A few takeaways on open innovation

Living labs are an example of open innovation. However, as was suggested in the previous post, their theoretical conceptualisation leaves something to be desired, and there are no clear guidelines that a living lab can follow to boost its chances of success. In order to improve my understanding of what our living lab should look like, I did some reading on the concept of open innovation. Specifically I read a few chapters from a book edited by Henry Chesbrouch, Wim Vanhaverbeke and Joel West.

Below you’ll find a few takeaways from what I read.

Takeaway #1: A project should be open to external ideas, but not just occasionally – external input should be accorded a key role in the development of an idea. Consequently, potential users and stakeholders should be engaged and consulted from the beginning.

Takeaway #2: An open innovation approach can allow projects to find their niche and the best ways of engaging an audience and create a user base. Drawing on other peoples’ experience and practices, one can identify blindspots in one’s thinking and overall perception of the situation.

Takeaway #3: Open innovation is useful when there is a broad dispersal of relevant knowledge and no single agent can achieve his/her goals individually.

Takeaway #4: While a confluence of values, professional interests and enthusiasm is important for a project, its long-term sustainability depends on the incentives and motivations that will keep people involved.

Takeaway #5: Relinquishing some level of control over the direction of the project and letting others help guide it is crucial for ensuring that the result is something that the relevant parties find useful and are willing to continue using.

While none of the above takeaways are particularly original, they do emphasise the importance of collaboratively articulating the goals of a project, and understanding the needs the project is expected to meet. That is to say, the creation of a successful living lab hinges on deftly marshalling and engaging a heterogeneous group of potential contributors and users. In our case, this seems crucial. After all, the overall goal is the creation of an online platform that would improve the interaction between a diverse group of users with a diverse group of agricultural advisers.

Best,

Emils