About

Co-design Tools for Living Labs is a design research exploration on the use of different approaches such as visualizations, collaborative and cyclical analysis, as well as design sessions, aiming at shedding light into processes related to the development of everyday practices and at informing product and service development. The tools have been thought from the point of view and needs of design and research activities that can happen in "living lab contexts"; which for us mean strategic and sustained collaboration with experts of everyday life.

Background: Helsinki Living Lab project (Tekes)

Helsinki Living Lab Concept Workshop

The tools introduced on this site have been explored, tested or developed through a pilot project called Helsinki Living Lab (HLL) Funded by TEKES, the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation (Serve program).

The project was set to explore broader partnerships (public/private, developers/users research/business) in the development of new products and to develop user-driven innovation know-how in the Arabianranta neighborhood of Helsinki. HLL involved close to 20 different local actors (from universities to small companies and residents) in concrete case studies. The concrete goal of this framework project was to develop a service concept for the offering of "living lab services" to different organizations.

Project coordinators: Art and Design City Oy and Forum Virium Helsinki.

Arki Research Group (Media Lab, University of Art and Design Helsinki)

Due to its location in the area, Arki Research Group has already collaborated actively with different stakeholders in Arabianranta in more than five different R&D projects where novel product and service concepts have been developed. For the HLL TEKES project we drew upon that experience to contribute in the methodological development of the Living Lab service concept and experimented with the approaces presented in here.

More information

The project at TEKES website »
Helsinki Living Lab initiative (Greater Helsinki Promotion) »