"Wellbeing and better service housing through digitalisation" is a project funded by European Regional Development Funds (ERDF) in Finland. It aims to develop products and services for smart service housing, support companies for growth and development and promote new businesses. There are three types of implementation: co-development, testing and sparring of commercialization. During the process, the implementation methods are conceptualized and rooted in the practices of universities and cities. One of the results of the project is the Smart Housing Developer´s Manual. The project has started 1st of August 2018 and will finish at the end of 2020. The project is carried out in cooperation with companies, entrepreneur associations, research institutes and other partners. The project, coordinated by Metropolia University of Applied Sciences, is implemented by the Oulu University of Applied Sciences, the Tampere University of Applied Sciences and the cities of Helsinki and Oulu.
STAGE 1: CO-CREATION
In co-creation, companies innovate smart technology and services together with service housing operators to better meet the needs of the users. Participants in co-creation are residents, their relatives, volunteers and staff, cities, companies and multidisciplinary experts and students.
STAGE 2: TESTING
Smart products and services are tested in digital, standard and authentic environments. Companies, UASs, cities and service housing units are designing and implementing testing of digital products and services together. We use and develop existing testing environments and processes. From testings, companies get references for commercialization and marketing of their products and services.
STAGE 3: COMMERCIALIZATION
Alongside co-creation and testing, the market and business potential of the service / product is cyclically evaluated and developed. UASs and cities are sparring companies in the commercialization of smart solutions and in companies’ growth and development efforts.
The project offers start-ups and SMEs following services:
- user-oriented and multidisciplinary co-development processes
- testing possibilities in digital, standard and authentic environments
- commercialization and marketing support
- sparring, innovation competitions, workshops and training
Smart products and services enhance the wellbeing, functioning and participation of residents in service houses, at home and in
institutional care.
Kira-Digi project: http://www.kiradigi.fi/en/info/vision-and-objectives.html
SUCCESS FACTORS
- The tight engagement of companies
- Partcipatory, collaborative development processes with users, developers and researchers
The products and services generated by the project are in line with the needs of residents and their sense of participation, safety, mobility and accessibility. Users of services, cities, businesses, and university professionals and students will jointly study the smart housing development needs and produce solutions together. This work combines expertise in social and health care, information and communication technology, real estate and building technology, and business economics.
As ultimate output of co-creation, testing and commercialization, smart products and services will enhance the wellbeing, functioning and participation of residents in service houses, at home and institutional care.
- Enable truly multidisciplinary, and participatory process
- Invite the companies e.g. through innovation competitions
- Ensure tight engagement of companies
- Implement a traditional innovation process in which the stakeholders work one after another in different tasks without true co-creation element
