Early Validation of User Needs in Concept Development: A Case Study in an Innovation-Oriented Consultancy

Abstract

An innovation consultancy applies human-centered methods to explore user needs in the early phase of concept development. This paper compares methods applied by the consultancy with theory from the body of knowledge within Design Thinking and Systems Engineering. The basis for this research is observations and interviews for three specific cases for three different customers. This paper presents criteria and impacting factors on how effective the innovation consultancy performs early validation of user needs. A properly planned co-creation session with the customer is the core. Using a key driver graph we found the main impacting factors to be research on user needs, technology and market trends, techniques used for analyzing the problem and solution domain, selection of participants, and the competence of the facilitator. We conclude that in these three cases the methods are effective in communicating innovative ideas and concepts with the purpose of early validation of user needs.

Exploring a Co-Creative Problem Solving Toolbox in the Context of Norwegian High-Tech Industry

“…They claimed that participatory design will enable a better exploration, user-and context understanding in this fuzzy phase. Kjørstad, Falk, Muller, and Pinto [42] proposed the use of co-creation sessions for early validation of user needs in the concept phase. Co-creation sessions are carefully planned sessions for concept exploration with customers and third parties, using tools and techniques inspired by design thinking, systems architecting, and business management.…”

“…In parallel with the early interviews with company representatives, we performed a literature review on design thinking and systems engineering as part of early case studies within the industry partners [42]. Thereafter we synthesized the knowledge gained from the literature and interviews, and derived success criteria to evaluate the toolbox.…”

“…Case 9 investigated a co-creation session in three different innovation projects within the innovation consultancy (company B). Kjørstad et al [42] found the main drivers for cocreation sessions to spark creative ideas and explore early phase concepts, enable customer ownership of chosen concepts as well as create a mutual understanding of the user needs. Further, they found the main impacting factor of the effectiveness of the method to be the skill of the facilitator.…”

Early Validation of Stakeholder Needs by Applying Co‐creation Sessions

“…Design thinking was defined and theorized by Rowe, Cross, Schöhn, Nelson & Stolterman (Cross, 2006;Cross, Dorst, & Roozenburg, 1992;Nelson & Stolterman, 2012;Rowe, 1987;Schön, 1982). Through its migration to management and business supported by IDEO (Brown & Katz, 2009) and described by for example Boland and Collopy (Boland & Collopy, 2004) the term has grown into a popular concept in which any business and organization could benefit to work inspired by the designer's thinking and ways of working (Tschimmel, 2012 Kjørstad, Falk, Muller, & Pinto (2019). The literature indicated that traditional systems engineering processes do not highlight the importance of focusing on user needs early in the development stages but focus on business or technology perspectives.…”

“…The key driver graph in Fig. 6 is based on the interviews, feedback surveys, observations, and the key driver graph by Kjørstad et al (2019). The graph in Fig.…”