Theme of the Research Session

Co-creating Innovation: Scaling up from Local to Global

During Open Living Lab Days 2019 we will focus on methodologies and theoretical challenges of co-creating innovation with stakeholder communities. The main interest is to understand how Living Labs can contribute to generate and transfer innovation processes by integrating Action Design Research from local communities to global contexts. In this page you can find information on the papers that were accepted. Scrawl down to the bottom of the page to find the timeline for papers “accepted with revision”. 

  • Accepted contributions will be published in the OpenLivingLab Days 2019 Conference Proceedings with an ISBN number.
    Applicants whose paper has been accepted will be invited to present their work during one of the Research Sessions in Thessaloniki.
  • Top Rated Papers will be invited for publication on a Special Issue in a peer-reviewed journal and will also have a prime-time dedicated session chaired by Dr. Dimitri Schuurman.

Top Selected papers by the Evaluation Committee

  • Living Labs and Circular Economy. The case of Turin.
  • Living Labs Activities for Social Problem Solving R&D Projects in Korea
  • A Creative Citizens Model for Smart Urban Planning.
  • Agile Piloting for Smarter Cities: 3 Cases of Engaging Ecosystems and Communities in Co-creation.
  • To Get Things Right for Children. Implementation of a Public Social Living Lab Model for Coordinated Support for Children in Need.
  • Co-Creating Technology for Societal Change: A Mobile App Addressing Homelessness.
These papers will be presented on DAY1 (03/09/2019) at the first Research Session (11.30-13.00) in front of the full audience. 

ACCEPTED PAPERS

Living Labs and Circular Economy. The case of Turin

Authors
Federico Cuomo, Nadia Lambiase and Antonio Castagna

Track:  Innovation Papers

Topic: Smart Cities & Regions

Author keywords: 

  • Living Lab
  • Circular Economy
  • Environmental policies
  • Regeneration
  • Turin

Abstract: This paper aims to present the case of the Torino Living Lab on Sharing and Circular Economy in an attempt to highlight possible future scenarios for policies to stimulate urban innovation in the environmental and social fields. The case study is analysed in three phases. First of all, it is described the approach of the local public administration to the tool of the Living Lab as a stimulus to innovation. In the second part, the Turin Living Lab on Sharing and Circular Economy is deepened and potentialities and weaknesses are highlighted. In the last section we focus on understanding how the selected case can open possible fields of comparison between Turin and other cities in order to improve globally by sharing their local experiences.

Living Labs Activities for Social Problem-Solving R&D Projects in Korea

Authors
Ji Eun Seong and Ji In Park

Topic: Theoretical & Methodological Challenges

Track: Full Research Paper

Author keywords: 

  • Korean Living Lab
  • R&D Innovation Model
  • Social Problem-Solving R&D project
  • R&SD (Research & Solution Development)
  • Case Studies
  • Achievements and Challenges

Abstract: Korea has pursued science and technology innovation activities focusing on economic growth and industrial development. For the rapid growth, Korea has taken a strategy to develop capable subjects and areas that can grow fast first. In recent years, inclusive innovation has been emphasized in Korea to reduce social disparities and strengthen social integration. To this end, it is emphasized that the paradigm shift from Research and Development (R&D)-oriented technology supply policy to consumer-oriented problem-solving innovation policy. There is an attempt to integrate the subjects, fields, and areas that have been excluded in the process of science and technology innovation. The emergence of new R&D categories in 2010, such as ‘Social Problem-Solving R&D Project’ reflects the situation of Korea nowadays. Taking some time for self-examination of science and technology activities and asking questions such as “what is science and technology?”. In particular, those projects introduced living-lab method as a propulsion system and tried to promote open innovation activities in which end users and researchers jointly develop, demonstrate and evaluate products in real life space. The Living Lab is an infrastructure that enables professionals and end users to continuously improve their products, services, and demonstrations with customer interactions. The purpose of this study is to investigate the living lab activities in the social problem-solving R&D projects conducted in Korea and to derive its achievements and tasks. This study analyzed the representative cases in which living lab activities are prominent among the social problem-solving technology development projects in Korea. Through this study, we have identified the contents of the living lab activities of the social problem-solving R&D projects and present policy issues. The characteristics derived from the analysis are as follows: 1) Living Lab is being introduced as a methodology for user and demand-oriented research innovation in Korea’s R&D projects. 2) New policy experiments to overcome the limitations of Korean innovation system such as top-down approached in policy making led by central government, R&D planning focused on technology providers’ convenience, and industrial innovation stressed on economic growth are being conducted through this project. 

A Creative Citizens Model for Smart Urban Planning

Authors
Helen Manchester and Carolyn Hassan

Track: Full Research Papers

Topic: Smart Cities & Regions

Author keywords:    

  • Smart City
  • Citizen
  • Learning
  • Digital Inequalities
  • Creative

Abstract: Recent moves, led by the Living Labs movement and others, have begun to place the citizen at the centre of Smart City discussions. But questions around what theories and forms of learning are required for citizens to play a role in the development of digital, urban futures are rarely asked. This paper adopts ethnographic methods to study the assumptions about learning in a Europe-wide smart city project that included a component of work led by Bristol Living Lab (KWMC). Our paper provides important messages for Living Labs and others keen to include citizens in smart city development. It suggests that the current ‘banking’ models of learning adopted in relation to citizen participation are not fit for purpose and that new models are needed. This needs to recognise citizen learning as situated in social and material contexts and embedded in unequal relations of power, knowledge and resources. We make the case for smart city initiatives to offer city inhabitants critical, creative learning opportunities that begin to address the inequalities that constitute the contemporary smart city.

Building a Platform of Social Entrepreneurship and Living Together

Authors
Athanasios Priftis, Leonor Afonso and Theo Bondolfi

Track: Research-in-progress Papers

Topic: Open Track

Author keywords:

  • Web-mobile application
  • Social entrepreneurship
  • Co-living
  • Collaboration
  • Communities

Abstract: The goal of this paper is to present the initial steps of a web / mobile application of co-living and social entrepreneurship to be used in European ecovillages. The application is set to improve existing co-living conditions through more collaboration between its members, thus contributing to more stability and better long term relations. The main hypothesis is that if we manage to decode and re-introduce co-living activities, already taking place in ecovillages and ecoquartiers, in a clear, open and collaborative way, then we can stimulate more entrepreneurship in between communities, as well as other actors. In order to test and implement the first version of this application and build on an open and collaborative approach, we participated in a Social Hackathon (2018) presenting our concept for establishing a prototype. The results of this effort are included in this paper. Finally, our initial deployment target public will be one network of ecovillages (Ecopol – Smala) based in Switzerland.

Agile Piloting for Smarter Cities: 3 Cases of Engaging Ecosystems and Communities in Co-creation

Authors
Kaisa Spilling, Janne Rinne and Matti Hämälainen

Track:  Innovation Papers

Topic: Open Track

Author keywords:    

  • Smart Cities
  • Living labs
  • Open Innovation
  • Experimentation
  • Startups
  • Ecosystems

Abstract: Agile Piloting Programme, a proven method that supports and facilitates smart city development and engage a wider stakeholder network to co-create new services. During 2016-2019, over 50 pilots have run on the different platforms in Helsinki. The thematic piloting rounds have ranged from climate positive and resource wise solutions to innovative local services and wellbeing. The model has been adopted in different domains of smart city and used widely in the network of six biggest cities of Finland. In this paper we briefly present the model and give examples of three cases that highlight different aspects on how co-creation and experimentation has been applied in different city platforms: Smart Kalasatama (Health & Wellbeing),Jätkäsaari Mobility Lab (mobility and transport) and Helsinki schools (education). Agile Piloting Programme, a proven method that supports and facilitates smart city development and engage a wider stakeholder network to co-create new services. During 2016-2018, Smart Kalasatama Agile Piloting Programme has run and facilitated 21 agile pilots. The thematic piloting rounds have ranged from climate positive and resource wise solutions to innovative local services and wellbeing. The model has been adopted in different domains of smart city and used widely in the network of six biggest cities of Finland. In this paper we briefly present the model and give examples of three cases that highlight different aspects on how co-creation and experimentation has been applied in different city platforms: Smart Kalasatama (Health & Wellbeing), Jätkäsaari Mobility Lab (mobility and transport) and Helsinki schools (education).

To Get Things Right for Children. Implementation of a Public Social Living Lab Model for Coordinated Support for Children in Need

Authors
Angelika Thelin, Torbjörn Forkby and Mats Anderberg

Track:  Full Research Papers

Topic: Health and Wellbeing

Author keywords:    

  • Coordinated Social Interventions
  • Children
  • Well-being
  • Implementation
  • Social Living Labs
  • On-going Evaluation

Abstract:There is a large need in Sweden and internationally for the development of knowledge-based approaches to improve children’s well-being, promote learning, school attachment and self-efficacy early in life. This includes both the articulation of comprehensive policy frameworks and the implementation of targeted interventions. One response to this is presented by the Scottish model Getting It Right for Every Child (GIRFEC). Central pillars are to improve children’s well-being and learning through early intervention, universal service provision, and multi-agency coordination. The model has gained substantial interest in Sweden, where the most challenging implementation is taking place in the county of Kronoberg, including eight municipalities and several health service organizations. This research paper is based on material from the ongoing evaluation that aimed to establish an interactive research in support of the implementation process. The paper describes the early process that followed the implementation decision and discuss how it might be understood as a public collaborative social living lab and what this demands from the researchers. Emphasis is put on the researcher’s role to balance between partaking in the innovative work and standing aside and giving critical reflections.

Identifying Living Lab orchestrators’ Individual-Level Skills

Authors
Anne Äyväri, Tuija Hirvikoski and Heidi Uitto

Track: Research-in-progress Papers

Topic: Theoretical & Methodological Challenges

Author keywords:    

  • Living lab
  • Multistakeholder co-creation
  • Orchestrator
  • Mediator
  • Skills

Abstract: This paper sheds light on the individual skills needed to orchestrate open Living Labs networks and activities. Since orchestrators (also called as mediators) are people working in the interface of the macro, meso and micro levels of Living Labs, and in between various stakeholders – such as universities, organizations, NGOs and citizens – specific skill sets are needed in order to enhance inclusiveness, balance, and communication between the different parties and to improve the sustainability of the Living Labs projects according to the responsible research and innovation principles. Based on the literature, the skills are classified in three partly overlapping bundles: first, skills in building relationships, networks and ecosystems, second, skills in maintaining them and finally, skills in executing multistakeholder innovation processes. As a summary of the literature review, a preliminary framework of orchestrator skills is presented.

The Roles, Functioning and Culture of Urban Innomediaries

Authors
Jimmy Paquet-Cormier

Track:  Doctoral Consortium Papers

Topic: Smart Cities & Regions

Author keywords:    

  • Collaborative Urban Innovation
  • Urban Innovation
  • Urban Innomediaries
  • City Innovation
  • Collaborative Innovation
  • Urban Transitions
  • Urban Systems
  • Innovation Management
  • Change Management
  • Flexibility
  • Adaptability

Abstract: Urban innomediaries (UI) are orchestrating the collaborative urban innovation transition. In Europe, they aim 1) to support public organisations in their environmental and digital transitions, 2) to orchestrate the market of urban innovation and 3) to foster collaboration between public-private-third-academia-civil actors. In order to study their systemic functions and their governance and management practices, seven European organisations were analysed (four main cases and three partial cases) using a combination qualitative and quantitative questionnaire, interviews, ethnographic and autoetnographic methods. The cases were selected for their reputation as a leader in their network and to maximise the heterogeneity of the cases. Preliminary results propose six dominant management models: the activist, the agile start-up, the territorial strategist, the representative and coach, the national model and the urban labs. In terms of organisational culture and climate, UI are perceived by their employees as a dynamic and playful working environment where they work hard on stimulating projects often without receiving a fair compensation for their work. By reducing its financial dependency on the public sector, the one has demonstrated that scaling up is not always the most viable option in order to diversify funding. Moreover, results show that UI have designed and implemented different types of management practices that combines bottom-up and top-down dynamics in order to adapt to an ever-changing environment. Finally, the research recognises the importance for UI to improve their capabilities regarding organisational learning, impact assessment and knowledge and competences management.

Business Model Review for Living Labs: Exploring Business Challenges and Success Factors of European Living Labs

Authors
Justus von Geibler, Julius Piwowar and Linda Weber

Track: Research-in-progress Papers

Topic: Living Lab Sustainability

Author keywords: 

  • Living Lab as a Service
  • Living Labs
  • Business Model
  • Design-driven Innovation

Abstract:

Living Labs offer an open-innovation infrastructure for co-creation and product testing and gained increasing attention with regard to their potential to support sustainable innovation. However, many Living Labs face the challenge of financing their services, especially, when the business models focus on solving wicked problems such as ur-ban transition and the future of health. Based on a desktop research and four qualita-tive interviews with active Living Labs, this paper explored experiences of Living Labs and their business model challenges as well as main future success factors.

The findings demonstrate the need and opportunities to transition from public to-wards private funding, e.g., to clarify the Living Lab-as-a-service beyond technology showroom and innovation workshops; to be distinct from traditional R&D tools and consultancies and to place services within established innovation funding schemes, e.g., start-up vouchers. Furthermore, the results indicate challenges according to balancing the innovation process of flexibility and standardisation. Although iterative and agile processes are core values of the Living Lab, the innovation process needs some standardisation to allow efficiency gains and to comply with public regulations, e.g., by structuring the process and to include descriptions where and how to use Living Lab methodology as well as to clarify linkages to other established design ap-proaches. The paper concludes that future research needs to better understand the linkages between entrepreneurship and design research, e.g., towards design-driven innovation and user experience design.

A Mobile App Addressing Homelessness: Creating Technology for Societal Change

Authors
Rachel Burrows, Antonette Mendoza, Sonja Pedell, Leon Sterling, Tim Miller and Alexi Lopez-Lorca

Track: Full Research Papers

Topic: Open Track

Author keywords: 

  • Thematic Analysis
  • Homelessness
  • Emotion-led Design
  • Mixed-Method
  • Technology Innovation
  • Living Lab approach
  • Socio-technical Systems

Abstract: Living Lab projects often involve the collaboration of diverse stakeholders. This is particularly true with new technology that aims to tackle the systemic and societal problem of homelessness. In this paper, we present a mixed-method approach to understand the perspectives of key stakeholders. We discuss our findings and their implications for the development of a mobile app that aims to help people who are homeless. We measure usage of the mobile app which currently attracts over 10,000 users each month. We also conduct semi-structured interviews with 30 participants who are either homeless, ex-homeless or service providers. Our study provides insights and an approach that may help others in developing similar systems. We discuss barriers and enablers of success relating to (i) organisational concerns from service providers, (ii) maintaining awareness of the system in the homeless community, and (iii) supporting user needs in software design. We propose and demonstrate our emotion-led approach to bring a novel perspective on the concerns from key actors influencing the adoption of new technologies.

IoT –based Smart living Environments for ageing well in Greece

Authors
Sofia Segkouli, Stefanos Stavrotheodoros, Nikolaos Kaklanis, Konstantinos Votis, George Dafoulas, Christina Karaberi, Dimitrios Tzovaras

Track: Research-in-progress Paper

Topic: Health & Wellbeing

Author Keywords: 

  • IoT Ecosystem
  • Ageing Well
  • Active and Healthy Ageing
  • Data Management
  • Data Privacy and Security

Abstract: This paper aims to provide an overview of the Greek Deployment Site, one of the nine (9) deployment sites of the Large Scale ACTIVAGE project, a European Multi Centric Large Scale Pilot for Ageing well. ACTIVAGE main goal is to provide an IoT Ecosystem Suite (AIOTES), based on the interoperability component at different layers between heterogeneous existing IoT Platforms for Active and Healthy Ageing (AHA). Greece is one of the most “aged” countries in the EU. Specifically, according to a research made in 2014, people at 65 years and over account for 20.2% of the total population. This large scale IoT pilot connects three of the most innovative Greek regions in one large scale pilot site which are representative of different, complementary, geopolitical and socioeconomic realities. This paper highlights the initial goals, the achievements, the technical solutions the critical technological, organizational, privacy and security challenges and also the best practices that have been initiated by the Greek Large Scale Pilot in order to address successfully a. pilots’ performance and b. new business models’ acceptance and ecosystem sustainability. 
It also stresses the obstacles that have been faced so far by the various stakeholders involved (end-users, healthcare professionals, relatives, social environment, caregivers) and the lessons learned during the Greek pilot recruitment, installations, training and running. Last but not least, the Greek Deployment Site has been assigned to coordinate the ethical and legal activities of the ACTIVAGE consortium. Thus, an outline is provided about the study of the ethical and legal requirements in depth and the optimum coordination of data management as it is experienced by the Greek deployment Site (GR DS) in compliance to the new regulation (GDPR). The ultimate goal was to address trustworthiness, privacy, data protection and security in project level and also in each DS internally.

ACCEPTED WITH REVISION PAPERS

Results for revised papers will be available by 24th July.