Platform Product & Service Design - UTwente - Researchoverview

Platform PRODUCT & SERVICE DESIGNrESEarCH oVErVIEW

UTWENTE - PlaTform PSD - rESEarch ovErviEW - 1 UTWENTE - PlaTform PSD - rESEarch ovErviEW - 1

Platform PRODUCT & SERVICE DESIGN

IntroductionProduct & Service Design is about the interaction between people and technology. it therefore perfectly suits with the new guiding phrase of the University of Twente:

High Tech, Human Touch

Products can originate from technology push as well as from market pull. many different aspects are investigated in various distinguished research initiatives in Twente. Examples can be found in the technology domain (materials, processing, maintenance), in the tools domain (design methods) and in a range of interdisciplinary topics (tyre-road interaction, cradle to cradle). The research of the Platform Product & Service Design specifically concentrates on the interaction between both sides (see figure).

People are individuals (as users), sociable (interacting with other users) and part of society. These aspects influence the choices they make with regard to the use of products. These products can be ‘solutions for people’, ‘tokens for groups’ and/or ‘solutions for society’. The research of the platform is positioned between the so-called soft and hard aspects of industrial design engineering (iDE). Design and styling as well as ergonomics are soft aspects, whereas for example construction, material sciences and mechatronics are considered hard aspects.

Within the faculty of Engineering Technology, an initiative sprung to start a platform for Product & Service Design. This research programme will be embedded in the Product & Service Design lab in which four faculties and twelve chairs work together within the context of several research themes. The aim of the platform is:

‘To improve the connection between technological opportunities and product & service design.’

The Product & Service Design lab is virtual as well as physical, but most of all an inspiring environment in which product and service design research can be carried out. Several facilities will be available in the lab such as a workshop (existing), a technology library (in development) and facilities for panel research. The platform seeks a specific approach to research which takes the dynamics of the roles that products play in society or in the market as starting point.

© University of Twente December 2011

Prof. dr. ir. Arthur Eger

University of Twente Platform Product & Service Design

PO Box 217 7500 AE Enschede The Netherlands

T +31 53 489 2337 (or: 2520) F +31 53 489 3631 E [email protected]

Design & layout rob hulsbosch Printing ipskamp Drukkers

TOOLS

PEOPLE TECHNOLOGY

Design methodology Rapid prototyping

. . .

Production Materials

Sustainability Maintenance

. . .

Individual Social

Society


The participating faculties are Behavioural Sciences, Engineering Technology, Electrical Engineering, mathematics & computer Science, and management & Governance.

Behavioural Sciences The research of the faculty of Behavioural Sciences is conducted in the field of human behaviour, focusing on safety, health, learning, design, cognition and communication, and the role of technology in these areas. as a modern entrepreneurial university of technology, the University of Twente provides a unique habitat that encourages and promotes high-quality social science research in relation to sophisticated technological developments. The social sciences and technology orientation of the faculty is centred on societal issues and aims to create interventions that contribute toward preventing, alleviating or solving these societal issues.

Engineering Technology The faculty of Engineering Technology initiates and coordinates research on civil Engineering, mechanical Engineering and industrial Design Engineering by building multidisciplinary teams around ambitious projects and delivering state-of-the-art engineering solutions. Some of the focus points of the faculty are:- Thermal engineering, sustainable energy, in particular biomass;- optimisation of products, processes and methods;- materials engineering;- Biomechanical engineering; - fluids & solids engineering; - civil engineering: construction, traffic and water engineering; - industrial design, production/manufacturing and management.

Electrical Engineering, Mathematics & Computer Science research in the faculty of Electrical Engineering, mathematics & computer Science (EEmcS) is focused on a number of themes, with several research groups participating in each of these themes. The four themes are sensors and components, sensor networks, secure information systems and human interaction, and dynamic systems and processes. The faculty of EEmcS contributes to these areas by a combination of fundamental research, advanced technology and an awareness of the users who will be at the centre of the application of technology, which is clearly reflected in the research examples presented in this book.

Management & Governance The faculty of management & Governance performs multidisciplinary research and postgraduate research training in the field of the governance and management of technological and social innovation. issues of co-ordination, steering and the operation of (networks of) institutions in both public and private sectors are core research foci, based on a multi-level, multi-actor perspective.

Research themesWithin the Platform Product & Service Design, the following research themes are distinguished:1. human-Technology relations 2. organising innovation3. Understanding Product Success,

inspiring Product Design

Participating faculties

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Behavioural Sciences Cognitive Psychology and ErgonomicsThe department of cognitive Psychology and Ergonomics (cPE) carries out education activities and research in several areas of human factors: human Performance, human-computer interaction, human-robot interaction and Traffic Psychology. The surplus value of the cPE approach lies in a broad and profound repertoire of research paradigms. our growing stock of methods covers psychometric measures, EEG, observational studies (such as usability testing), workload measures, eye tracking and many more.

it is our philosophy that scientific inspiration can have its source at all levels of research, ranging from fundamental cognitive theories to real-world design problems. Behavioural Sciences Philosophy of Human-Technology RelationsTechnology has come to play a defining role in society. Every major activity in our lives depends on technology. all major institutions of society are increasingly fixated on technology, and any changes in them are largely driven by technology. in the light of these developments, the aim of the research programme is to perform a philosophical analysis of technology and its role in contemporary society. Ultimately, this philosophical analysis is to contribute to a better role of technology in society, for instance by stimulating better research and design practices, better policies, and better public debates about technology.

Behavioural Sciences Marketing Communication and Consumer Psychologyadequate design can only be realised when we understand how the end-user (the consumer) interacts with the product or (service) environment in terms of perception, information processing, usage and evaluation. This chair conducts research on controlled and automatic processes of consumer reactions to design. People appear to be highly sensitive to particularly subtle design elements, as these can afford a resonance of which they are not (or only barely) aware. This research group specialises in revealing these (un)conscious processes through the implementation of engineering and technology (such as light, form, sound and architecture) in the design of (tangible) products and (less tangible) environments. Experimental control in the (virtual reality) laboratory or in natural surroundings allows us to ascertain which processes underlie consumer behaviour and to measure their effects.

Engineering Technology Innovation ProcessesSustainability is a major issue in construction these days. in order to conserve our environment for future generations we must rethink the way we make and use things and develop more intelligent and sustainable solutions to treat material and energy resources. Sustainability concerns industries that seek to understand the environmental consequences of their current activities and how they can adopt sustainable business models. The objective of the research is to position Twente as a centre for transformable green design and engineering debate in the Netherlands and internationally, and to create a roadmap for building construction in the 21st century. The research fits within the strategic research orientation (Sro) ‘innovation & Entrepreneurship’ of the institute of Governance Studies.

Participating chairs

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Prof. dr. ing. Willem Verwey

Prof. dr. Ad Pruyn

Prof. dr. ir. Joop Halman

Prof. dr. ir. Peter-Paul Verbeek


Participating chairs

Engineering Technology Product DesignThe chair Product Design aims to develop qualitative and - if possible - quantitative methods for understanding the history of products and for inspiring the development of new products. an important aspect of the research is that the success of a product is influenced by the place the product occupies in its life cycle. The main practical implication is that one needs to consider this relationship explicitly when choosing specific product development activities, while the chance of success during the product development process can be enhanced when the life cycle is considered. in this research, the concept of a product is relatively broad, and includes services.

Engineering Technology Product RealisationThe chair is positioned between the ‘human/soft’ and the ‘technological/hard’ aspects of industrial design engineering. Within the chair of Product realisation, a distinction is made between three kinds of technology, namely manufacturing technology (aimed at parts production and assembly), design technology (aimed at methods and tools for design) and product technology (aimed at functioning of products).

manufacturing technology and design technology are well covered by other chairs within the University of Twente. The chair for Product realisation focuses on product technology, in which materials technology as well as functional components and systems play an important role.

Electrical Engineering, Mathematics & Computer Science Advanced Robotics and Control EngineeringThe research of the group has always focused on mechatronics and was recently extended to include robotic systems. The research area of the group relates to novel technology and scientific methodologies for the design and development of complete robotic systems and similar intelligent devices, that is, cyber-physical systems. The binding paradigm is the use of port-based methodologies for modelling, control, embedded software and design of mechatronics and robotics systems for real applications.

Electrical Engineering, Mathematics & Computer Science Irrational Computer Interaction conventional human computer interaction looks at supporting people doing useful tasks. The field concerns user needs and requirements, and attempts to make computers friendly, helpful, cooperative, honest, and as natural as possible in their interactions.

however, there are many reasons for subverting this paradigm. consider games and entertainment, serious training scenarios, or interaction in ambient intelligent environments. much can be learned by building computers that lie, cheat and deceive, that surprise users with unexpected behaviour, challenge and frustrate the users, or in short, computers that behave irrationally.

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Prof. dr. ir. Anton Nijholt

Prof. dr. ir. Stefano Stramigioli

Prof. dr. ir. Arthur Eger

Prof. dr. ir. Wim Poelman


Participating chairsManagement & Governance Innovative EntrepreneurshipThe chair innovative Entrepreneurship leads NiKoS, the UT’s expert centre for knowledge-intensive entrepreneurship, and is committed to research, teaching, consultancy & training and business development support. it consolidates the UT’s expertise and experience from the chairs for innovative Entrepreneurship, marketing, Strategic management and international management. research of NiKoS fits within the strategic research orientation (Sro) ‘innovation & Entrepreneurship’ of the institute for innovation and Governance Studies (iGS).

This chair’s research focuses on entrepreneurial and business development processes in networks, mostly in technology-rich domains such as manufacturing industry, and on analysing the interaction between technology (for example nano, icT, biomed) dynamics and business development. By experimenting with new forms of entrepreneurship support, we realise a field laboratory, which is academically as well as practically relevant. a recent example is the venturelab Twente business development programme. Within the framework of the UT mission, venturelab facilitates high-tech high-growth business development. This research is part of iGS, institute of innovation and Governance Studies, Sro innovation & Entrepreneurship. Management & Governance Organisation Studies and InnovationThe chair’s research focuses on the organisation of innovation and new organisational forms needed to deal with the organisational challenges related to the dynamics of the innovation paradox when combining exploration and exploitation. it also looks into how this depends on the technological field in which a firm is active. in studying the organisational issues in innovation management, the research takes a process approach. it is developed along three major lines:- organising innovation at company level with a specific interest in ambidexterity, or how to deal with

exploration and exploitation simultaneously.- The development of innovative organisations in context (technology-organisation interaction),

innovation strategies and their translation into organisational configurations, and the impact on performance.

- organising innovation in networks and open innovation related to the possibilities created by modular product design.

This research is part of iGS, institute of innovation and Governance Studies, Sro innovation & Entrepreneurship.

Electrical Engineering, Mathematics & Computer Science Human Media InteractionThe mission of the human media interaction (hmi) group is to help develop technologies that treat users as human beings instead of as machines. To this end, the group looks at ways in which intelligent systems can be taught to incorporate knowledge of human behaviour and social interaction.

With computers retreating into the background, hmi focuses on interaction technologies that can sense and interpret human action, intention and emotion from speech, computer vision and other sensing devices unobtrusively. intelligent systems can take the form of robots or virtual humans, but interactions in an ambient environment in which multi-sensorial experiences are created through light, touch, sound, and so on are very much in the focus of the group as well. The engineering approach is tightly coupled with a human-centred research approach in which human-system interactions are designed and evaluated from various social science perspectives.

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Prof. dr. ir. Petra de Weerd-Nederhof

Prof. dr. Aard Groen

Prof. dr. Vanessa Evers

Prof. dr. Dirk Heylen


RESEARCH THEME

HUMAN-TECHNOLOGY RELATIONS8 DEvEloPiNG a DrivEr iNTErfacE for TraNSiTioNS

BETWEEN aUTomaTED aND NoN-aUTomaTED DriviNG

9 PiraTE

10 ProDUcT imPacT oN USEr BEhavioUr

11 arT & TEchNoloGY - rolE of oBJEcTS iN hUmaN EXiSTENcE

12 aPPEaliNG ENviroNmENTS - coNSUmEr EXPEriENcE iN ThE PhYSical aND Social SErvicE ENviroNmENT

13 TELECAREATHOME:ANTICIPATING CONFLICTINGNORMS

14 TrUST iN collaBoraTivE rEPoSiToriES

15 WhiSPEriNG KNoWlEDGE WiTh ShaPES

16 aPPliED PSYchoPhYSioloGY: mEaSUriNG PhYSioloGical chaNGES DUriNG rEal-lifE hUmaN-ProDUcT iNTEracTioNS

17 THEINFLUENCEOFENVIRONMENTALDESIGNON EXPERIENCEaND commUNicaTivE BEhavioUr

18 hUmaN facTorS aND mEDia PSYcholoGY

19 MOBILITYSOLUTIONSFORELDERLYIN THE CONTEXTOFSocial coNNEcTiviTY

20 amBiENT EXPEriENcE

21 SiNGlE-valUE DEvicES

22 Social roBoTicS


7

UNivErSiTY of TWENTE. PlaTform PRODUCT & SERVICE DESIGN8

RESEARCH SUBjECT

Developing a driver interface for transitions between automated and non-automated driving

RESEARCHER

ir. arie Paul van den Beukel - [email protected]

SUPERVISOR

Prof. dr. ir. arthur Eger - dr. ir. mascha van der voort

RESOURCES

Government funding

STATUS

ongoing January 2008 - august 2014

PARTNERS

aiDa - applications of integrated Driver assistanceTNo human factors

KEYwORDS

driver interface; transitions between automated andnon-automated driving; advanced Driver assistanceSystems (aDaS)

BackgroundMobility is essential for the economy and society. Mobility problems like congestion therefore need to be reduced. High expectations rest on new assistance systems to increase road efficiency; their precision of operation is presumed to enable a more stable traffic flow.

GoalsTo achieve the desired advantages, assistance systems are being created that interact with other vehicles, called cooperative driving systems. These systems are based on partially automated driving within specific driving situations, allowing for shorter driving distances and avoiding oscillations within the traffic flow. This last aspect especially helps to avoid congestion. Due to technical constraints, liability and customer preferences, cooperative driving systems will only be applied in specific circumstances. For this reason, there will be transitions between human (driver) operation and automation (vice versa). A key factor in the success of cooperative systems is therefore to develop an interface which evokes the appropriate human behaviour, especially for those circumstances in which the transitions take place. The objective of this PhD research is to develop such an interface.

PerspectivesThis research started with the development of a supported-driver model for the desired allocation of tasks between human and technology performance. The aim was to determine in which circumstances what type of support enhances the driver’s ability to control the vehicle. The answers are the basis for the development of the required interface. The result of this research will answer what impact the designed interface has on driving behaviour, comfort and acceptance.

Task performance is a series of control loops, performed by both human and machine

High expectations rest on cooperative driving systems to increase road efficiency

A hierarchy with different levels of driving support has been defined

The supported driver model recommends support types dependent on driving task type and level of task performance


Human-tECHnology rElatIonSDEVELOPING A DRIVER INTERFACE FOR TRANSITIONS BETwEEN AUTOMATED AND NON-AUTOMATED DRIVING

facUlTY CTw - ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGYchair PRODUCT DESIGNThEmE HUMAN-TECHNOLOGY RELATIONS


BackgroundPIRATE (Pipe Inspection Robot for AuTonomous Exploration) has been designed to inspect the gas distribution mains of the low-pressure net. This urban distribution network presents high risks for public safety, so inspection is necessary to ensure safe operation. After modelling several prototypes in a CAD environment, a prototype was realised using many CNC-manufactured components (see Image 2). For our second model, we are applying rapid prototyping and rapid manufacturing techniques. At present, we are working on a fully functional 3D printed model.

GoalsThe goals of this project are to design a robot that is capable of navigating through the network and carrying out (autonomous) inspection of the quality of the net. The robot has to move through the various bends, joints and obstacles in the net and provide detailed information on the quality of the net’s components.

PerspectivesThe first model is capable of navigating trough most of the selected net components. We are currently working on sensing systems and control electronics and hope to do a semi-autonomous inspection round by the end of 2012.

RESEARCH SUBjECT

Design of an inspection robot for small diameter gas distribution mains

RESEARCHER

Edwin Dertien - [email protected]

SUPERVISOR

Stefano Stramigioli

RESOURCES

UT-cE, Kiwa Gastec, Demcon, alliander

STATUS

ongoing September 2006 - September 2012

PARTNERS

Kiwa GasTec

KEYwORDS

service robotics, pipe inspection

CAD drawing of first robot concept

Construction details of the first robot concept

PIRATE inside a transparent tube

3D printed functional prototype


Human-tECHnology rElatIonSPIRATE

facUlTY EwI - ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, MATHEMATICS & COMPUTER SCIENCEchair CONTROL ENGINEERING - ADVANCED ROBOTICSThEmE HUMAN-TECHNOLOGY RELATIONS


RESEARCH SUBjECT

Product impact on User Behaviour and practices: Theory and ethics of behaviour steering technology

RESEARCHER

Drs. Steven Dorrestijn

SUPERVISOR

Prof. dr. ir. Peter-Paul verbeek

PROjECT TYPE

-

RESOURCES

ioP-iPcr

STATUS

ongoing 2007 - 2011

PARTNERS

WTmc, 3TU, cTiT

KEYwORDS

product impact, technical mediation, usability, ethics

BackgroundIt is a common belief that for designing good, useful, user-friendly products, it is important to understand user needs and characteristics. However, technologies in use shape and transform user needs and behaviour. To improve usability, the focus must not be exclusively on user needs and characteristics, but also on the complementary aspect of how technology changes people. The reconfiguration of behavioural routines and user preferences by technology is an important topic in the philosophy of technology. To date, little of this knowledge has been transferred to design practice. The Product Impact project therefore investigates how knowledge of behaviour changing effects of technology can be integrated in product design. Can knowledge about product impact help to anticipate and avoid use problems? Is it possible to design products that deliberately guide and change user behaviour? An explicit part of the project is to consider the ethical dimensions of this view on technology and the profession of design.

GoalsThe project aims at (1) elaborating a framework to anticipate product influences on user practices, (2) translating this framework into the practice of design, and (3) systematically addressing ethical questions resulting from the explicit design of behaviour-steering products.

PerspectivesCare for human-technology interaction and usability is a key challenge for design in today’s high-tech society. The approach of product impact contributes to this with new insights and tools.

When procedures are not self-evident it is a challenge to make technology user-guiding

Beyond serving users technology may persuade to change behaviour


Human-tECHnology rElatIonSPRODUCT IMPACT ON USER BEHAVIOUR

facUlTY Gw - BEHAVIOURAL SCIENCESchair PHILOSOPHY OF HUMAN-TECHNOLOGY RELATIONSThEmE HUMAN-TECHNOLOGY RELATIONS


RESEARCH SUBjECT

The Performative and relational abilities of Things

RESEARCHER

Yvonne Dröge Wendel - [email protected]

SUPERVISOR

Prof. dr. ir. Peter-Paul verbeek and prof. dr. Sher Doruff

RESOURCES

NWo - fonds BKvB, PhD in the fine arts

STATUS

ongoing December 2010 - December 2015

PARTNERS

rietveld academy amsterdam- research group: making Things Public

KEYwORDS

visual art, artistic research, collaborative art practice, thingy things

BackgroundSocially Engaged = materially Engaged To form = Being formed

Throughout a wide range of academic fields, a collective effort is underway to rework our understanding of what it is for humans and non-humans to constitute a world. This follows from a common theoretical concern, the dissolution of the subject/object distinction. In its physical examining of the affective life of things within collaborative (art) practices, this research project introduces an artistic approach to the materiality of the work in process.

GoalsPrimary source material is produced through carefully designed interactive working processes. Specific here is the fact that the project engages informed others, both human and non-human participants, academics and artists from various disciplines and (boundary) objects specifically designed for this process. Live encounters will produce knowledge, generate interdisciplinary dialogue and interpretations.

Perspectivesa communicatory toolbox that can be used to think and talk about what things do and potentially can do.

The research results will be in both spatial (built environment) and textual (book) form. Texts will elaborate on classification and terminology in relation to the workings of objects in different stages of the artistic process. Texts will furthermore clarify principle factors the maker delegates, intentionally or unintentionally, to objects. Most significantly, in support of the theoretical achievements, my art practice will further develop built environments that evoke discussion, inform and help formulate essential questions concerning (the future of) things.

Object Research Lab - Item Store, 2010, detail

Object Research Lab, 2010, detail

Relational Thingness - Object One, 2010, detail

Relational Thingness - Object One, 2010, detail


Human-tECHnology rElatIonSART & TECHNOLOGY - ROLE OF OBjECTS IN HUMAN EXISTENCE



RESEARCH SUBjECT

appealing environments - consumer experience in the physical and social service environment

RESEARCHER

Dr. mirjam Galetzka - [email protected]

SUPERVISOR

-

RESOURCES

Direct funding, contract research / EU and industry funding

STATUS

ongoing 2007 -

PARTNERS

NS (Dutch railways, Utrecht) / Philips lighting

KEYwORDS

servicescapes, authentic consumer experience, ambient features (music, coloured lighting), waiting times

BackgroundEnvironmental design of the physical and social service environment impacts consumer experience of the servicescape. Ambient features such as coloured lighting, music and scent are known for the impact they have on how we feel, what we think and how we behave. This research studies the influence of the design and architecture of service settings (for example railway stations, schools and retail settings) on consumer experience and behaviour.

GoalsInsight into the effects of service design on consumer experience, and the underlying psychological mechanisms yielding strategies that improve service quality.

PerspectivesThe research within his theme intends to gain insight in the underlying psychological processes that explain how consumers respond to subtle changes in the servicescape.

Waiting experience, Mark van Hagen, NS

VR lab

SchoolVision, Philips Lighting

Leiden platform


Human-tECHnology rElatIonSAPPEALING ENVIRONMENTS - CONSUMER EXPERIENCE IN THE PHYSICAL AND SOCIAL SERVICE ENVIRONMENT

facUlTY Gw - BEHAVIOURAL SCIENCESchair MARKETING COMMUNICATION & CONSUMER PSYCHOLOGYThEmE HUMAN-TECHNOLOGY RELATIONS


RESEARCH SUBjECT

Being a patient - the role of telecare technology in shaping patient identities

RESEARCHER

Dr. asle Kiran - [email protected]

SUPERVISOR

-

RESOURCES

research funding / NWo-mvi funding

STATUS

ongoing 2009 - 2012

PARTNERS

Prof. dr. P. P. verbeek mSc, prof. dr. N. oudshoorn, prof. dr. h. hermens mSc, dr. v. Jones mSc, i.J.h. maathuis mSc, llm

KEYwORDS

philosophy of technology, technical mediation, ethics, phenomenology, constitution of identities

BackgroundDespite promising to improve the quality of healthcare and showing great potential for reducing healthcare expenditure, telecare technologies are often met with resistance from user groups such as nurses and patients. Partly, this is because these technologies introduce and reinforce specific and inflexible ways of being handled, and thus come with specific built-in norms of use, norms that challenge the existing structures of and relations within healthcare. Such social and ethical consequences of technological innovation can often be surprising from a technical and functional perspective, but are known and assessed in philosophy, ethics and in science, technology and society research (STS). This project especially studies the social and ethical consequences of telemonitoring technologies for chronic patients.

GoalsThe Telecare at Home project aims to use knowledge about user impact to develop tools that can assist engineers in anticipating conflicting norms when designing telecare technologies.

PerspectivesTelecare technologies do not just perform specific functions, they potentially shape and transform the identities of patients. By being presented with a different set of options (staying at home rather than being hospitalised; eliminate tedious travel), the patient experiences himself or herself as a different kind of patient. In a more general perspective, what does this say about the role of our technological environment in shaping the kind of people we are and become. With this perspective, the project is part of a philosophical investigation of how technology reshapes and transforms society.

Older telecare technologies utilised TV and telephones in the communication between patient and healthcare personnel

These days, the communication more often happens through internet and the mobile network

A telecare device involves much more than the patient and a nurse; it is a full system of technical and human contributors

Researchers are now working on ultrathin, electronic medical monitors that attach to a patient’s skin and transmit data wireless


Human-tECHnology rElatIonSTELECARE AT HOME: ANTICIPATING CONFLICTING NORMS



RESEARCH SUBjECT

Trust in collaborative repositories

RESEARCHER

Teun lucassen, mSc - [email protected]

SUPERVISOR

Prof. dr. Jan maarten Schraagen

RESOURCES

GW / cTiT

STATUS

ongoing february 2009 - april 2013

PARTNERS

-

KEYwORDS

trust, information, collaboration, Wikipedia

BackgroundResearch on trust has largely focused on automated systems that are closed and stable. Very few studies have been carried out on trust in open and dynamic systems such as collaborative repositories (like Wikipedia).

GoalsThis project focuses on factors that influence information trust and distrust in such open network-based systems. Recent research suggests that rate of use and individual differences in dispositional trust are important factors. We have proposed three strategies by which credibility is evaluated (semantic, surface, source). The choice between these strategies depends on various user characteristics (domain expertise, information skills, source experience).

PerspectivesUsing the acquired knowledge on how people evaluate credibility, we explore the possibility to support them in their evaluations. Such support could be implemented by an automated or a user-based system. Automated systems vary in complexity; a heuristic approach should be compared to an algorithmic approach. The level of trust people have in either heuristics or algorithms is a crucial factor when exploring the optimal support solution.

Example of Wikipedia article

3S-model of Information Trust


Human-tECHnology rElatIonSTRUST IN COLLABORATIVE REPOSITORIES

facUlTY Gw - BEHAVIOURAL SCIENCESchair COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY & ERGONOMICSThEmE HUMAN-TECHNOLOGY RELATIONS


BackgroundUbiquitous Computing has motivated researchers into augmenting our environment with networked sensors, processing power, and displays. One of the most promising sub-visions are the tangible user interfaces (TUI): computing is seamlessly embedded in everyday objects. One of the main limitations of TUIs is that they focus more on the input mechanism. This project focuses on tangible representations for output mechanisms.

‘Although the tangible representation allows the physical embodiment to be directly coupled to digital information, it has limited ability to represent change in many material or physical properties. Unlike malleable pixels on the computer screen, it is very hard to change a physical object in its form, position, or properties (e.g. colour, size) in real time.’ -- Hiroshi Ishii

GoalsSmart Materials are materials that have at least one property that can be dynamically altered in a controlled way, such as shape, colour or stiffness. The advent of Smart Material Interfaces allows us to bring tangible representations to the output side of interactive systems. As information representation is moved to the physical environment, away from display screens, the system can present its information in a much less intrusive, more implicit manner.

PerspectivesWe will first develop smart grass (‘Follow The Grass’), based on muscle wire actuators. Slight changes in the fluid waving movement of the grass can express a wide variety of information, such as showing the direction to travel, expressing a mood, or implicitly focusing the attention upon a certain object in the environment.

RESEARCH SUBjECT

Smart material interfaces for ambient Displays

RESEARCHER

andrea minuto - [email protected]

SUPERVISOR

Prof. dr. ir. anton Nijholt

RESOURCES

Direct funding / government funding

STATUS

2010 - 2014

PARTNERS

cTiT, iTc

KEYwORDS

smart materials, ambient displays, (serious) gaming, entertainment technology

Tangible Interfaces: real-world tangible representations for input; digital representations for output

Smart Material Interfaces: real-world tangible representations for output

Ambient Grass Display

Muscle wires to actuate grass movement: silent and fast


Human-tECHnology rElatIonSwHISPERING KNOwLEDGE wITH SHAPES

facUlTY EwI - ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, MATHEMATICS & COMPUTER SCIENCEchair HUMAN MEDIA INTERACTIONThEmE HUMAN-TECHNOLOGY RELATIONS


RESEARCH SUBjECT

applied psychophysiology: measuring physiological changes during real-life human-product interactions

RESEARCHER

Dr. matthijs Noordzij - [email protected]

SUPERVISOR

Dr. matthijs Noordzij

RESOURCES


STATUS

ongoing January 2009 -

PARTNERS

industrial Design Engineering

KEYwORDS

emotion, arousal, valence, skin conductance, heart rate, skin temperature, human movement, hci, hri

BackgroundFor more than 100 years, we have been able to measure various physiological changes in the human body such as increase in heart rate, sweating, breathing. These changes can be indicative of emotional responses, and can be measured automatically and continuously. This makes them an ideal companion to human assessment of emotional states. Typically, humans can classify subtle emotions in others and themselves, but they do so with inconsistent accuracy, especially when over longer periods of time. By combining physiological recordings and human judgement, advanced and practically useful classification of human emotional states during product interactions are possible.

GoalsThis project aims to conduct studies that classify emotional responses of humans to products in real life. Physiological measurements will be central to this project. In many situations, purely qualitative classifications do not suffice. One can think of longitudinal studies in which the arousal of people is tracked automatically for days, or studies in which massive differences in the physiological states between users can be expected (or example factory workers using the same product during a day- or nightshift). Finally, any human-product interaction in which designers expect time-critical moments will benefit from unobtrusive and continuous physiological measurements.

PerspectivesTo further improve human-product interactions, triangulation is crucial. This project will add a cost-effective, high-resolution instrument to the product researchers’ toolbox.

The Q sensor, with which skin conductance, skin temperature and movement can be measured.

Example of arousal measurements (through skin conductance) during human-robot interaction

Example of 24-hour arousal measurements on 3 separate days


Human-tECHnology rElatIonSAPPLIED PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGY: MEASURING PHYSIOLOGICAL CHANGES DURING REAL-LIFE HUMAN-PRODUCT INTERACTIONS



RESEARCH SUBjECT

The influence of the environmental design on experience and communicative behaviour in healthcare settings

RESEARCHER

vanessa okken - [email protected]

SUPERVISOR

Dr. Thomas van rompay, prof. dr. ad Pruyn

RESOURCES


STATUS

June 2008 - June 2012

PARTNERS

-

KEYwORDS

environmental design, self-disclosure, spaciousness, health communication, patient experience

BackgroundPatients’ willingness to disclose information is important during health communication. Self-disclosure, or sharing personal information about oneself with another person, is a very common behaviour when it comes to close relatives and friends. During patient-physician interaction, self-disclosure is also desired but more troublesome since the healthcare provider frequently does not fit the description of close relative or friend. Besides personal characteristics and the topic of conversation, the environment in which the conversation takes place influences communicative behaviour. The importance of attending to patients’ affective needs, reducing stress levels, and creating a soothing, pleasant environment is all the more apparent when taking note of recent developments in the commercialisation of the healthcare industry. From this perspective, the importance of creating pleasant environments that meet patients’ needs and inspire loyalty and satisfaction with respect to the service cannot be understated.

GoalsThe effect of different environmental factors related to architecture, interior design and atmospheric are studied. Key factor to this project is the role of spaciousness; how environmental factors can make a room come across as more or less spacious and how these spaciousness perceptions in turn influence behaviour. Research shows that experiencing limited physical space causes feelings of limited psychological space. In turn, these feelings of restraint can cause reactance, a lowered intention to comply with requests. Reactance can emerge as a refusal to accept persuasive messages, buy the recommended products or disclose information when expected to.

PerspectivesThe envisaged results will increase knowledge about how environmental design influences our experience and behaviour. This research will help improve healthcare environments to better meet the needs of patients during contact with their healthcare provider.

Some examples for each category of environmental factors


Human-tECHnology rElatIonSTHE INFLUENCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN ON EXPERIENCE AND COMMUNICATIVE BEHAVIOUR

facUlTY Gw - BEHAVIOURAL SCIENCESchair MARKETING COMMUNICATION & CONSUMER PSYCHOLOGYThEmE HUMAN-TECHNOLOGY RELATIONS


RESEARCH SUBjECT

Diversity in human-computer interaction

RESEARCHER

Dr. martin Schmettow - [email protected]

SUPERVISOR

Dr. martin Schmettow

RESOURCES


STATUS

ongoing September 2009 -

PARTNERS

Philips (Eindhoven), Gemeente Enschede

KEYwORDS

usability, diversity, statistical modelling, hci, mixed effects models

BackgroundImagine, you enter a shoe shop and ask for a pair in size 46. The saleslady, with an apologetic smile, informs you that all shoes are only available in size 43, because this is the average foot size of male Central Europeans. What sounds absurd in this example happens frequently in the design of interactive products: A confusion of the average with the typical. This exactly is our working definition: Diversity is when the average is not the typical. Diversity applies equally to the three factors of usability: Users, tasks and products.

GoalsThis project aims at establishing a quantitative framework for user-centred design. This will serve different purposes: (1) characterising populations of users (2) discovering deficiencies in usability of mass products and (3) deriving domain-specific guidelines for universally usable designs.

PerspectivesCurrently, HCI has mainly adopted two opposite research paradigms: the nomothetic and the idiosyncratic. Nomothetic research is driven by the search for universal laws and is strongly attached to strictly controlled laboratory studies. Unfortunately, these are rarely informative for real design problems due to the artificial lab situation. In contrast, idiosyncratic field or case studies are ecologically valid, but do not generalise well to other contexts.

Diversity research aims at combining the best of the two worlds. With quantitative studies in ecologically valid settings, we aim for rich descriptions and good predictions of the human-technology encounter. For a good deal, this is based on the power of modern statistics.

Diversity research balances ecological validity and generalisability

Random effects analysis reveals: Variety of designs has a stronger impact on browsing performance than individual differences


Human-tECHnology rElatIonSHUMAN FACTORS AND MEDIA PSYCHOLOGY



BackgroundAn aging society confronts us with many challenges. One is to let elderly live independently as long as possible. There are many advantages of living independently, but the social aspect is weak. Social meeting situations must be stimulated to prevent loneliness.

Mobility product service systems (PSSs) play a key role in this setting. Previous research indicates that mobility solutions are not only used to go from one place to another, but the destination and the movement itself can play a very important social role too. Existing mobility means are not specifically designed as PSS, resulting in a lot of opportunities for development. Previous contextual research indicates that mobility for short to medium distances, such as inner-city transport or transport around rural areas, should be elaborated. Electric mobility is very suitable for these circumstances.

GoalsGoal of this project is to gain insight in the criteria which a mobility PSS should meet for specific target groups like the elderly. This research will focus on the product side of PSSs and will be performed simultaneously and in close collaboration with research on service systems. Research criteria will be based on user-centred design. Subjects are for example existing mobility means, motives for movement and specific use situations, but also contextual design criteria for instance to avoid stigmatising design.

PerspectivesThe research will result in knowledge for the Dutch creative industry about creating new mobility PSSs. Moreover, several PSSs for the elderly will be developed, and tested in a mobility lab.

RESEARCH SUBjECT

mobility solutions for the elderly in the context of social connectivity

RESEARCHER

ir. rick Schotman - [email protected]

SUPERVISOR

Prof. dr. ir. Wim Poelman, ir. marc Beusenberg

RESOURCES

3rd party funding

STATUS

September 2011 - September 2015

PARTNERS

Eindhoven University of Technology, Design academy Eindhoven (criSP consortium)

KEYwORDS

product-service system, local transport, electric mobility, usability, user-centred design, elderly, mobility lab

Interior of the autonomously driving Zagato 2getthere, a product service system for urban areas

GEM E6, example of an existing electric mobility solution supported by a service system

Two-seater concept for elderly people

Research subject of a dedicated vehicle to be combined with a service system


Human-tECHnology rElatIonSMOBILITY SOLUTIONS FOR ELDERLY IN THE CONTEXT OF SOCIAL CONNECTIVITY

facUlTY CTw - ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGYchair PRODUCT DESIGNThEmE HUMAN-TECHNOLOGY RELATIONS


BackgroundThe research of the Ambient Experience team involves development of entertaining and playful environments. A mixture of technology development, new design methods, and user experience studies leads to engaging installations as well as to deeper insights into the behaviour of users in interactive ambient environments.

GoalsWe want to design for playful ambient user experiences by making the environment (as well as the objects in it) responsive, through a combination of sensors and ambient displays. Using light, sound, and motion, the installations express varying reactions to the behaviour of their inhabitants or users. These interactions are used to implicitly influence the users’ behaviour and feelings, to entertain them, and to activate them.

PerspectivesOne of the first installations being developed in this team is an interactive playground that, instead of offering clear-cut games like most interactive playgrounds, encourages the emergence of play without fixed rules or goals. The behaviour of the playground is inspired by an extensive analysis of children’s play and games in real-life playgrounds.

RESEARCH SUBjECT

ambient Experience

RESEARCHER

various researchers contact: Dennis reidsma - [email protected]

SUPERVISOR

hmi

RESOURCES

3rd party funding

STATUS

2011 - 2015

PARTNERS

KiTT Engineering, De Waag Society

KEYwORDS

entertainment technology, interactive playgrounds, design methods for emergent interaction, tangible interfaces for entertainment, user experience, implicit interaction

A first playground prototype

Children interacting with the playground during the ‘Experiment in het Bos’ lustrum activity

Influencing the relation and interaction between people through their respective interactions with the system


Human-tECHnology rElatIonSAMBIENT EXPERIENCE

facUlTY EwI - ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, MATHEMATICS & COMPUTER SCIENCEchair HUMAN MEDIA INTERACTIONThEmE HUMAN-TECHNOLOGY RELATIONS


BackgroundWe live in a world of continuous information overflow, but the quality of information and communication is suffering. Single-value devices contribute to the quality of information and communication by focusing on one explicit, relevant piece of information. The information is decoupled from a computer and represented in an object, integrating into daily life.

Goals and PerspectivesThis project is an exploration and mapping of the design space for interactive concepts that use single-value devices.

The user experience is focused on peripheral information presentation and awareness, and on the affective associations that can be designed into single-value devices.

Furthermore, we are working towards a platform that enables user-friendly operation, like battery-charging, wireless connectivity, and that also allows for easy prototyping, with an eye to mass production.

RESEARCH SUBjECT

Single-value Devices

RESEARCHERS

angelika mader - [email protected], Dennis reidsma - [email protected], Edwin Dertien - [email protected]

SUPERVISOR

-

RESOURCES


STATUS

2010 - ongoing

PARTNERS

-

KEYwORDS

internet of things, telepresence, communication

Coffee cup as a simple communicator enabling making an appointment for a coffee break with a remote colleague

Microcontroller as a part of a platform

Fridge magnets showing the time left for breakfast until one has to leave for work, taking the road and the actual traffic situation into account

Coconatch - a single value device developed at Waseda University, Japan


Human-tECHnology rElatIonSSINGLE-VALUE DEVICES

facUlTY EwI - ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, MATHEMATICS & COMPUTER SCIENCEchair ADVANCED ROBOTICS AND CONTROL ENGINEERINGThEmE HUMAN-TECHNOLOGY RELATIONS


BackgroundSlowly but surely, robots and virtual humans are entering our daily lives. Where they first were still confined to factories and laboratories, we now have, in our daily environment, robotic vacuum cleaners, lawn mowers, and receptionists. Virtual humans are being employed for selling tickets, answering product questions, and helping people plan their travels with public transport.

GoalsRobots have a strong physical presence, making them more convincing and believable partners in interaction. Also, they can more easily act in the real world. On the other hand, the most advanced work on the subtle mechanisms of social communication has, so far, been done within the context of (graphical) virtual humans. The goal of this collaboration is to close this gap, building a platform that covers the whole spectrum from designing advanced social dialogues, selecting appropriate behaviours, and realising the result in a physical robot embodiment, with all the subtle control and feedback afforded by state-of-the-art robotics.

PerspectivesIn the context of a few national and international projects, the researchers of RAM and HMI are working to connect the social dialogue capabilities researched at HMI with the humanoid robot head developed at RAM. The next step will be to apply the result from analyses of human interaction in certain contexts to interaction with the humanoid head, followed by extensive user studies to see the effect of the implemented behaviour on the interaction with users.

RESEARCH SUBjECT

modelling and implementing human-like patterns of conversation for interaction with virtual humans and social robots

RESEARCHERS

various researchers from cE and hmi. contact: Dennis reidsma - [email protected]

SUPERVISOR

-

RESOURCES

various (GaTE, commiT, BricS, roBoNED, BoBBY)

STATUS

ongoing

PARTNERS

-

KEYwORDS

social robots, behaviour mark-up language, dialogue systems, mechatronics, virtual humans, user studies

The Twente humanoid head has been designed within CE for smooth and natural motion capabilities. Vision-based motion control allows interaction by tracking human or salient objects

User studies lead to knowledge about human behaviour in conversation

Implementing human like patterns of conversational behaviour for artificial agents

Social interaction with the Elckerlyc virtual human of HMI


Human-tECHnology rElatIonSSOCIAL ROBOTICS

facUlTY EwI - ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, MATHEMATICS & COMPUTER SCIENCEchair CE - CONTROL ENGINEERING, HMI - HUMAN MEDIA INTERACTIONThEmE HUMAN-TECHNOLOGY RELATIONS

23

RESEARCH THEME

ORGANISING INNOVATION24 iNTEGral foam aPPlicaTioN iN coNcrETE

25 MOBILITYLABTWENTE:MAKING E-MOBILITYACCESSIBLE

26 riSK maNaGEmENT iN iNfraSTrUcTUral ProJEcTS

27 moDUlar ProDUcT aND SErvicE DESiGN

28 ADOPTIONANDINNOVATIONOF INDUSTRIALISEDBUILDINGcoNcEPTS

29 ToWarDS a mEThoDoloGical framEWorK for ThE DESiGN of NEW maTErialS aND maTErial comPoSiTES

30 iNTErNaTioNal mEDical ProDUcT DEvEloPmENT iN NETWorKS

31 INTER-ORGANISATIONALINNOVATIONIN CONSTRUCTIONiNDUSTrY

32 DESiGNiNG iNNovaTivE orGaNiSaTioNS iN coNTEXT

33 EXPLORATIONANDEXPLOITATIONIN PRODUCTINNOVATION



BackgroundThe production of concrete causes a substantial part in the CO2 emission worldwide. The use of lightweight concrete elements diminishes this and helps solve the ergonomic constraints in the building industry by weight reduction. Concrete elements of which only the kernel is foamed and the outside layer is solid have the advantage of a high-quality hard surface, no assimilation of water and better surface strength compared with regular aerated concrete. The first experiment, a proof-of-principle test for such a concrete element, was successful. With this method, the weight of prefab elements can be reduced by more than 50%.

GoalsThis experimental research project aims to develop a so-called integral foaming system. The outside of the product is solid concrete, the inside a foamed concrete core. The aim is to develop a reproducible system including the necessary tooling for large-scale production of integral foamed concrete components.

Several companies and the Delft University of Technology are involved in this research project.

PerspectivesThe project could lead to a substantial reduction of CO2 emission world-wide and to a solution of ergonomic constraints in building industry by weight reduction.

The thermal insulation is higher compared with regular concrete. Transportation (cost & energy) will decrease.

The material is reusable: No synthetic fillings are used to create the foam core, and no synthetic foam agents are needed.

RESEARCH SUBjECT

integral foam application in concrete

RESEARCHER

Jacob alkema - [email protected]

SUPERVISOR


RESOURCES

contract research / EU and industry funding from companies and local government

STATUS

ongoing october 2009 -

PARTNERS

Temmink, raab Karcher, olde hanter, morssinkhof

KEYwORDS

co2-reduction, cradle to cradle, sustainability, foamed concrete, aerated concrete

organISIng InnoVatIonINTEGRAL FOAM APPLICATION IN CONCRETE


facUlTY CTw - ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGYchair PRODUCT REALISATIONThEmE ORGANISING INNOVATION


RESEARCH SUBjECT

mobility lab Twente: making e-mobility accessible

RESEARCHER

ir. marc Beusenberg - [email protected]

SUPERVISOR


RESOURCES

Part direct funding (government funding) and part third-party funding (EU and industry funding)

STATUS

ongoing october 2009 - September 2013

PARTNERS

Several departments of the University of Twente, governments, local industry partners, and the Dutch criSP (creative industry Science Programme) consortium

KEYwORDS

technology diffusion, open innovation, design management, design research, research valorisation, business development, mobility, e-mobility, electric driving, urban mobility

BackgroundThe conditions for the (re-)introduction of electric vehicles are much better than they were in the 1920s and 1930s, or in the 1990s. Marketing electric cars is now pursued by OEMs and governments alike, mostly under pressure of reducing the use of natural resources such as fossil fuel, and changing economics and politics. Progression in e-mobility appears a logical course of events, but the transition to a combined combustion engine and electromotor market is taking longer than expected. We suspect that the availability of knowledge is of great influence to the acceptance of e-mobility.

GoalsThe decision-making process as to whether or not to invest in project ideas at an early stage is much more difficult in innovation-intensive domains than in established markets. The aim of our research is to understand how to facilitate this decision-making process for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the emerging area of mobility and electric driving. To date, our research has resulted in an understanding of which factors dominate the development of e-mobility that are substantially different from those of the development of current mobility which is based on the combustion engine. Each of these six factors needs to be carefully considered in every step of the design (Figure 1). Not only the process of knowledge transfer but also its organisation is subject of our study. Under the name ‘Mobility Lab Twente’, we are investigating what organisation type and facilities are best suited to enhance this sharing of knowledge.

PerspectivesThe Mobility Lab Twente wants to contribute to an improved understanding and acceptance of electric driving. Most of the case studies that are part of this research address inner-city mobility. The collaborations sought in this research are expected to lead to more business activity, at least at regional level.

Sustainable mobility innovation model

Re-design of the CityEL electric vehicle

Concept design of an individual electric vehicle for inner-city transport

First prototype of the e-trigger: an electric vehicle for touristic use


organISIng InnoVatIonMOBILITY LAB TwENTE: MAKING E-MOBILITY ACCESSIBLE



RESEARCH SUBjECT

an approach to integrate knowledge risk-related knowledge to support risk management in large infrastructural projects

RESEARCHER

ibsen chivatá cárdenas - [email protected]

SUPERVISOR

Prof. dr. ir. Joop halman, dr. Saad al-jibouri

RESOURCES

co-funding in cooperation with Deltares and iGS

STATUS

october 2008 - october 2012

PARTNERS

-

KEYwORDS

risk-related knowledge integration, epistemic uncertainty, expert judgement elicitation, Bayesian belief networks, risk modelling

BackgroundRisk-related knowledge gained from past construction projects is regarded to be extremely useful in risk management. However such knowledge is usually unavailable when required and there are many circumstances that hamper its wider use. As a result many risk factors remain unidentified and, consequently, unattended. This research deals with possible options for capturing, integrating and using existing risk-related knowledge to support risk management decisions. Focusing on limited but critical tunnel risks, the research attempts to demonstrate how knowledge on a number of top risks in tunnel works can be captured, integrated and used. The research will show the extent to which the approach and the models integrating risk-related knowledge provide guidance to derive risk measures on a cost-efficient basis and inform on uncertainty of the risks under study.

GoalsThe goals of this study are twofold: To construct risk models integrating knowledge for six critical construction risks in tunnel works and to develop and test an approach for constructing, analysing and using the developed risk models.

PerspectivesThe research has been conducted using the Bayesian probabilistic paradigm in conjunction with the uncertainty-based approach to risks, in which uncertainty due to lack of knowledge is regarded the main component of risk.

Overall risk system configuration for capturing integrating and using risk-related knowledge

Expert elicitation process to capture risk-related knowledge

Excessive loss of support: risk sub-model prototype


organISIng InnoVatIonRISK MANAGEMENT IN INFRASTRUCTURAL PROjECTS



RESEARCH SUBjECT

modular design concepts for product and service innovation

RESEARCHER

Dr. ir. Erwin hofman - [email protected]

SUPERVISOR

-

RESOURCES

PSiBouw, PDma and iGS

STATUS

ongoing

PARTNERS

Prof. dr. ir. Joop halman, michael Song, Dries faems, alberto Di minin, Stephani Schleimer, diverse product- and service companies

KEYwORDS

modularity, product platform, product- service innovation, innovation networks, modular innovation, architectural innovation.

BackgroundModular products and services platforms allow a company to develop new products quickly and at decreased cost. Furthermore, modular designs facilitate efficient co-creation: Customers can design their own products and services by means of mixing and matching standardised product and service modules. Many companies from industries as diverse as the construction industry and shoe-manufacturing industries are interested in the benefits of modular design concepts but struggle with developing them.

GoalsSystemic or so-called architectural innovations are needed to develop modular products or services based on a new set of interface standards. In loosely coupled, specialised business networks, systemic innovation can only be realised in conjunction with related innovations within a network of firms. Questions that must be dealt with concern how to split integral systems into modular systems, what type of interfaces between modules will be designed, who owns the property rights over the new standards and what kind of partnering relationships within innovation networks motivate companies to collaborate and improve commercial innovation performance.

PerspectivesThe research provides recommendations on how to develop modular product and service platforms. Furthermore, it shows how companies can organise their innovation networks to maximise their commercial innovation performance. As this research deals about modular design standards, the results also comprehend governmental policy implications for product standardisation in general.

Modularity in design and production (courtesy: Jan Wind architects)

Roombeek Enschede, modularity in housing design (copyright: Erwin Hofman)

Modular innovations facilitating customisation (www.nike.com)


organISIng InnoVatIonMODULAR PRODUCT AND SERVICE DESIGN

facUlTY MB - MANAGEMENT AND GOVERNANCEchair ORGANISATION STUDIES & INNOVATIONThEmE ORGANISING INNOVATION


Research setting: The adoption of systemic innovation in the residential construction industry

Example of systemic innovation: An extension module for revitalising apartment buildings

BackgroundIn the past decades, extensive governmental and industry efforts have been made to develop and construct sustainable, industrialised and adaptable building structures. These efforts resulted in several innovative building systems. At a small scale, these innovations have already been applied successfully. However, it remains a challenge to achieve them at a broader scale. It is assumed that it is difficult to apply systemic innovations at a larger scale because of the complexity and the lack of know-how of applying innovation diffusion theory in the context of the (residential) construction industry.

GoalsAlthough continuous potential systemic innovations are available to the residential construction industry, only a few grow to maturity and become successful. The low cumulative adoption and implementation rate of systematic innovations diminishes the competitiveness and profitability of residential construction firms. Furthermore, it results in a loss of research and development investments and impedes the willingness to invest in new business opportunities. This research aims (1) to identify the key factors that influence the adoption-rejection process of innovations in the residential sector, and (2) to develop implementation strategies that increase the adoption potential of systemic innovations in the residential sector.

PerspectivesThe objective of this research is to contribute to the diffusion theory within the context of the residential sector. Furthermore, this research contributes to theory development in the field of system innovations in loosely coupled networks. To that end, we are developing a strategy that innovators in the residential industry could apply to enlarge the diffusion potential of systemic innovations.

RESEARCH SUBjECT

adoption of innovation in the construction industry

RESEARCHER

ir. John van oorschot - [email protected]

SUPERVISOR

Prof. dr. ir. Joop halman

RESOURCES

Pioneering foundation, iDf workgroup and iGS

STATUS

July 2010 - July 2014

PARTNERS

4D architects, De Groot vroomshoop, De Woonplaats, hodes Bouwsystemen, Plegt vos, raab Karcher, Twinta, van Dijk Groep, Winkels Techniek

KEYwORDS

innovation, adoption, construction industry, residential sector


organISIng InnoVatIonADOPTION AND INNOVATION OF INDUSTRIALISED BUILDING CONCEPTS

facUlTY CTw - ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGYchair INNOVATION PROCESSESThEmE ORGANISING INNOVATION


Concrete, light-weight window frame

Application of long-fibre thermoplastics in pulley

Vacuum cleaner which informs user by colour and form changing

Relation between product design, intelligence design and material design

RESEARCH SUBjECT

Towards a methodological framework for the design of new materials and material composites

RESEARCHER

Prof. dr. ir. Wim Poelman - [email protected]

SUPERVISOR


RESOURCES


STATUS


PARTNERS

Stichting material Design

KEYwORDS

design, methodology, materials, smart, functional, composites, responsiveness, adaptability

BackgroundIn the past, many design disciplines have emerged. Architectural design is the oldest and goes back to Vitruvius. Fashion design and interior design have also been in existence for ages. Industrial design has come up during the last century. Initially, products were just based on materials properties, but these days, information technology (IT) has become probably the most important enabler of product functions.

An important issue for the near future is the integration of materials sciences and IT. Materials become actuators which directly translate information input in movement, colour change, texture change, transparency change, etc. Although materials have already been subject of design for a long time, materials design was not yet recognised as a design discipline.

GoalsThis research project is aimed at the definition of a discipline called ‘materials design’, combined with methodological tools and methods, which provides materials designers specific professional needs which are not available within the other design disciplines.

PerspectivesThe project is aimed at initiating the development of a new discipline enabling the optimal use of new technology in the design of new materials which integrate functions in an effective and sustainable way.


organISIng InnoVatIonTOwARDS A METHODOLOGICAL FRAMEwORK FOR THE DESIGN OF NEw MATERIALS AND MATERIAL COMPOSITES



RESEARCH SUBjECT

international medical Product Development in Networks

RESEARCHER

Dr. ir. annemien Pullen - [email protected]

SUPERVISOR

Prof. dr. aard Groen

RESOURCES


STATUS

ongoing January 2011 -

PARTNERS

Gloria Barczak - full Professor/ Northeastern University - USa, Kenneth B. Kahn - full Professor/ virginia commonwealth University - USa, ann ledwith - PhD/ University of limerick - ireland, mats magnusson - full Professor/ KTh royal institute of Technology - Sweden, helen Perks - PhD/ manchester Business School - UK, Petra de Weerd-Nederhof - full Professor/ University of Twente - The Netherlands

KEYwORDS

product development, networks, collaboration, medical devices, innovation performance

BackgroundThe research focuses on the question how medical devices companies should organise their external network in order to achieve high innovation performance.

Collaboration is highly important in new product development, especially in high-tech, regulated environments like the medical devices sector. There is, however, room for a lot of improvement in the organisation of such collaborations. Even though numerous alliances fail in practice, the academic debate insufficiently addresses how to organise these networks in the context of new product development (NPD). In both practice and theory, there appears to be a knowledge gap concerning the successful organisation of networks in terms of innovation performance.

GoalsThe goal of the project is to build a large international database including data on innovation performance and network characteristics of small, medium-sized and large medical devices companies in order to study the relationship between multiple network characteristics simultaneously and innovation performance.

PerspectivesThe study will result in:

1. Improved understanding of how to organise NPD networks in the medical devices sector successfully.

2. A benchmark tool for medical devices companies, with which medical devices companies can compare their external characteristics and innovation performance with those of high-performance companies in the medical devices sector.

Collaboration in Medical New Product Development


organISIng InnoVatIonINTERNATIONAL MEDICAL PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT IN NETwORKS

facUlTY MB - MANAGEMENT AND GOVERNANCEchair INNOVATIVE ENTREPRENEURSHIPThEmE ORGANISING INNOVATION


RESEARCH SUBjECT

inter-organisational innovation in construction industry

RESEARCHER

ir. maarten rutten- [email protected]

SUPERVISOR

Prof. dr. ir. andré Dorée, prof. dr. ir. Joop halman

RESOURCES

PSi Bouw and iGS

STATUS

ongoing 2006 - 2012

PARTNERS

a range of public and private organisations

KEYwORDS

open innovation, new product development, collaboration, systems integrators, resource allocation, decision-making

BackgroundFirms do not conduct all their innovation activities on their own; they also participate in innovation projects in which they develop and commercialise new products or services in collaboration with other firms. In this research, we focus on the decision to allocate resources to such joint innovation projects.

GoalsThe goal is to advance the current understanding of resource allocation decisions in joint innovation projects in construction industry, notably regarding how these type of decisions are made, how they are influenced by other firms, and to what extent they are influenced by other factors. To achieve this goal, we have conducted a literature review, case study and survey.

PerspectivesBy using a novel decision-making theory as our theoretical lens, we expect to be able to advance the current understanding of resource allocation decisions in joint innovation projects. The results of this research can assist those who have to make such resource allocation decisions.

The role of systems integrators in construction innovation (Winch, 1998)

One of the cases studied concerns the development of a building system for sustainable homes

Our focus: what explains a firm’s willingness to invest resources?


organISIng InnoVatIonINTER-ORGANISATIONAL INNOVATION IN CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

facUlTY CTw - ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGYchair INNOVATION PROCESSESThEmE ORGANISING INNOVATION


RESEARCH SUBjECT

Designing innovative organisations in context

RESEARCHER

Dr. ir. Klaasjan visscher - [email protected]

SUPERVISOR

Dr. ir. Klaasjan visscher

RESOURCES


STATUS

2010 - 2015

PARTNERS

Prof. dr. Bart van looy / KU leuven

KEYwORDS

organisational designing, product development, organisational structure, design guidelines, process research

BackgroundExploiting novel technologies effectively in profitable products is a challenge for established firms. In particular the question how to organise these innovative activities alongside the current business is challenging, as it confronts organisations with contradictory demands, stemming from the need for experimentation and flexibility on the one hand, and focus and commitment on the other hand. Several competing organisational designs have been proposed in the literature to embed novel activities, but little is known about the effectiveness of these designs under different circumstances, and within different stages of the technological life cycle. Moreover, deepened insight is required in the actual processes of designing and developing organisational structures and practices.

GoalsThe purpose of this research is to further our knowledge of the design and the designing of innovative organisations, and to provide established and younger companies with guidelines to enhance their innovativeness.

PerspectivesThis research takes a process perspective, conducting longitudinal case studies of organisations and corporate ventures in specific technological fields.

Creativity and Innovation Management

ASDL modem by Alcatel, a partner in this project

The evolution of an innovative organisation

Project organisation -

technological concept

Functional organisation

-single technology

Matrix organisation -

diversified technology Ambidextrous

organisation -

new technologies

IntroductoryStage

GrowthStage

MaturityStage Decline Stage

Time


organISIng InnoVatIonDESIGNING INNOVATIVE ORGANISATIONS IN CONTEXT



RESEARCH SUBjECT

Exploration and Exploitation in Product innovation

RESEARCHER

matthias de visser - [email protected]

SUPERVISOR

Prof. dr. ir. Petra de Weerd-Nederhof, dr. ir. Klaasjan visscher

RESOURCES

ministry of El&i / competenties voor innovatie. This research is part of iGS, institute of innovation and Governance Studies, Sro innovation & Entrepreneurship.

STATUS

may 2008 - may 2012

PARTNERS

iGS and Dries faems (University of Groningen)

KEYwORDS

product innovation performance, project portfolio management, team structure, cognitive style

BackgroundWhy do some companies focus on the exploitation of existing ideas, while others tend to explore new opportunities? This study investigates the role of individual and team characteristics in explaining a company’s tendency toward incremental and radical innovation.

GoalsThis project aims at investigating individual and structural factors that hamper or support exploration and exploitation in product development projects and project portfolios of manufacturing companies. In particular, we focus on the impact of cognitive style and team heterogeneity on innovation performance.

PerspectivesThe study results in improved understanding of exploration and exploitation tendencies at various organisational levels, as well as a new method to assess product development project portfolios based on text-mining techniques.

Evolution of resource allocation to exploration and exploitation in a product development project portfolio

One of the industries involved in our project: the wind industry

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EXPLORATIE

EXPLOITATIE


organISIng InnoVatIonEXPLORATION AND EXPLOITATION IN PRODUCT INNOVATION


34

RESEARCH THEME

UNDERSTANDING PRODUCT SUCCESS, INSPIRING PRODUCT DESIGN

35 aNTiciPaTiNG Social imPacT; iNTroDUciNG a NEW ParaDiGm for Social SUSTaiNaBlE DESiGNS

36 SofiE

37 EvolUTioNarY ProDUcT DEvEloPmENT

38 UNrUlY ProDUcT DESiGN

39 TECHNOLOGICALINNOVATIONASAN EVOLUTIONARY PROCESS

40 Do iT YoUrSElf aND co-crEaTioN

41 DEvEloPmENT of a larGE arEa PErSoNS coolEr, BaSED oN EvaPoraTioN of WaTEr aND WiThoUT DraUGhT

42 GraPhic laNGUaGE of ProDUcTS

43 DESiGN for WomEN - ThE DEvEloPmENT of DESiGN GUiDEliNES BaSED oN ThE GENDEr DiffErENcES

44 DESiGN aND affEcTivE coNSUmEr EXPEriENcE

45 aN iNNovaTioN Tool for ThE SmE



RESEARCH SUBjECT

What are unintentional social consequences of changes in technologies? how can these consequences be anticipated for technologies that are developed for vulnerable groups?

RESEARCHER

Jantine Bouma - [email protected]

SUPERVISOR

Prof. dr. ir. Wim Poelman, prof. dr. ir. P.P verbeek

RESOURCES

hanze University of applied science

STATUS

September 2007 - December 2011

PARTNERS

-

KEYwORDS

social impact, technical mediation, social ecology

BackgroundTechnical interventions in communities have mediating effects that influence behaviours of people involved, this is called social impact. These mediating effects lead to unintentional consequences. For instance it was concluded in research that technology in cohousing communities have led to unexpected changes in behaviour. These changes were related to the characteristics of the community and the technology itself. A cohousing community is providing a place where elder people have the possibility to share daily life activities in common facilities and still live independently in their own apartments. Some of the changes found were negatively influencing social interactions in the community. Therefore it was concluded that new technologies (like domotics) that are introduced in such communities need to be social sustainable in the sense that they do not have negative influences on the social structure of a community. Another research has been conducted to evaluate the social impact of digital whiteboards at elementary schools.

GoalsThe primary goal underlying this project is to explore ways to anticipate social impact of new technology in order to support social sustainable designs. This has led to the following research questions:

A question related to the content of the problem:1. What unintentional and unwanted social consequences of technologies on social

systems can be identified?Secondly a research question is formulated that addresses to the process of research:2. How can social impact of technologies be identified?And finally a question related to the application of the found knowledge:3. How can the insights from this research be translated towards practical design

practices?

PerspectivesDesigners have an ethical responsibility to understand mediating effects of technology. Especially when technology is designed to influence complex social structures and aiming at vulnerable people that may face harmful consequences of these changes.

The social impact can differ through specific social, individual and physical characteristics of (dwellers of) cohousing communities


undErStandIng ProduCt SuCCESS, InSPIrIng ProduCt dESIgnANTICIPATING SOCIAL IMPACT; INTRODUCING A NEw PARADIGM FOR SOCIAL SUSTAINABLE DESIGNS

facUlTY CTw - ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGYchair PRODUCT REALISATIONThEmE UNDERSTANDING PRODUCT SUCCESS, INSPIRING PRODUCT DESIGN


RESEARCH SUBjECT

SofiE - Slimme ondersteunde fiets (Smart assisted Bicycles)

RESEARCHER

adrian cooke - [email protected]

SUPERVISOR


RESOURCES

PiDoN

STATUS

march 2011 - february 2015

PARTNERS

Bio-mechanical Engineering (UT), indes, rrD

KEYwORDS

bicycle stability, bicycle dynamics, simulation, modelling

BackgroundBicycling is an effective means of transportation, thus it should be available to as many people as possible for as long as possible.

The rise of the electric bicycle has proven to be a big contribution to the mobility and social activity of elderly people by assisting them if their strength and health reduces their cycling abilities. As more elderly people are using cycling as a means of transportation or recreation, an increasing number of people are facing a heightened feeling of insecurity on their bicycles. A decrease of vision, hearing and reaction time can cause dangerous and unexpected situations.

A consequence is that at a certain point, people stop riding their bicycles because they are afraid. Subsequently, they quickly become less active, which may accelerate their decline in mobility in general.

The current solution for people who have problems riding their bicycles is the change to a tricycle or a mobility scooter. This change is not easily made because of the stigmatic character of these products, and reduced mobility can be a result.

GoalsThe goal of the SOFIE project is to develop Intelligent Assist Devices (IAD) for electric bicycles to increase their safety and enable more people to ride bicycles for longer, especially elderly cyclists.

PerspectivesThe role of the Product Realisation group in SOFIE is to design and create an intelligent test bench whereby bicycles, with and without riders or IADs can be tested for their stability.

Product Realisations role in the project is to create a test bench with the following goals

The design of the test bench for SOFIE

The instrumented bicycle


undErStandIng ProduCt SuCCESS, InSPIrIng ProduCt dESIgnSOFIE



Motorola 1983

Ericsson 1999

Samsung Lady-phone 2002

Xelibri Siemens 2003

Vertu 2004

‘Pokia’ Holborne 2005

‘Pokia’ Mayfair 2005

Product phases

BackgroundStarting from the economic product life cycle six product phases were developed: performance, optimisation, itemisation, segmentation, individualisation and awareness. The six phases are placed in a chronological order such that predictions about new or future products can be made.

GoalsThe Evolutionary Product Development model in its current form is eligible for further improvement, by finding a better foundation in recent literature about evolutionary technological development and further empirical testing through historical case studies. The following has priority because it may further improve the usability of the theory:

A study to find out to what extent designers are able to make correct predictions about future products based on the theory of the product phases (in other words, how many developed products based upon the proposed theory have actually been successful).

PerspectivesThe study will result in improved understanding of the evolution of products and better methods to develop successful new products based on the theory.

RESEARCH SUBjECT

Evolutionary product development

RESEARCHER

Prof. dr. ir. arthur Eger - [email protected]

SUPERVISOR

Prof. dr. ir. arthur Eger

RESOURCES


STATUS


PARTNERS

iBr, ir. huub Ehlhardt, ir. ferry vermeulen

KEYwORDS

product development, product design, evolution of products, emotional benefits, functionality, marketing, methodology, design history

AwarenessIndividualisation

Segmentation

Itemisation

Optimisation

Performance


undErStandIng ProduCt SuCCESS, InSPIrIng ProduCt dESIgnEVOLUTIONARY PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

facUlTY CTw - ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGYchair PRODUCT DESIGNThEmE UNDERSTANDING PRODUCT SUCCESS, INSPIRING PRODUCT DESIGN


RESEARCH SUBjECT

Unruly rules: lessons from the history of unruly product design

RESEARCHER

Dr. ir. Wouter Eggink - [email protected]

SUPERVISOR

Dr. ir. Wouter Eggink

RESOURCES


STATUS

September 2007 - September 2011

PARTNERS

iBr

KEYwORDS

unruly design, design history, aesthetics, author driven design, demand driven design

BackgroundThis project is about research into the history of unruly design, which aims at finding theoretical background for the design of everyday things in a postmodern society. Unruly design is defined in this research as: all objects that are designed with the intention to undermine the existing design-paradigm of the functionalists. The project will present the research background, research approach, and findings in the form of the first five design practices that have been identified as a set of ‘rules of unruly design’. The conclusion in this research has two sides; a cynical one and a positive one. The cynical conclusion can be that the postmodernist experiment in itself has failed; although the central idea was ‘anything goes (as long as it is not modernist)’, it showed that postmodern design largely followed common paths. One can say that in the end, unruly design followed its own rules. The positive conclusion, however, is that the identification of the five rules of unruly design can support designers to understand the implementation of meaning-driven into demand-driven design practice, and therefore extends the possibilities for making meaningful objects. These five rules of practice can be considered a toolkit for the contemporary designer toward making meaningful objects.

GoalsThe identification of common unruly design practices will provide strategies for implementing emotion and affection into future product concepts.

PerspectivesIn the future, the set of unruly design practices will be analysed for its use possibilities within other common design theories, especially the Evolutionary Design theory of Eger. In addition, the derived theory will be used for further exploration of the Human-Product relationships in cooperation with the groups of Peter Paul Verbeek and Mascha van der Voort.

Design of everyday things in a postmodern society: The image is more important than the product itself

A modernist design by Le Corbusier and its unruly counterpart by Ron Arad

Two wine glasses form a doorbell by Peter van der Jagt: Cultural references determine the meaning of objects

The unruly variant on ‘This is not a pipe’ by René Magritte: It is only a pipe when it is used as a pipe


undErStandIng ProduCt SuCCESS, InSPIrIng ProduCt dESIgnUNRULY PRODUCT DESIGN



RESEARCH SUBjECT

Technological innovation as an evolutionary process

RESEARCHER

ir. huub Ehlhardt - [email protected]

SUPERVISOR


RESOURCES

EU and industry funding

STATUS

ongoing 2010 - 2014

PARTNERS

consumentenbond

KEYwORDS

innovation, evolution of products, history of technology, design history

DescriptionWe have been making tools since the dawn of mankind. Initially, the rate of development was very slow. For hundreds of thousands of years, the hand axe did not change much. Then people started to write, live in cities and various specialisations of labour arose. An ever-increasing speed of development of new and more advanced types of tools characterises our technological history. Obviously, the more complex and advanced tools could only be invented by building on the knowledge developed by earlier inventors. This knowledge and skills accumulation process lead to highly complex tools such as the smart phone and the Saturn V rocket that brought men to the moon. The evolution of technology (Basalla, 1988) has been used as a metaphor to describe how particular inventions build on each other.

GoalsThis project aims at exploring evolutionary relations in technical innovations. First, it will investigate how several products evolved from their inception to the latest known advanced types. The development through time will be described as evolutionary processes. Secondly, the project will investigate how we can best use information on the development paths of products in new product development processes.

PerspectivesThis project intends to build on the product phase theory (Eger, 2007) and add methods for mapping and extrapolating the development of products. It will result in an improved understanding of evolutionary aspects of innovation and so contribute to innovation theory in general and new product development specifically.

Hand axe

Evolution in telephones

Evolution in lighting

Tree of Product Evolution


undErStandIng ProduCt SuCCESS, InSPIrIng ProduCt dESIgnTECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION AS AN EVOLUTIONARY PROCESS



DIY magazines

People are doing it for themselves

Time Magazine covers: Do-It-Yourself: the new billion dollar hobby in 1954, and ‘You’ as person of the year in 2006

Shapeways.com, providing a toolkit for designing, creating and selling, for example, your own tableware

Instructables: today’s DIY magazine

Freitag.ch, providing the opportunity to design your own unique bag made from old truck tarpaulins

BackgroundThe origins of Industrial Design field lie in the industrialisation of consumer products since the 18th century. Since these early days, the industry produces, the designer designs and the consumer buys. ‘Design is the container of the message that is mediated between manufacture and consumer’ (Sparke), is a saying that refers to the traditional top-down relationship between supplier and consumer.

But these roles are changing. New steps in the emergence of information technology change the old structures of the user-supplier relationship. People actively take part in all kinds of product design processes. There is now a large number of user-initiated and user-involving practices, covered by the terms ‘User Design’ and ‘new Do-It-Yourself (DIY)’ (also referred to as customer co-creation or customisation).

A historic analysis of both today’s and previous DIY periods brings forth that there are two major factors that paved the way for today’s participation in product design (Atkinson, 2006): technology and human motivation (Csikszentmihalyi, 1981). Today’s highly connected user does not adhere to a ‘fixed solution space’.

GoalsFollowing the above, the research attends to the DIY design dimensions that should be taken into account - by the designer - when facilitating the user design process (‘design for DIY’).

PerspectivesA case study should help to describe some of the design dimensions in more detail. From a broader perspective, the research study should help the designer anticipate to the changes that happen to the industrial design field.

RESEARCH SUBjECT

User design: The end user designing for himself

RESEARCHER

ir. JanWillem hoftijzer - [email protected]

SUPERVISOR

Prof. dr. ir. arthur Eger, dr. ir. Wouter Eggink

RESOURCES


STATUS

ongoing 2007 - 2013

PARTNERS

iBr

KEYwORDS

co-creation, co-design, product design, do-it-yourself, DiY, product development, mass customisation, user design, participation


undErStandIng ProduCt SuCCESS, InSPIrIng ProduCt dESIgnDO IT YOURSELF AND CO-CREATION



Cooling is Hot!

First lab model

Mollier diagram for water and water vapour

RESEARCH SUBjECT

Development of a large area persons cooler, based on evaporation of water and without draught

RESEARCHER

matthijs meulenbelt - [email protected]

SUPERVISOR

Prof. dr. ir. arthur Eger, dr. Thomas van rompay

RESOURCES

research funding / NWo funding & contract research / EU and industry funding

STATUS

ongoing may 2008 - December 2012

PARTNERS

iBK-Groep, vDl-Klima, STW

KEYwORDS

evaporative cooling, energy efficient cooling

BackgroundCooling is Hot aims to develop a new way of evaporative cooling, suitable for cooling persons and animals, rather than processes.

It does so by focusing on absorption of dissipated radiant heat, as close to the user as comfort perception allows. This limits the volume of air to be cooled to provide additional convectional cooling to minimise the needed cooling capacity, material and energy consumption. The usual cold stream of air associated with conventional air conditioners will be absent.

GoalObjective is to develop the first generation of the cooler, for use in for example automobiles and schools. Therefore, the system parameters will be established, maximum capacities will be assessed, best suitable materials determined and the subjective perception of coolness established to come to a well adjustable system, suitable for energy-efficient cooling of people, livestock and other animals.

PerspectiveThe perspective of the first generation of the product to be designed and engineered is vast. Smaller schools, for instance, can hardly use conventional centralised air-cooling because of lack of space for ducting. Smaller units will not give good results because schools need lots of ventilation to reduce CO2 levels.

The concept of the Cooling is Hot! cooler will suit these circumstances well and is essentially simple and intrinsically inexpensive.


undErStandIng ProduCt SuCCESS, InSPIrIng ProduCt dESIgnDEVELOPMENT OF A LARGE AREA PERSONS COOLER, BASED ON EVAPORATION OF wATER AND wITHOUT DRAUGHT



Examples of graphical elements (2.5D): the protruding letters of Grolsch and the illuminated apple in a MacBook

Evolution of the graphical grille of BMW from rectangle forms (1979) to more kidney-shaped forms (2004)

Design of a shoe using the characteristics of the brand Ducati

Students’ example of a fragrance bottle for Puma using the logo in a 2.5th dimension

BackgroundRecognising a product of a specific brand without seeing the logo is difficult. Therefore, there is a necessity for companies to make products with a distinctive design. In order to be recognised by consumers as a brand, it is even more important to develop a consistent product portfolio. In my research on the graphic language of products, I try to develop a framework which will contribute to better brand recognition and better brand value. This graphic language of products consists of elements which are somewhere on the borderline between two-dimensional aspects such as the logo and three-dimensional aspects such as the silhouette. Through a better understanding of design features and their graphical role, a brand can develop a solid base for creating new recognizable products.

GoalsThe main goal is to analyse a brand at different graphical levels and to develop a framework that will help designers to make new products in a way such that consumers will recognise the associated brand more easily.

The model distinguishes the difference between elements such as a logo or a text (2D), elements such as a shape (3D) and everything in between (2.5D) which will be called graphical elements. Think of, for example the protruding letters on a Grolsch beer bottle, the characteristic grille of a car or the illuminated apple in a MacBook. The integration of these graphical elements can play an important role in the recognition of a brand and its brand values.

PerspectivesThe study will result in a framework that will help designers to make new products that consist of a graphic language evoked by carefully constructed and arranged visual elements, such that consumers will recognise the associated brand more easily.

RESEARCH SUBjECT

Understanding the 2.5th dimension: modelling the graphic language of products

RESEARCHER

ing. maaike mulder-Nijkamp - [email protected]

SUPERVISOR

Prof. dr. ir. arthur Eger, dr. ir. Wouter Eggink

RESOURCES

-

STATUS


PARTNERS

iBr

KEYwORDS

visual recognition, graphical elements, brand identity, design semantics, 2.5th dimension


undErStandIng ProduCt SuCCESS, InSPIrIng ProduCt dESIgnGRAPHIC LANGUAGE OF PRODUCTS



Current segmentation based on gender

Re-design PDA based on feminine design guidelines

Since pre-history, women and men have specialised in different ways

There are also many different female target groups

The re-design PDA based on feminine values is preferred above the existing masculine and pink PDA’s

BackgroundWomen and men experience products differently; still, most products are directed towards men. This is changing, however; more and more products are introduced, especially targeted at women. Companies use styling to match the interests, lifestyles and values of women since they are an influential target group, determining or influencing 80% of all purchase decisions. However, segmentation based on gender seems to be based on stereotypes; ‘thinking pink’. Of course there are women who like pink products, but many women don’t. And there are certainly more ways to develop attractive products for women, on more levels than styling alone.

GoalsObjective is to analyse the differences between men and women in product experience and consumer behaviour, to develop design guidelines on more levels than styling alone (interaction, values, construction) and to test these guidelines by applying them in different case studies. A first research and case study shows that the invisible, inner differences play an important role, that women and men have a different aesthetic value set, but also that adding feminine values on an interaction level makes products not only more attractive to women, but also to men. The next step is to do more research and case studies based on the differences, using different design models, to develop the final design guidelines.

PerspectivesThe study will result in design guidelines for product design in order to make it possible to design products with more attractiveness to the female consumer.

RESEARCH SUBjECT

Design for women - The development of design guidelines based on the gender differences

RESEARCHER

ir. annemieke raven - [email protected]

SUPERVISOR


RESOURCES


STATUS

ongoing 2008 - 2014

PARTNERS

iBr

KEYwORDS

product development, product design, gender inclusive design, design guidelines, women, female consumer


undErStandIng ProduCt SuCCESS, InSPIrIng ProduCt dESIgnDESIGN FOR wOMEN - THE DEVELOPMENT OF DESIGN GUIDELINES BASED ON THE GENDER DIFFERENCES



RESEARCH SUBjECT

Design and affective consumer Experience

RESEARCHER

Dr. Thomas van rompay - [email protected]

SUPERVISOR

-

RESOURCES


STATUS

ongoing July 2005 -

PARTNERS

-

KEYwORDS

product design, symbolic meaning, embodiment, affective experience, environmental design

BackgroundMarketing communications such as advertisements and product packaging confront consumers with a multitude of design elements. For instance, in product packaging, a variety of shapes, colours, and typefaces interface with one another. These interrelated elements must portray a clear image of both brand and product. This project deals with what happens in the consumer’s mind when symbolic meanings connoted through these diverse elements either match or mismatch. Image 1 presents an example of such research, in this case addressing the interface between shapes and typefaces of mineral water packaging. It was expected that if shape and typeface express the same symbolic meaning, consumers are able to form a clear picture of product and brand benefits. In the scientific literature, this ease of processing is referred to as processing fluency. In group A, shape and typeface match (both bottle and typeface connoting femininity or masculinity), whereas in group B, shape and typeface mismatch (for instance, a feminine bottle with a masculine typeface). Results showed that consumers prefer products that express a coherent image. They not only considered products with a matching shape and typeface more appealing, they were also prepared to pay more for them. Further analyses showed that these positive effects of congruence can indeed be attributed to a higher degree of processing fluency. A recent study showed that packaging design may also influence taste perceptions; the taste of yoghurt from an angular package was experienced as more intense compared to the taste of that same yoghurt coming from a rounded package (Image 2).

GoalsThis research aims to provide insights into symbolic meaning portrayal by (packaging) design elements in isolation and in interaction.

PerspectivesThe research described is inspired by theorizing on embodiment in cognitive linguistics (e.g., Lakoff & Johnson, 1999) and recent studies on processing fluency and meaning integration (e.g., Reber, Schwarz & Winkielman, 2004).

Visual congruence in product packaging (source: Van Rompay, T.J.L., & Pruyn, A.T.H. [2011])

Tough package, strong taste (source: Becker, Van Rompay, Schifferstein & Galetzka [2011])


undErStandIng ProduCt SuCCESS, InSPIrIng ProduCt dESIgnDESIGN AND AFFECTIVE CONSUMER EXPERIENCE

facUlTY Gw - BEHAVIOURAL SCIENCESchair MARKETING COMMUNICATION AND CONSUMER PSYCHOLOGYThEmE UNDERSTANDING PRODUCT SUCCESS, INSPIRING PRODUCT DESIGN


BackgroundThe small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the Netherlands form a large group of businesses with an enormous innovation potential. Despite this, just a small group of the SMEs is truly innovative. Innovations from SMEs seem to be limited by the gap between the production of knowledge and the implementation of this knowledge by the businesses, the so- called innovation paradox. After a while, lack of innovation will lead to a company’s demise. With the help of product phases, it is possible to make overall predictions for the development of a product after its market introduction (Eger, 2007).

The model of product phases can be translated to a tool to help a designer or a company in creating the next generation of a product.

GoalsThere are several different perspectives for a tool based on the product phases. First of all will the tool be able to describe - in a more qualitative manner - the future development of the product in time. Secondly, the attention of the government and innovation institutions like Syntens and SMEs is increasing rapidly. These institutions can use the tool for helping companies with their innovation problems. Thirdly, innovation is characterised by trial and error, which makes an innovation process expensive. With the tool, the process can occur in a more structured (and more inexpensive) way.

PerspectivesThe expected result of the research will be an innovation tool for small and medium enterprises, based on the model of product phases, to help them determine the status quo and future of a companies’ product. In this way innovation strategies for the future development of a product can be made.

RESEARCH SUBjECT

an innovation tool for the SmE

RESEARCHER

ir. ferry vermeulen - [email protected]

SUPERVISOR


RESOURCES


STATUS

ongoing 2008 - 2013

PARTNERS

iBr

KEYwORDS

innovation, evolutionary product development, economic growth, product success

Evolutionary development of the shoe

Product phases in relation to the product lifecycle

Evolutionary development of the laptop


undErStandIng ProduCt SuCCESS, InSPIrIng ProduCt dESIgnAN INNOVATION TOOL FOR THE SME


University of Twente Platform Product & Service Design

Po Box 217 7500 aE Enschede The Netherlands T +31 53 489 2337 (or: 2520) F +31 53 489 3631


Documents

Platform Product & Service Design - UTwente - Researchoverview