Introduction

The European Network of Living Labs (ENoLL) – an international non-profit association promoting and enhancing user-driven innovation ecosystem defines living lab is “a user-centred, open innovation ecosystems based on systematic user co-creation approach, integrating research and innovation processes in real life communities and settings” (https://enoll.org/about-us/).

This wiki serves as an open space for the public review of the harmonization version and encourages open discussion about the various items that are presented. The information presented in this wiki will be updated every six months and published after approval from the governance Board and Body of the Harmonization process. In each section you can find when and by which each version is approved (e.g., “Approved by the VITALISE H2020 Living Labs' consensus report on XX/XX/XXXX”.)

The VITALISE Harmonization process is governed by two mains groups, the VITALISE Harmonization Body and the VITALISE Harmonization Board. By VITALISE Harmonization Body we refer to a wider community of stakeholders consisting of Living Lab researchers and practitioners, healthcare professionals, policy makers and professionals that are interested in research performed in Living Lab infrastructures. VITALISE Harmonization Board aims to co-ordinate the Harmonization procedures and practices and is consisted of representatives of each Living Lab in the consortium as well as independent representatives from the Health and Wellbeing domain as well as policy makers. Representatives of other Health and Wellbeing Living Labs are also encouraged to join. This board will take decisions regarding the Standard Versions.

The aim of this Living Lab standard is to guide Living Lab operators and researchers to execute, develop and maintain a harmonized framework for systematic Living Lab practices. It is not a rigid and strict representation of what Living Labs are doing but it rather be used as guidelines towards the identification of common approaches. Living Labs are structures that encourage serendipity in the way that they are working and should be handled as such. The standard versions concern mainly the LLs but they also borrow knowledge, expertise and experience from various other domains, like open science, citizen science, open innovation, innovation management, responsible research and innovation etc. on a sharing basis. Within this framework, there are several tools and methodologies exploited in LLs which could also be applied in several other research contexts.

By Establishing Living Lab management system, the Living Labs will:

1. Promote the expansion and growth of Living Lab movement beyond current actors and customers,
2. Stimulate cross-organization and transnational research collaboration,
3. Enable data sharing and comparison of the research results,
4. Increase research quality, and
5. Define a common terminology and language among researchers and practitioners.

The key elements and conceptual overview of the living lab management system.

 

The following key elements will concern the Living Lab community and will be further assessed in the next Standard Version.

1. Living Lab Lexicon (LLL) – terms and definitions: LLL introduces, lists and shortly defines a comprehensive catalogue of terms associated and included in different parts of the living lab standard (i.e. 2 to 9). The LLL is grounded on Wikipedia type of user interface, where definitions including overlapping terminology, will enable quick jumping between different descriptions and to in-depth descriptions in other standard sections. LLL will help to discuss living lab related issues among the different stakeholder, who currently are using varying terminology.

2. Living Lab Governance and Business Model: This Living Lab Harmonization Section consists of two parts: The Living Lab Business Model (LLBM) and the Living Lab Governance Model.

• “A business model describes the rationale of how an organization creates, delivers, and captures value” (Osterwalder & Pigneur, 2010) . LLBM part is grounded on Business Model Canvas (BMC) approach (Ibid.), which consists of the following nine different elements. (1) key activities, (2) key resources, (3) partner network, (4) value proposition, (5) customer segments, (6) channels, (7) customer relationships, (8) cost structure and (9) revenue streams. The purpose of the LLBM part is to identify different attributes associated with each nine BMC element. Having a unified way to describe LLBM enables quantitative business model comparison between different living labs as well as open ups possibilities to track changes in business model strategies.
• A governance model for Living Labs is a framework or set of principles that guide how a Living Lab operates, makes decisions, and manages its activities. It defines the rules, roles, responsibilities, and processes that ensure effective and efficient functioning of the Living Lab. The Living Lab Governance model of this Standard is underpinned by the identified Key Performance Indicators of Living Labs that cover all the aspects of Living Lab activities and functioning in a comprehensive framework.

3. Research process: The part ‘Living Lab research process’ focuses on defining the key steps to execute and define a living lab research methodology. The part is comprised of (1) a common template to define research protocol, (2) ethical and data management plans, (3) participant recruitment procedures, (4) infrastructure selection procedure, (5) data collection procedures, (6) data analysis and comparison practices and (7) fair data practices for opening data. Each phase consists of aim, outcome and maturity level description. Furthermore, research process phases are interlinked with other living lab standard parts in order to identify which other items are relevant for each research process phase. Having a standard way to describe living lab research design helps developing a unified research methodology, which enables a robust results comparison across different studies, increasing the research quality.

4. Innovation process: Living Lab innovation process part focuses on defining in an unambiguous way, the different innovation management process phases which are or can be covered during the living lab data collection phase. This part defines an iterative and agile user-centered innovation and design process and align the phases with Technology Readiness Level (TRL) concept. TRL is widely adopted concept to describe developed solution maturity level. Respectively to research process, different innovation process phases are interlinked with other Living Lab standard parts in order to identify which of the other items are relevant for each process phase.

5. R&D services: R&D services refer to a group of common R&D services, which a Living Lab can offer to its’ customers during the different Living Lab R&D process phases. Each service combines one or more data collection approaches or other activities or parts of the Living Lab standard, needed to accomplish living lab R&D project as whole or part of it. Each service description defines the type of service and additional details related to service delivery such as technical and functional quality. In the long run, the aim is to define the Minimum Acceptable Service Level for each service type in order ensure service quality across the different Living Labs.

6. Living lab Research Infrastructure (RI): This part provides a classification schema and definitions for different types of Liνing Lab infrastructures. In regulation No 1291/2013, European Union Parliament and Council of the European Union (2013) defines RIs as “facilities, resources and services that are used by the research communities to conduct research and foster innovation in their fields”. The definitions and descriptions for (1) single-sited, (2) distributed, (3) virtual and (4) mobile living lab facilities are provided.

7. Data collection approaches. Data collection approaches consist of the following three sub-parts: (1) methods and tools, (2) devices and technologies and (3) validated questionnaires and instruments. This part provides a collection of practical data collection approaches, which can be combined in multiple variations when defining a living lab project research methodology.

 

7A. Methods and tools part identifies and describes the different types of specific research methods, tools, and practices, which can be used for data collection during a living lab project. Among these are e.g. interviews, workshops and surveys. In the future, the standard will be used for sharing the best practices and defining the appropriate ways to utilize the particular method in different living research contexts.

 

7B. Devices and technologies defines a commonly used technological solutions to collect and analyse living lab research data. Correspondingly to 7A methods and devices, the standard will be used for sharing the best practices and defining the appropriate ways to utilize the particular technology in a research setting.

 

7C. Validated questionnaires and instrument consists of a numerous scientifically validated surveys, scales, interventions or similar, known to be reliable measure-certain phenomenon. The Standard will especially promote questionnaires and instruments which are multilingual and freely available. If multiple instruments are available to measure same phenomenon, standard will make recommendation to make selections.

To conclude, it is important to clarify that the above-described conceptual overview and the included key elements of the living lab management system are preliminary concepts. Therefore, the names, details and concept itself can be changed in the following versions.