We have changed the way we involve users and stakeholders in our development projects. And it has turned out to be a really good idea.
How do our inventions solve new needs in the best possible way in everyday life?
User involvement is a key element in finding the answer to that question. It is the future users and stakeholders who are the experts in their daily lives, needs and challenges, and by involving them early on, we gain a lot of knowledge that helps shape the final product.
That's why we've always gathered support groups for new inventions we have under development. Typically, we have held quarterly or biannual meetings with the support groups. Here we present what we have developed - and they give feedback and contribute more or less committed to the further development.
Over the past year, however, we have begun to organise user involvement differently: Instead of regular quarterly meetings, we gather a larger and more loose network of good people around the development. A network we can ask for advice when the need for feedback arises.
3 good reasons to involve users and stakeholders early in development:
- Understanding real needs and problems: We find out what is actually most important to solve the need - and which features can be dispensed with.
- Better product and user experience: By testing and getting feedback on prototypes' features and design, we gain better insight into how our solution can fit into the workflow of the problem we are actually trying to solve. User feedback often leads to development turns that result in a better product than we would have come up with without feedback.
- User satisfaction and loyalty: If we are good at involving stakeholders and users, it gives them ownership and connection to the product even before it is launched. This often means that we get strong ambassadors for the product who are happy to recommend it to others in the industry.
More flexible - and more critical
Right now we are well underway with the development of Our grinding robot ”Grindmaster”, to make it easier and safer to remove old paint.
To ensure that we get the project right, we invited a large group of stakeholders into the project from the start. A group that represents a broad cross-section of the industry - including large and small demolition companies, partners in the industry and the occupational health and safety bus. All of them have a vested interest in the success of the product in their own way.
Instead of gathering them all together once a quarter, the agreement from the start was that we reach out to each individual along the way when we need their input. And that has created a completely different dynamic.
By meeting 1:1, sparring becomes more confidential - and therefore often more honest and critical. Which is a good thing. The good people in the network get involved at a time when their expertise has a great opportunity to influence the next step of development. And we're already seeing how the more flexible and direct connection has a big impact at every stage of development.
For this to work in practice, it obviously requires increased communication along the way. If stakeholders are to have a chance to provide concrete feedback on our terms, we must constantly keep them updated on how things are progressing. But that investment in communication is often returned in the form of sharp feedback.
Do you have special knowledge of the construction industry or occupational health and safety - and want to shape the future of our inventions? Then don't hesitate to reach out!