Periodic Reporting for period 2 - LIV.IN (LIVING INNOVATION - Implementing RRI through co-creation of smart futures with industry and citizens)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2019-08-01 al 2021-10-31
While Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) is a well-established concept within academia and R&I policy in Europe, RRI initiatives with and for industry are still rare. The LIVING INNOVATION project (LIV_IN) is one of the first industry driven RRI initiatives in Europe. It aims to become a flagship initiative in demonstrating the value and benefits of RRI for businesses and thereby further integrating RRI in industrial contexts.
In LIV_IN industry leaders from the ICT sector, researchers and civil society organizations join forces to co-create responsible and smart solutions that tackle societal challenges and respond to pressing societal trends. The project follows an opportunity-oriented approach in order to:
(1) activate industry leaders, experts and citizens to experiment with responsible ways of co-creating innovations;
(2) build capacity for RRI implementation and develop tools that are applicable across industry sectors; and
(3) transform attitudes towards RRI from risk to opportunity by exploring the business case of Responsible Innovation in industry.
LIV_IN focuses on new digital technologies affecting our future living, such as AI, Internet of Things, Robotics, Smart Health, etc. These application areas are particularly relevant because they directly impact the lives of citizens (societal relevance) but also constitute a major emerging market (business opportunity). Other industries are encouraged to take up the outcomes and use them to tap co-creation and responsible innovation.
In LIV_IN industry leaders from the ICT sector, researchers and civil society organizations join forces to co-create responsible and smart solutions that tackle societal challenges and respond to pressing societal trends. The project follows an opportunity-oriented approach in order to:
(1) activate industry leaders, experts and citizens to experiment with responsible ways of co-creating innovations;
(2) build capacity for RRI implementation and develop tools that are applicable across industry sectors; and
(3) transform attitudes towards RRI from risk to opportunity by exploring the business case of Responsible Innovation in industry.
LIV_IN focuses on new digital technologies affecting our future living, such as AI, Internet of Things, Robotics, Smart Health, etc. These application areas are particularly relevant because they directly impact the lives of citizens (societal relevance) but also constitute a major emerging market (business opportunity). Other industries are encouraged to take up the outcomes and use them to tap co-creation and responsible innovation.
Five key activities were in the focus of the second reporting period of LIV_IN:
First, we implemented a second series co-creation workshops, hosted by Atos (Preventive Health & Fitness), Ottobock (Communities & Collaboration) and DMU (High-Tech at Home) providing space for exchange, experimentation and learning about co-creating innovations in a responsible way. Being able to quickly adapt to the pandemic restriction, we have hosted several co-creation workshops in a virtual format using modern online collaboration tools. Series of workshops delivered a diverse range of results, which are reflected in first innovative products (e.g. Online Community for Amputees, Smart Office Chair, Smart Mobility App) and in process-related guidelines (e.g. for Co-Creation, Responsible Design Thinking and Inclusive innovation) and impressively demonstrate the potentials of Responsible Innovation for Industry. Three times as many citizens participated in the LIV_IN labs as originally planned, including particularly vulnerable groups such as old, blind or visually impaired people, as well as children and families from low-income households.
Second, LIV_IN has successfully launched and populated a virtual community platform, which provides a safe and interactive space for experts to share experiences, discuss solutions and exchange ideas around Responsible Innovation. In the second reporting period, LIV_IN organized 24 online dialogues, webinars and virtual events addressing a broad variety of topics such as affordable smart home technologies, challenges of remote working, distance teaching and learning, and smart health. By the end of the second reporting period, the LIV_IN platform has attracted six times more users than originally expected. The existence of the community platform is secured for the next years, as the IP rights have already been arranged by a joint ownership agreement of the participating partners.
Third, LIV_IN contributed to capacity-building alike by developing, testing and continuously improving tools for RRI and co-creation in both physical and virtual interaction spaces. They are not bound to any specific sector and can be used by innovation managers, innovators, CSR- and sustainability managers, as well as by facilitators and moderators of design thinking processes and stakeholder dialogues. Our Co-creation Toolkit was downloaded about 2.000 times by now (https://www.sustainability.eu/liv_in/LIV_IN_Co-Creation_Toolkit.pdf) the business home of RRI Tools (https://rri-tools.eu/business-and-industry) was extended by more than 400 new entries (170 tools, 73 projects, 202 library elements and 1 inspiring practice) and provides valuable information on how to put Responsible Innovation in industry into practice.
Forth, LIV_IN developed and published three policy briefs covering important aspects of R&I policy on national, EU and international levels. The first policy brief (https://www.sustainability.eu/liv_in/LIV_IN_PolicyBrief1.pdf) describes a “New narrative for Responsible Innovation for the business sector” focusing on business opportunities, as well as providing a business case around it. It consists of three elements: business’ responsibility for impacts of innovation, co-creation of innovations with a broad range of people and innovation on a systems level. The second policy brief (https://www.sustainability.eu/liv_in/LIV_IN_PolicyBrief2.pdf) recommends establishing a “Multi-Stakeholder-Initiative for Responsible Innovation” in the digital sector based on a set of principles and viable mechanisms for voluntary monitoring and enforcement. The third policy brief (https://www.sustainability.eu/liv_in/LIV_IN_PolicyBrief3.pdf) sets up quality criteria for “Engaging citizens in innovation processes” and for policy actions that support co-creation.
Finally, LIV_IN used audio-visual story-telling in conjunction with a continuous dialogue with earlier and present initiatives in the areas of RRI, CSR and open innovation to shift attitudes toward RRI from risk to opportunity. In the second reporting period, LIV_IN produced about 40 more RRI Stories as well as 10 high-end RRI Showcase videos. Together with the 60 RRI stories from the first reporting period they generated more than 20.000 views and downloads - four times as many compared to the original plan. In total, 94 dissemination activities and events took place in the second reporting period, an average of 3.5 per month, with more than 1.000 participants in total. In addition, the project has been represented at a range of high-level conferences and presented its main findings in a four days track at the Responsible Innovation Summit 2021.
All project results are accessible at www.living-innovation.net
First, we implemented a second series co-creation workshops, hosted by Atos (Preventive Health & Fitness), Ottobock (Communities & Collaboration) and DMU (High-Tech at Home) providing space for exchange, experimentation and learning about co-creating innovations in a responsible way. Being able to quickly adapt to the pandemic restriction, we have hosted several co-creation workshops in a virtual format using modern online collaboration tools. Series of workshops delivered a diverse range of results, which are reflected in first innovative products (e.g. Online Community for Amputees, Smart Office Chair, Smart Mobility App) and in process-related guidelines (e.g. for Co-Creation, Responsible Design Thinking and Inclusive innovation) and impressively demonstrate the potentials of Responsible Innovation for Industry. Three times as many citizens participated in the LIV_IN labs as originally planned, including particularly vulnerable groups such as old, blind or visually impaired people, as well as children and families from low-income households.
Second, LIV_IN has successfully launched and populated a virtual community platform, which provides a safe and interactive space for experts to share experiences, discuss solutions and exchange ideas around Responsible Innovation. In the second reporting period, LIV_IN organized 24 online dialogues, webinars and virtual events addressing a broad variety of topics such as affordable smart home technologies, challenges of remote working, distance teaching and learning, and smart health. By the end of the second reporting period, the LIV_IN platform has attracted six times more users than originally expected. The existence of the community platform is secured for the next years, as the IP rights have already been arranged by a joint ownership agreement of the participating partners.
Third, LIV_IN contributed to capacity-building alike by developing, testing and continuously improving tools for RRI and co-creation in both physical and virtual interaction spaces. They are not bound to any specific sector and can be used by innovation managers, innovators, CSR- and sustainability managers, as well as by facilitators and moderators of design thinking processes and stakeholder dialogues. Our Co-creation Toolkit was downloaded about 2.000 times by now (https://www.sustainability.eu/liv_in/LIV_IN_Co-Creation_Toolkit.pdf) the business home of RRI Tools (https://rri-tools.eu/business-and-industry) was extended by more than 400 new entries (170 tools, 73 projects, 202 library elements and 1 inspiring practice) and provides valuable information on how to put Responsible Innovation in industry into practice.
Forth, LIV_IN developed and published three policy briefs covering important aspects of R&I policy on national, EU and international levels. The first policy brief (https://www.sustainability.eu/liv_in/LIV_IN_PolicyBrief1.pdf) describes a “New narrative for Responsible Innovation for the business sector” focusing on business opportunities, as well as providing a business case around it. It consists of three elements: business’ responsibility for impacts of innovation, co-creation of innovations with a broad range of people and innovation on a systems level. The second policy brief (https://www.sustainability.eu/liv_in/LIV_IN_PolicyBrief2.pdf) recommends establishing a “Multi-Stakeholder-Initiative for Responsible Innovation” in the digital sector based on a set of principles and viable mechanisms for voluntary monitoring and enforcement. The third policy brief (https://www.sustainability.eu/liv_in/LIV_IN_PolicyBrief3.pdf) sets up quality criteria for “Engaging citizens in innovation processes” and for policy actions that support co-creation.
Finally, LIV_IN used audio-visual story-telling in conjunction with a continuous dialogue with earlier and present initiatives in the areas of RRI, CSR and open innovation to shift attitudes toward RRI from risk to opportunity. In the second reporting period, LIV_IN produced about 40 more RRI Stories as well as 10 high-end RRI Showcase videos. Together with the 60 RRI stories from the first reporting period they generated more than 20.000 views and downloads - four times as many compared to the original plan. In total, 94 dissemination activities and events took place in the second reporting period, an average of 3.5 per month, with more than 1.000 participants in total. In addition, the project has been represented at a range of high-level conferences and presented its main findings in a four days track at the Responsible Innovation Summit 2021.
All project results are accessible at www.living-innovation.net
By its remarkable outreach and high-level content, LIV_IN has become a lighthouse project that highlights the many opportunities of Responsible Innovation for Industry. By successfully establishing virtual spaces LIV_IN supported networking among different societal groups in an atmosphere of trust and exploration. LIV_IN has delivered a set of exploitable results and successfully communicated and disseminated them to business sector representatives, policy makers, researchers and NGOs. LIV_IN has developed, tested and disseminated methods for high quality co-creation and inclusive innovation, and offers recommendations for further actions on policy and on business level. In addition, LIV_IN has taken steps to expand the knowledge base on effective tools for negotiating the social value and acceptability of emerging innovations, which will accelerate uptake and support mainstreaming of RRI in industry. Its replication within other sectors has already been discussed with selected experts and will be pursued even after EU funding ends.