Addressing the challenges of user-driven development and innovation

User-driven approach is commonly understood as the process of collecting demand side information and consumer trends for improved business performance. However, in order to derive sustainable benefits from user driven development, companies must deploy also the supply side structures and operational models that are required to support user-driven product development processes. Thus committing to user-driven approach requires major investments, as well as changes in competences and mindset towards openness and collaborative development. For the management to commit to this new strategic direction, relevant fact based evidence of the added value of the approach is needed, as well as a clear operational processes for implementing the new structures. In this paper we present an example of such process together with a framework for illustrating the added value in various impact layers. This network builds on the findings from a recent user driven open innovation project, UDOI Booster, funded by Finnish Tekes.