"Imagine that ...": How to Activate and Capture Users' Ability to Think Creatively about Future Use

Lene Nielsen, Sabine Madsen, Anne Vorre Hansen

Research output: Conference Article in Proceeding or Book/Report chapterBook chapterResearchpeer-review

Abstract

The topic of this paper is user ideation within front-end innovation. We present and discuss an approach which we refer to as “Imagine that. . . ”. With “Imagine that. . . ” users tell stories of how they imagine they will use a future IT system. The oral stories are captured online using a remote, unmoderated software tool. The distinguishing characteristics of the “Imagine that. . . ” approach are: (1) that the users ideate while on their own and therefore without being influenced by an interviewer/moderator and (2) that they come up with the design ideas and scenarios themselves rather than provide feedback on already developed design sketches, mock-ups, etc. The study contributes to the innovation literature by describing how and why narrative theory can be used to support the user’s ability to think creatively about future use. Our research also contributes to method development by showing that it is possible to obtain user input of relevance for the early stages of innovation in a fast, frugal way and unmoderated way.
Original languageDanish
Title of host publicationThe Role of Creativity in the Management of Innovation : State of the Art and Future Research Outlook
EditorsAlexander Brem, Rogelio Puente-Diaz , Marine Agogué
Volume27
PublisherWorld Scientific
Publication dateMay 2017
Pages271-285
Chapter13
ISBN (Print)978-1-78634-200-3
Publication statusPublished - May 2017

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