Knowledge Workers Living Lab
The Knowledge Workers Living Lab (KW LL) has been launched in Munich mid-2005, with the support of University Bw Munich and local partners. It extended to an international level with hosting the ICE 2005 Conference, and operates Europe-wide since 2006 including new stakeholders and initiatives. The target users are “knowledge workers” and their new working environments, involving individuals, eProfessionals, community members as well as large companies and start-ups. Innovation and related R&D focus on “knowledge working practices”, supporting information and communication technologies, and new management systems.
Description of Concept
As Innovation Service Provider, the Knowledge Workers Living Lab supports the innovation lifecycle from definition and conduct of emerging solutions and projects up to the commercialization of their results. It is by design an open and sustainable environment featuring a technical infrastructure built over the last 6 years with an investment of 3 Mio € by the University BW Munich and industry. The testbed is offered to emerging usages and IT solution experiments with strong engagement of the different stakeholders and associated key users. Organized as a PPP under the form of a registered German GmbH with non profit status, the KW LL is based on a mixed funding model with basic university funds, contract research, income from innovation projects and returns from successful creation of ventures. The key offerings or solutions of the KW LL are:
- Collaboration systems
- Strategic eArchitectures/network management systems
- Knowledge Workers productivity
- NEW: Location-based services (experimenting new business applications of GALILEO-Satellite technology)
References and Track Record
Thus the Knowledge Workers Living Lab is a joint initiative of 6 groups of stakeholders; User communities of KW:
- EsoCE-NET, VE-Forum community (4600 members), Swiss SPS Foundation, Wireless Leiden Community Network (200.000), projects such as ECOSPACE, COSPACES, COVES…
- Developers and technology providers: Siemens, Philips, IABG, Orange, Microsoft, Galileo…
- Research and Academia: CeTIM, University Bw Munich, Fraunhofer, HTWG University Constance, LUSM and LIACS of Universiteit Leiden, the AlpAdria University Initiative Aladin…
- Regional governments and agencies: the Bavarian and Swiss government, ESA …
- Innovation services, incubation and transfer agencies: Gruender Regio M, bavAIRia Cluster, AZO, ESI Network, MBPW the Munich Business Plan Competition, Galilo-Masters Busines Idea Competition…
- SMEs and start-ups: Anywi, Xpert, Arel, Vivici, chinglish.com, @semantic, Zorg Gemak Leiden…
Main benefits and current achievements:
- Enhancing the global Users / knowledge Workers productivity and creativity along their work practices
- Technology scouting and roadmapping
- User scenario workshops and user interaction
- Support for developing business ideas and business plans, incubating start-ups, networking and coaching young entrepreneurs (CeTIM Venture Park).
Knowledge Workers Living Lab is member of the ENoLL Council.
