About the project
As a continutation of my master thesis I would like to investigate the topics of user-driven innovation and inter-organizational learning. My master thesis pointed out that the inclusion of customers in professional product development processes revealed new forms of work (user-driven innovation) (Andersen, 2008). However, as a continuation of this I will also go into depth about how this form of new work can be supported by a methodology (mutual development) and how it may foster learning within and between organizations (inter-organizational learning).
Objectives
The problem outlines and research questions are divided into empirical motivated and theoretical motivated.
- How can a software tool (e.g. Sharepoint or web 2.0) be used as a mediating technological artifact to communicate new improvement ideas to a product or service that becomes part of a complete innovation process? I am interested in concealing both the user aspect of proposing new ideas as well as the actual implementation of new ideas by professional developers
- How can a technological artifact mediate the process of inter-organizational learning in a user-driven innovations milieu?
- What methods can be developed to support mutual development for use in multiple settings?
Theoretically motivated:
To what extent can concepts from object oriented activity theory (expansive learning, knotworking and co-configuration) from Engeström be extended in order to include the UDI perspective of active customers and evolutionary design?
Outcomes
Conducting the research and addressing the research questions will result in 3-4 research papers, with the overall aim at contributing to the overall theme of “User-driven innovation as a new form of work and how this may create new forms of learning at work through fostering inter-organizational learning.
Financing
Funding: Faculty of Education, UiO
Timeframe: 2010-2014