Research

CKIR’s research agenda builds on premises that in demand-driven innovations people as citizens, users and customers, cities as places of life, public services and social networks and other ‘players’ are viewed as sources and contexts for knowledge creation and innovation. CKIR is active in developing the theoretical background and research methodologies for open ecosystem-based human-centric research, development and innovation (RDI). This calls for the mobilisation and orchestration of RDI networks and the creation of new RDI infrastructures, such as living laboratories. In addition the modern usage of ICT for the collaboration of people, firms, cities and public agencies may contribute to problem-solving in climate change, energy-efficiency, wellbeing and quality of life. This includes new solutions for public services and governance, e-democracy, social and participative media, sustainable construction, and smart urban and rural development.

A multi-methodological approach to research

CKIR's empirical research benefits from applied multi-methodological approach. The research is parallel to corporate venturing and R&D, or in case of cities parallel to regional and urban economic planning and innovation policy development. The issues may be addressed from individual, technological, organizational, institutional, national and regional point of view.

The research and development for innovation (RDI) may be conducted in real-life contexts such as everyday life, work, or leisure contexts. Methodologically the focus is on end-to-end approach to RDI (parallel basic, applied and innovation research) that provides knowledge of underlying human, social and socio-economic (pre-market) patterns and mechanisms. This is for designing

1. new human centric systemic or social innovations, or
2. demand and user-driven service and business models that may include new forms of value and wealth creation, and
3. user-centric design rules for application development that needs human, social and technological interaction in enabling open innovation environments, such as Living Labs.

Sustainability and scalability for industry creation (value constellations), including new patterns of production and consumption, and business and service development may be validated through individual, organisational, institutional, socio-economic and social perspectives. This may include design rules for service and business model development that are based on user experience in context; let it be at home, in office, on the move or over the distance in social networks and “distributed environments”.

Wide, international networks and projects

CKIR is a founding member of the European Network of Living Labs (ENoLL). CKIR organized with the Finnish Prime Minister’s office and the European Commission (EC) the official Finnish EU Presidency event in November 2006 for Launching of a European Network of Living Labs (ENoLL) as a first step towards European Innovation System, in the frame of the new EU 2020 strategy and Digital Agenda. The network currently has 212 living laboratory members who are active in open, human-centric RDI.

Through various EU-funded projects, CKIR is networking with over 100 researchers and 30 companies in Europe. Some of the projects have also global reach. CKIR also belongs to the international Media, Interface, and Network Design Labs (M.I.N.D. Labs) consortium.

CKIR/Aalto ECON is a partner in ICT-SHOK (Tivit Oy) and active in Flexible Services (FS) program. In FS, CKIR participates in UDOI (User-Driven Open Innovation project) that develops RDI methodology for service development based on demand and user driven approach in open and innovative service ecosystems.