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Identifying lead users for user-centered design (UCD) in sports product development
conference contribution
posted on 2018-02-22, 00:00 authored by Robert Leen, Clara Usma-MansfieldClara Usma-Mansfield, Kaja AntlejKaja Antlej, Paul CollinsThere is great benefit for small medium enterprises (SMEs) and startups to utilize lead
users in product development. By utilizing lead users companies can make products that are more
commercially attractive and better accepted in the market. However, identifying lead users has
traditionally been a difficult and expensive task. In the past, lead users have been found through
time consuming personal networking, telephone interviews, mail questionnaires and data mining
of often large user bases. This paper proposes that identification can be made more efficient by
adapting some of these techniques, through taking a digital approach using existing social media
communities such as those on Facebook. It is proposed that using social media application
programming interfaces (APIs) could allow what used to be reserved for large multinationals, could
be made accessible to SMEs and startup companies without extensive resources.
users in product development. By utilizing lead users companies can make products that are more
commercially attractive and better accepted in the market. However, identifying lead users has
traditionally been a difficult and expensive task. In the past, lead users have been found through
time consuming personal networking, telephone interviews, mail questionnaires and data mining
of often large user bases. This paper proposes that identification can be made more efficient by
adapting some of these techniques, through taking a digital approach using existing social media
communities such as those on Facebook. It is proposed that using social media application
programming interfaces (APIs) could allow what used to be reserved for large multinationals, could
be made accessible to SMEs and startup companies without extensive resources.
