Comments on: Many innovations come from Lead Users http://www.innovationfactory.eu/2009/11/27/many-innovations-come-from-lead-users/ Tue, 16 Aug 2011 09:19:21 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.1 By: Jaap Linssen http://www.innovationfactory.eu/2009/11/27/many-innovations-come-from-lead-users/#comment-131 Jaap Linssen Thu, 18 Feb 2010 09:54:28 +0000 http://www.innovationfactory.eu/?p=2121#comment-131 Thank you for your comment Hans. I wrote this post from the perspective of an earlier post I wrote (Lead users, geeks, and freaks). It's based on an interesting distinction made by Professor Piller. Here's the relevant part from that post: Piller stated that when most people say ‘lead user’ they are actually talking about very early adopters; geeks and freaks. The people that have the latest gadgets and tools are sometimes referred to as lead users. Understandable, because you could say they lead the masses into the adoption of the product. Very often some of these people also write reviews about their latest gadgets and become a subject matter expert (a leader). But they are not lead users. Another group of people that are also often (wrongly) defined as lead users, are heavy users. It is true that they know your product inside out and they can probably help you improve the usability of your product, but they will not be very effective in finding novel innovations for you. Lead users, according to Piller, have had a very big problem and have (partly) solved it. If you are able to find people that have (solved) big problems in you domain you can learn how you can design products that solve real problems for people. Furthermore, you can invite these lead users to come and join you to think about innovating your products. Since they have solved one or more problems in your domain before, they are bound to be creative problem solvers. Thank you for your comment Hans. I wrote this post from the perspective of an earlier post I wrote (Lead users, geeks, and freaks). It’s based on an interesting distinction made by Professor Piller. Here’s the relevant part from that post:

Piller stated that when most people say ‘lead user’ they are actually talking about very early adopters; geeks and freaks. The people that have the latest gadgets and tools are sometimes referred to as lead users. Understandable, because you could say they lead the masses into the adoption of the product. Very often some of these people also write reviews about their latest gadgets and become a subject matter expert (a leader). But they are not lead users.

Another group of people that are also often (wrongly) defined as lead users, are heavy users. It is true that they know your product inside out and they can probably help you improve the usability of your product, but they will not be very effective in finding novel innovations for you.

Lead users, according to Piller, have had a very big problem and have (partly) solved it. If you are able to find people that have (solved) big problems in you domain you can learn how you can design products that solve real problems for people. Furthermore, you can invite these lead users to come and join you to think about innovating your products. Since they have solved one or more problems in your domain before, they are bound to be creative problem solvers.

]]> By: Hans Lekkerkerk http://www.innovationfactory.eu/2009/11/27/many-innovations-come-from-lead-users/#comment-130 Hans Lekkerkerk Mon, 15 Feb 2010 15:11:18 +0000 http://www.innovationfactory.eu/?p=2121#comment-130 I think prof E. van Hippel coined the term lead-user for existing companies working together with their most demanding clients in developing a new product. E.g. Boeing or Airbus with their launching customers (preferably reknown airlines) for the dreamliner or the A380 respectiveliy. Some of your examples seem to be about entrepreneurs: solving your own problem while recognizing there are lots of people in need of your solution and build a business from scratch. I think prof E. van Hippel coined the term lead-user for existing companies working together with their most demanding clients in developing a new product. E.g. Boeing or Airbus with their launching customers (preferably reknown airlines) for the dreamliner or the A380 respectiveliy.
Some of your examples seem to be about entrepreneurs: solving your own problem while recognizing there are lots of people in need of your solution and build a business from scratch.

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