Title: Concurrent process coordination of new product development by Living Labs - an exploratory case study

Authors: Bernhard R. Katzy; Guido H. Baltes; Jérôme Gard

Addresses: Center for Technology and Innovation Management, Leiden University, Plantsoen 97, 2311 KL Leiden, The Netherlands. ' Management of Technology Faculty, Lake Constance University, Brauneggerstraße 55, 78462 Konstanz, Germany. ' Management of Technology Faculty, Lake Constance University, Brauneggerstraße 55, 78462 Konstanz, Germany

Abstract: The risk of New Product Development (NPD) investments is that they are wasted if users and customers do not accept their results. Living Labs set out to involve users early on in the process to reduce this risk. The paper tells the story of how Coliquio discusses the contribution of Living Labs to NPD. User acceptance is a well-known performance indicator for new product success and user-involvement an indicator of development process maturity. As the story suggests, the nature of Living Labs as innovation intermediary is coordination of NPD processes in open-network settings. The paper provides a framework of Living Lab capabilities including team mobilisation and idea scouting, match making, product development, user validation and market positioning, project financing and venturing for future growth. Their concurrent coordination is a capability by itself. Living Labs are entrepreneurship capabilities.

Keywords: open innovation; NPD; new product development; concurrent engineering; simultaneous engineering; cross-functional teams; process coordination; living labs; entrepreneurship; user-centricity; living laboratory.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPD.2012.051156

International Journal of Product Development, 2012 Vol.17 No.1/2, pp.23 - 42

Received: 30 Jan 2012
Accepted: 11 Sep 2012
Published online: 30 Dec 2014 *

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