The User Centric Innovation Methodology [UCIM] was developed to manage the Schiphol project in 2004 / 2005 in a couple of days based on “common sense” and creativity techniques I used to convince Management teams, shareholders, customers, users, engineers, marketeers, product managers, etc. in the time that I was Innovation Manager at a ICT company that was developing and marketing products for the Retail.
The creativity techniques I call the toolbox of UCIM are used in all my work right now: for example recently I started a design project where I developed personas that gave us such a new insight in the market, stakeholders and users that the whole project was converted from a design project into concept development that is giving the company a complete new perspective on the next 5 years of product development and innovation.
Seeing the statistics on Slideshare the UCIM methodology got a lot of viewers and just recently I learned that it became the benchmark for Airport Innovation projects, I was honored. Someone asked me why I share this and I answered its not the methodology, the techniques, etc. it is the experience and creativity to use all new insights that this give you and have the ability to translate this into compelling new products- and or services. Its this ability and talent that makes EYE-D unique and makes me a designer that already has a track of successful and operational products, services and product / service combinations.
When I started in 2004 I filled the toolbox with techniques I used already and named them names that made sense now 5 years later the market has evolved and got fancy names so I guess it was time to start talking service design. Have fun with the UCIM presentation.
Small update on the Schiphol Project. Although not involved anymore but as responsible for the creation of the innovative concept to check in luggage in a self-service proces I stay in touch with the current company that develops and markets it: www.bagdrop.com At this moment a complete row of bagdrops is installed right now so the pilot started in August 2008 now resulted in an adoption on a large scale. I am proud.
