Manitou: 9.How Nokia Users Drive Innovation

Hi, members. This week I read an article about a way getting some ideas. Most companies hire researchers to get creative ideas. However, the ideas sometimes come from Users. Also, users sometimes use some products creatively, and it is not that the company intends. Recently, Nokia uploaded an application which was designed to let runners and cyclists take advantage of the global positioning capability included in some Nokia models so that users can record work out data such as speed, distance, and can plot routes. Then from this event, Nokia could get some fresh insight which they hadn’t expected.

The application is not only used for the runners and cyclists but also other sports or travelers. Then, Nokia could get some feedback improving its utility. Even some misusing the application bring inspirations to researchers. Those are so-called User-Generated Content. These ideas could be a future market needs. That's why Nokia carefully deal with the web site.
Now Beta lab, which is Nokia’s web site users express their feedback on, has become a prime destination for the high-end users. Then, Nokia is trying to bring the opinions to developers directly.

By monitoring the website, Nokia thought that the Sport Tracker which was an application first on the website set the target too narrow. From the application users could do others things creatively. For example, one user shared live data apparently traveling by boat off the coast of the Netherland. As a result, Nokia developers are thinking of rebranding the application as a kind of life tracker. Moreover, there are a few more new ideas from users which have big potential to improve their products. Nokia has gotten those ideas by offering free applications like Sport Tracker, and this means the cost of getting the ideas is very low,

Knowledge would be helpful for getting some ideas, but it is not a guarantee for creativity. Also, logically, the possibility getting some creative idea from the world population or Nokia users is higher than researchers. Also, consumers’ idea represents what they want and what they want to. Nokia’s strategy would be big advantages for their future.