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Consumer-Integration in Sustainable Product Development

Consumer-Integration in Sustainable Product Development. Esther Hoffmann Institute for Ecological Economy Research (IÖW) esther.hoffmann@ioew.de. Outline. User Involvement in Product Development The INNOCOPE method Experience with INNOCOPE Learning Results Conclusions.

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Consumer-Integration in Sustainable Product Development

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  1. Consumer-Integration in Sustainable Product Development Esther Hoffmann Institute for Ecological Economy Research (IÖW) esther.hoffmann@ioew.de www.gelena.net

  2. Outline • User Involvement in Product Development • The INNOCOPE method • Experience with INNOCOPE • Learning Results • Conclusions

  3. Relevance of Users in Product Innovations • New Product Success Studies • Customer and market orientation • Customer involvement • Innovation Research • Users are relevant sources for innovation ideas • User feedback and re-invention by users • Sustainability • Changes in production and consumption patterns needed • Shape products according to users’ needs

  4. INNOCOPE • innovating through consumer-integrated product development • Concept of a series of 3 workshops • Consumers and company members • Development and assessment of product ideas and concepts • Small working groups • Creative techniques • Embedded in product development process

  5. Goals of INNOCOPE • Mutual learning • Increased knowledge • Changes in values • Changes in (potential) behaviour • Concerning: • Climate change and climate protection • Product (production and use) • The role of users in product development • Climate-friendly products

  6. Application of INNOCOPE • Product: Pedelecs (pedal electric cycles: bicycles supported by an electric motor) • Goal: new target groups; bicycles for longer distances • Company: Hawk Bikes E+M GmbH, Berlin/Germany • Senior management, product management, design, sales • 20 randomly selected consumers • Diversity • socio-demographic factors • bicycle use • environmental attitudes

  7. INNOCOPE Procedure

  8. Workshop 1: Testing of Pedelecs

  9. Workshop 2: Pedelec Concept for Transportation

  10. Workshop 3: Presentation of Prototype

  11. Organisational Learning Results • Increase in Knowledge on • User needs • User preferences of product features • Products‘ contribution to climate change • Changes in Behaviour • New products adopted to user needs • Increase of climate-friendly behaviour

  12. Failures in Organisational Learning • (Almost) no new knowledge on • Climate change and climate protection • How to involve users in product development • No changes in values • Role of users in product development • Responsibility for climate protection (products, production processes) • Awareness of climate change • No changes in behaviour concerning • Methods to analyse user needs

  13. Explanations for Learning Success • Consumers accepted as knowledgeable actors • Experts of every-day life • Knowledge on bicycle usage and user needs • Senior management support • Took the decision to co-operate and decides on follow-up • Participated in 2 workshops • Positive assessment of INNOCOPE • Creative Dialogue • Creative techniques supported idea generation • Interaction on implicit knowledge (drawing, story telling) • Users dared to bring in their ideas

  14. Explanations for Learning Failures • View of Users • Sceptical towards users‘ ability to develop product ideas • Senior manager has the most sceptical view • Filtering mechanisms • Clear ideas on consumer preferences hamper knowledge acquisition (e.g. relevance of design) • Climate change and protection is considered as irrelevant concerning the company‘s products • Incompleteness of learning process • Newly acquired knowledge is neither distributed nor stored in the company

  15. Conclusions: Success Factors for Consumer-integration • Open attitude of the company • Commitment of users • Start discussion from user needs • Discussion in small groups • Creative techniques • Clearly defined tasks • Involvement of relevant company members • Senior management support • Embedded in organisational processes • Repeated interaction

  16. Thank you! • Contact: • Esther HoffmannInstitut für ökologische Wirtschaftsforschung (IÖW) gGmbHInstitute for Ecological Economy ResearchPotsdamer Str. 10510785 Berlin, Germanyesther.hoffmann@ioew.dewww.ioew.detel. +49 – 30 – 884 594 – 22 • Sponsored by:

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