This document outlines a methodology for setting up and operating cross-border networks of living labs to support small and medium enterprises (SMEs) with innovation. It describes a multi-phase process including connecting partners, planning projects, supporting experimentation, and evaluating results. A variety of methods and tools were developed and validated through pilot projects in different domains like healthcare, energy efficiency, and manufacturing. These methods and tools are accessible through an online knowledge center to facilitate cross-border collaboration between living labs.

1. M e tho d o lo g y fo r C ro ss-Bo rd e r Living
Lab s N e tw o rking : Kno w le d g e C e nte r
H ans S ch affe rs
Aalto U nive rsity S ch o o l o f Eco no m ics (C K IR)
APO LLO N Pro je ct

2. APO LLO N d e ve lo p e d a co m m o n
m e tho d o lo g y fo r cro ss-b o rd e r living lab s
ne tw o rks
What is needed for cross-border
Living Lab Networks?
Homecare & Energy Efficiency
Independent Living
eManufacturing eParticipation /
Media
Can SMEs use Living Lab networks to test and enter new markets?

3. A sce nario fo r S M E inno vatio n
sup p o rt in a Living Lab s ne tw o rk
M e tho d o lo g y b u ild s o n th e fo llo w ing b asic sce nario , w hich has co nte x tualiz e d
ve rsio ns in e ach o f the fo u r p ilo t e x p e rim e nts:
1. SME
identifies
8. Evaluation
business
and lessons
opportunity
learned
2. First contact
SME, local 7. Market
Living Lab introduction
analysis
3. Matchmaking
cross-border 6. Project
living lab 5. Stakeholder coordination
4. Scoping the
identification,
project
agreement

4. Th e m e th o d o lo g y fram e w o rk is b ase d
o n a se t o f “h o w to ” q u e stio ns
1. H o w to se t u p , o p e rate , th e cro ss b o rd e r ne tw o rk o f
living lab s
2. H o w to co nd u ct jo int re se arch , inno vatio n and m arke t
cre atio n in th e living lab ne tw o rk
3. H o w to co llab o rate w ith in th e ne tw o rk and h o w to
o rg anise th e ne tw o rk as a co llab o rative ne tw o rk
(stru cture , p ro ce ss: p e o p le and o rg anisatio ns)
4. H o w to ad d re ss th e sp e cific cro ss b o rd e r ne tw o rking
ch alle ng e s / co nd itio ns

5. Bu ild ing cro ss-b o rd e r ne tw o rks o f
living lab s fo llo w s a p h asing life cycle

6. Ph ase s in se tting up and o p e rating
living lab ne tw o rk fo r S M E inno vatio n
Phase Definition Output
Connect Start up phase of collaboration. Partners
(inception) Find partners Initial agreement
Define primary goals and requirements
Plan, engage Define stakeholder and partner roles Project plan
(definition) Evaluate business case (benefits – costs) Contract, IPR
Agree on contract details, IPR handling Infrastructure
Establish experiment infrastructure
Plan experimental activities and tools
Support Co-innovation of product enhancements Experimental results
(operation) Product and service testing Product improvements
Expert collaboration User satisfaction
User experience observation
Completion Evaluation of living lab network benefits Lessons learned
(termination, Commercialisation planning Good practices
sustainability) Commercialisation plan

7. Living Lab N e tw o rk d e ve lo p m e nt is th e
re sult o f a se rie s o f activitie s

8. M e th o d o lo g y d e ve lo p m e nt is p art o f
th e living lab ne tw o rking p ilo t
Four “vertical” pilot environments
planning for different demonstration
pilots
Specifying
learning Diagnosing
Methods and tools validation in the
vertical innovation domains, by Evaluation
Action Research
Validated Cycle
introducing, using, testing and evaluating
methodology
them
Action Action
Taking Planning
Diagnosing
Following Action
Research Cycle
Methodology development Action research
(identification and elaboration of Recommended
methods, tools, guidelines, collaboration toolset
frameworks and processes etc)

9. W e d e ve lo p e d a co m p re h e nsive
m e th o d s and to o ls co lle ctio n

10. M any m e th o d s and to o ls h ave b e e n
valid ate d in th e p ilo ts
Experiment domain Methods & Tools Support
Healthcare and independent  Project planning for innovations transfer
living experiment  Value network analysis
 Ecosystem building
Energy efficiency experiment Business model design
 Research benchmarking
Use transformation
User test design
eManufacturing experiment Policy & regulations database
Guided tours in Living Labs using Webcam technology
 Cross border trading of DMI agents
Licence agreement
eParticipation experiment  Integration guideline
Data protection agreement
Sub license agreement
Toolkit for setting up community

11. Valid atio n e x am p le : Eco syste m s
analysis (H o m e care )
Method The ecosystem analysis identifies the different actors that are required to
set up and deploy a cross-border platform. This is done by first listing the
various roles and activities required to conduct the pilot
Phase Connect, Plan and Engage
Origin Within the first two phases we started with a more traditional
approach of defining and creatin an ecosystem
Evolution Initially we started by defining an ecosystem based on the health
context. But listing the various actors and trying to create a common
ecosystem (in place in all LLs) was not feasible. Therefore we switched
to an approach in which we focused on the roles and responsibilities
Recommendations A cross-border pilot require a local ecosystem. The local liviong lab is best
placed to identify a local partner. In order to do so the roles and
responsibilitie need to be very clear. This process cannot be done by one
actor, it has to be a joint collaborative process
Validation In each of the pilots an ecosystem analysis was done to find and setup
the required ecosystem to facilitate the cross-border pilot

12. Methods and Tools
are accessible at the
Knowledge Center
http://knowledgecenter.openlivinglabs.eu/