TNO Telecom Valerie Frissen The domestication of innovation: challenges for research and development / Erasmus University

Rotterdam 21 april Countries Programme Conference Outline Focus role of users in innovation ICT Conceptions of roles of users from end-users to human-centred innovation diffusion and domestication approaches shaping technologies Shaping characteristics of ICTs The user as innovator p2p-networks social software Implications for R&D

Rotterdam 21 april Countries Programme Conference Sense & Simplicity

Rotterdam 21 april Countries Programme Conference New role of users Sense & Simplicity not just reflection of need for greater user-friendliness reflects a shift towards human centred innovation user empowerment, supporting human interaction, context- and need sensitive, personalized, etc. Ambient Intelligence-concept technology completely blended into everyday surroundings of users intelligent interfaces enable people and devices to interact with each other an with environment technology at the background, people at the foreground strongly emphasizes the need for contextual, human-centred design vision not reality! (based on NG-technologies currently in development)

Rotterdam 21 april Countries Programme Conference 20055

Rotterdam 21 april Countries Programme Conference Conceptions of users: the end-user Technological determinism technological innovation implies use technological innovation implies social and behavioural change technological imperative what is technologically possible will inevitably happen Diffusion approach innovation seen as a trickle down effect diffusion is s-curve with typical groups of adopters role of users limited to (non)adoption

Rotterdam 21 april Countries Programme Conference Diffusion approach

Rotterdam 21 april Countries Programme Conference Mutual shapingapproaches Innovation = dynamic interplay between technological and social factors in all stages of innovation process design and commodification of innovations conceived as a social process configuration of users (Woolgar), preferred uses incorporated into design (e.g. electric shaver) users seen as co-constructors of technological innovations appropriation of technology into everyday context of users (e.g. pc versus internet) shaping technologies doublefaced character of innovation: technology shapes use and use shapes technology

Rotterdam 21 april Countries Programme Conference Conceptions of use: domestication Users seen as co-constructors of innovation Innovation goes beyond diffusion/role of users beyond adoption technologies need to be domesticated, incorporated into the social and cultural dynamics and texture of everydaylife Silverstone: taming of the wild and cultivation of the tame: users create their own socio-technological sytems; interpretative flexibility use as interface between technological and social change may lead to unexpected innovation trajectories (both technological and social) example: SMS example: networked individualism (Wellman)

Rotterdam 21 april Countries Programme Conference

Rotterdam 21 april Countries Programme Conference Shaping characteristics of ICTs Potential for interpretative flexibility of ICTs is enormous network character decentralization interactivity/ connectivity human interaction, communication data capacity infinite exchange and selection of information programming creativity and design multimedia expression and representation interaction between technology and use leads to continuous innovation (both technological and social)

Rotterdam 21 april Countries Programme Conference The user as innovator P2P networks filesharing: pressure on traditional value chains and business models gives rise to new user/producer roles and functions (e.g. users as producers and distributors; makes tradtional players obsolete) Social software easy to use software supporting every form of social interaction social networking software such as Orkut, Link-up etc,; instant messaging; blogging, Wikis, etc); converging more and more, creating new opportunities Networks with strongly decentralized, bottom-up character Incubators for innovation and creativity (both technological and social) blurring of boundaries between use and design/production, e.g. media production, journalism, but also software/application design new forms of social behaviour, e.g. consensus seeking, self-regulation etc. Who or what initiates innovation increasingly irrelevant!

Rotterdam 21 april Countries Programme Conference

Rotterdam 21 april Countries Programme Conference Conclusion :implications for R&D Domestication of the digital world blurring of boundaries between technological and social, online and offline world already observable within the digital generation prophecy of AmI reflects this shift Inevitabe shift towards human-centred design Trend in HCI: contextual, participatory design Living Lab-approach actively organise interaction between practices of design and use substantial cooperation between technical and social research RL-contexts; include unexpected and unintended innovation routes Use the creative potential of users ( The ProAm Revolution/Leadbeater) More radical: rethink user/producer/designer relations: in the future these distinctions will become increasingly irrelevant!