Finland’s user-driven innovation policy

The 2010 Finnish National Innovation Strategy contains an important section on demand and user-driven innovation, with user-driven innovation being described as:

“User-driven innovation makes use of information on customers, user communities and customer companies. It engages users as active participants in innovation activity. The key aspect of user-driven innovation is information on user needs, whether these needs are already identified, still hidden or potentially emerging. Information and communication technology in particular, offers various new opportunities and means of acquiring information on users and engaging them in innovation. The aim of user-driven innovation policy is to raise market actors’ awareness of new innovation tools. It also seeks to create a social infrastructure supporting user-driven innovation while removing obstacles to and boosting incentives for innovation activity.”

As part of the implementation of Finland’s national innovation strategy, the Finnish Ministry of Employment and the Economy has outlined a policy framework laying down the key elements of a demand and user-driven innovation policy.

More info:
– User-driven innovation policy
– ICT and user-led innovations
– Design as a user-driven innovation policy instrument
– Demand and User-driven Innovation Policy – Framework (Part I) and Action Plan (Part II)

Downloads:
– Framework and Action Plan (pdf)
– Policy Framework presentation (pdf)
– Action programme presentation (pdf)
– New Nature of Innovation (pdf) – backgrounder