De Moor, K. Berte ,K, De Marez, L., Joseph, W., Deryckere, T. & Martens, L.

1. 16th- 17th October 2008 Third International Seville Conference onFuture-Oriented Technology Analysis (FTA):Impacts and implications for policy and decision-making User involvement in living lab research: experiences from an interdisciplinary study on future mobile applications De Moor, K. Berte ,K, De Marez, L., Joseph, W., Deryckere, T. & Martens, L. MICT - WiCa - IBBT Ghent University

2. User involvement in living lab research Context and introduction ICT sector - Changing user roles • growing pressure to innovate, to impress, ... • shorter product life cycles • innovation as commodity • implications for research and product development • active and dynamic (co-)production • ‘push’ versus ‘pull’ approaches • user as innovator • 'user-driven and user-generated innovation

3. User involvement in living lab research Theoretical perspectives Technology and society Traditional tension: user vs. technology

4. User involvement in living lab research Paradigm shift User-driven innovation • more systematic + direct user involvement • specific type of knowledge • methodological reorientation (e.g. living labs) • focus on future technologies, users and experiences • interdisciplinary process • complexity (Source: Sleeswijk Visser, Stappers et al., 2005: 123).

5. User involvement in living lab research Integration challenges and objectives Gap user- and technology-oriented approaches • continuous and adequate involvement of the user • integration and translation of knowledge from multidisciplinary process (bridging ‘the gap’) • Objectives: • illustrate how challenges might be tackled • share results and experiences from own empirical research • focus on 3 moments of ‘user involvement’ prior-to-launch

6. User involvement in living lab research General methodology: ROMAS project Research on Mobile Applications and Services • goal: user-oriented assessment of (future) wireless city applications & services • living lab setting of i-City Hasselt (www.i-city.be) • panel of >1000 test users • wireless application services (PDA, laptop, smart phones, ...) • interdisciplinary approach for testing technological applications • supported by Flemish Government and industry partners:

7. User involvement in living lab research Results phase 1: opportunity identification Goal: identification of current and future mobile opportunities • challenge: user involvement in early stage • users’ limited imaginary capabilities • desk research + focus groups • focus on time spending framework and archetypes • e.g. Archetype Patricia and some of her daily activities

8. User involvement in living lab research Results phase 1: opportunity identification List of 80 (future) mobile applications

9. User involvement in living lab research Results phase 1: opportunity identification Integration of research results for archetype Patricia • mapping of new ideas x daily activities of the archetype • indication of origin and status of the mobile application

10. User involvement in living lab research Results phase 2: concept evaluation Goal: creation of workable concepts + evaluation • based on wild ideas • adoption potential was evaluated by large audience (N:312) • two steps: 1. application clustering + ranking  13 clusters • 2. user clustering  6 clusters • e.g. indication of parking spaces and availability: 4,23/5 • very appealing • e.g. mobile news: 3,11/5 • not very appealing

11. User involvement in living lab research Results phase 3A: test market Mobile news: assessment of adoption potential • 5 working applications + 1 idea • only accessed 1-2 times by majority i-City panel • illogical choice (not appealing) but influencing factors • PSAP-Scale  technology specific adoption segmentation • comparison with theoretical adoption segments (Rogers) N: 269

12. User involvement in living lab research Phase 3B: QoS optimisation vs. QoE Challenge: ‘bridging the gap’  integration of knowledge • context: importance of good ‘user experience’ (QoE) (e.g. iPhone) • QoS: technical and performance parameters • linking/translating subjective (social, contextual, ...) dimensions to technical QoS-parameters • creation of new, interdisciplinary methodology • Wapedia-application: case-study (N=10) • controlled research setting

13. User involvement in living lab research Phase 3B: 5-step interdisciplinary methodology • 1. Pre-usage user research • detection of relevant user experience dimensions and expectations: e.g. price, navigation, speed, display size, … • multi-method approach (e.g. free listing, prioritizing, conjoint analysis, QoE-dimensions questionnaire,...) • 2. Pre-usage translation workshops • find optimal match between ‘user-indicated’ QoE dimensions and ‘measurable QoS parameters’ (e.g. Simulation exercises) • social scientists + engineers • 3. Monitoring during usage • usage scenarios for test users • different reception levels + monitoring of ‘signal strength’ • software probe model (cfr. Deryckere, Joseph et al, 2008)

14. User involvement in living lab research Phase 3B: QoS optimisation vs. QoE • 4. Post-usage questions on device • after completion of usage scenario  questions on device (general experience, frustration, speed, …) • 5. Post-usage Comparison (expectations vs. experience) • user experience gaps? Multi-method approach cfr. phase 1 E.g. User 10 (male, 30) • reduction in speed (lower [dBm] • general experience drops

15. User involvement in living lab research Conclusion User-driven involvement in living labs? Discrepancy theory versus practice • future-oriented technology research: role of the (future) user! • continuous interaction (early phases) • integrated and interdisciplinary approach • methodological reorientation (e.g. more pull-driven living labs) • push vs. pull debate • different stakeholders  different goals • translation and interaction between disciplines as missing link

16. User involvement in living lab research UGent Questions and contact KatrienR.DeMoor@ugent.be Katrien.Berte@ugent.be Research Group for Media & ICT IBBT / Ghent University www.mict.be – www.ibbt.be