new products, services and concepts. A user-driven innovation process is based on an understanding of true user needs and a more systematic involvement of users.
This definition encompasses two key elements: an understanding of true user needs (in order to be able to define unique experiences), and systematic user involvement in the innovation process. Two frameworks – the innovation wheel and the framework for mapping UDI processes – are used to describe user-driven innovation processes in more detail. Eight case examples are presented, describing the process (step by step), specific methods employed, results and key lessons. The general context regarding user-driven innovation (research, education, public and private sector activities) in each of the Nordic countries is also presented.1
Recommendations2
The following areas are recommended for further research or policy action on a Nordic level:
- Building knowledge institutions with specialised skills in the area of user involvement
- Establishing platforms for user involvement
- Applying user-driven innovation in welfare benefits and public services
It is important here that they also point out that we need platforms for the collaborative activity (that generates open innovation), and that we can introduce them in welfare benefits and publics services.
In broad terms, there is nothing new about innovation being driven by market demand and entrepreneurial initiatives of users. However, the text above points to a number of new – or re-discovered and newly prioritized – factors that ARE new to ‘user-driven innovation’, such as:
- the increased ability for users to take part in innovation processes, thereby allowing users to get their demands heard and addressed (through IT-enablement and greater acceptance of ‘open innovation’ processes in a number of companies)
- companies’ desire to more systematically capture knowledge and inspiration from outside of the company
- companies’ understanding of more sophisticated consumer demand and increased focus on developing products/services that address unmet consumer needs or solve problems in new ways
- the increased frequency of companies’ employment of consumer insights and user involvement in their innovation processes.3
The report shows some detailed research about these cases:
Danish Case A: the Danfoss Group Water Vision Project
Industry: The Danfoss Group is a leading global manufacturer of components and solutions for Refrigeration & Air Conditioning, Heating & Water and Motion Control.
Danish Case B: DSB - Creating increased value for DSB’s customers
Industry: Transport service
Finnish Case: Outotec – “More out of Ore”
Industry: Leading global provider of process solutions, technologies and services for the mining and metallurgical industries
Icelandic Case: CCP
Industry: Producer of massively multiplayer online games in the entertainment products and services industry.
Norwegian Case: Tine – “Innovating Food”
Industry: Norway’s largest food company, a dairy cooperative owned by 17,400 Norwegian milk farmers
Swedish Case: Electrolux – “Thinking of Users”
Industry: Globally-leading producer of appliances and equipment for kitchen and cleaning
International Cases
USA: Intel – “Innovation Inside”
Industry: World’s largest semiconductor chip maker
USA: Valve – Innovative User Communities as a Part of a Business Model
Industry: Valve is a producer of computer games
via | Putting People First @Experientia
Tags: Business/Service, Co-Creation, Economy, Innovation, Northern Europe
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