The challenge addressed within this master thesis is to decide on the next focus area for Equip as an early-stage startup regarding new proposition development. Equip is a Fintech startup currently developing a financial coaching platform to be offered to employees paid by their employer. For employers, it is a valuable strategy to improve employees’ financial wellbeing since financial stress results in lower productivity, increased absenteeism and lower retention. In addition, improving employees’ financial wellbeing can also attract young and new talent while maintaining current employees.

The most common reasons early-stage startups fail are lack of resources and insufficient customer research, resulting in the absence of good product market fit. The platform involves a complex stakeholder field: two types of customers, namely the employer and its employees, and in addition to these, the service supplier in the form of several financial experts. The researcher of this master thesis has identified each of these actors’ motivation to use and interact with Equip.

Different stakeholders' needs and value indicators were discovered through literature, user interviews, generative sessions and internal analysis of Equip. During a joint prioritisation session with Equip’s team, the identified needs were assessed according to the expected customer and business value they would generate.

The prioritisation resulted in the focus area: Providing personal guidance during the first steps users have to take to secure their financial future so that they stop procrastinating.

A new proposition, i.e. the Financial Roadmap, was developed through ideation and experimentation. The Financial Roadmap enables users to simulate the effect of specific financial decisions (i.e. life events) on the development of their financial situation over time. This allows users to think ahead of their financial future by putting a plan together and making their finances more tangible.

Given that measuring the impact on the repeat usage rate by implementing the Financial Roadmap is impossible since this requires full implementation and time, a Minimal Viable Product is presented to validate the concept further. A product roadmap and operational roadmap show how the designed concept and its MVP fit within the bigger picture of Equip’s development as a startup to accomplish its vision of becoming the go-to platform to manage your entire financial life.

The world is facing a climate crisis. We are polluting the earth with high CO2 emissions and waste. In addition to this, the human population is ever-growing. This results in a demand for more products, which will create even more waste. Products that are predominantly made of raw materials. Meanwhile, the global economy is only 7,2% circular and this situation is getting worse year after year.

While on the one hand, there is a desire for raw materials, and on the other hand, there are ever-growing piles of waste, there is an opportunity to meet the two. The growing desire for repurposing waste streams creates fruitful ground for businesses that focus on waste stream innovation, like Renewi. Renewi currently enables the circular economy by giving new life to used materials. It positions itself as the leading waste-to-product company in the world’s most advanced circular economies. To stay a leader in recycling and the production of secondary materials, an ambitious goal is created, called Mission 75. This goal is to recycle 75% of Renewi’s collected waste in 2025. This is 10% more compared to 2020, where 64,7% of the collected waste was recycled. The only way to get to this 75% is through improving current activities and being innovative. By all means, after reaching Mission 75 the goal will without doubt rise to 80% or 85%.

Being an innovative company calls for having a proficient innovative process. This process entails a dynamic workforce keen to engage in innovation activities and is well-informed about ongoing activities. Being innovative is one of Renewi’s core values. Yet, the current innovation process doesn't work optimally, while it is challenging to spread an innovation mindset across a large, geographically widespread company with various working cultures. This paper endeavours to contribute to this objective by addressing the research question: “How can the innovation process of Renewi be improved to enable the company to recycle more and at a higher quality?”.

Heineken wants to become more popular under generations Y and Z. Therefore, the Heineken Design and Sustainability team want to create the Heineken Innovation Lab. The HLab aims to be a playground for co-creation, a mix between a bar and design space.
However, co-creating means sharing unfinished ideas, innovations, and opinions with people outside the company. Heineken is a legacy brand and has a strict brand policy to ensure the brand's premium quality is maintained. Poorly executed creations or prototypes might water down the Heineken brand.
It is difficult for Heineken to relinquish their strict brand principles because they fear damaging or hurting the brand. However, these strict principles can overshadow creative space when working on the disruptive innovation the HLab wants.
This thesis aims to solve the following Research Question: How to set up a design and innovation process that balances creative freedom with a legacy brand and aims to create novel prototypes in the Innovation Lab of a multinational organisation?
The double diamond method is used in this thesis as a base for the process, which cuts the project into four distinguished phases: Discover, Define, Develop, and Deliver. This method provides the necessary structure for organising diverging and converging phases.
This research uses literature and interviews to gain insights into how to co-create without damaging a brand and what elements of Innovation methods the HLab should use. Furthermore, this thesis collaborates with the HLab team and external agencies during two workshops and several meetings. The workshops are used to realign the parties involved in the HLab and create a common ground and theme on which GenYZ can connect with Heineken.
The research found that there is no readymade method that the HLab can use to innovate with GenYZ. Rather, this thesis shows that combining elements of popular methods already proven to work within other Innovation Labs is a better option. This thesis finally proposes a specially crafted Innovation Flowchart for the HLab.
This Flowchart satisfies most requirements that were determined in the Discover and Develop phases. The Flowchart is based on Design Thinking, Lean and Open-Innovation methodologies.
Moreover, this thesis also found that Heineken and GenYZ have enough common ground to connect. The design of the Theme and Exploration Roadmap shows just one of the many possibilities to engage GenYZ with the Heineken brand effectively.
The thesis concludes by advising Heineken on how to start the process. The HLab should start by giving more authority to GenYZ and choosing believable external creatives who can be affiliated with Heineken. To protect the Heineken brand, the HLab should carefully pick communities or groups of like-minded GenYZ collaborators for co-creation and could use a sub-brand for outward communication.

The purpose of this graduation thesis is to design for Tiler’s long- term strategy, based on research into mobility. As a hardware startup that produces a wireless charging solution for light electric vehicles, Tiler sought guidance on its next steps to grow into a thriving business in the future. The company finds itself in the tumultuous mobility industry, which changes fast as the world tries to decarbonise transport. The mobility transition requires collaboration between different stakeholders such as municipalities, mobility providers and other parties that help to enable the changes society wants to see. Forging a future of sustainable transport in cities results in boosts of innovation and regulatory responses as we try to define what we want urban mobility to be like.
After conducting in-depth research into the mobility context during the exploration phase, this project describes the design process of creating a dynamic roadmap for Tiler as a strategic tool for the future. This concept was crafted based on trend research, knowledge of the stakeholder system and technologies that could drive the product evolution. The designed roadmap distinguishes itself from the common format as it integrates the uncertainties of the mobility context through use of scenarios. To evaluate the content, the concept was tested with experts. To discover the value for Tiler, the concept was evaluated with the team in the form of a workshop. In this session, I facilitated a walk-through of the concept which triggered discussions about the impact of alternative future scenarios.
Based on this evaluation, the team has gained insights on which markets to approach, which stakeholders to manage closely and the importance of continuing the conversation about the company’s future strategy on a weekly basis. The dynamic roadmap concept shows the potential to be adopted by the company. Furthermore, to extends its application, additional research and design activities could focus on making it suitable for other target groups and adding additional visual elements to bring the future to life even more.

This thesis report explores the integration of haptic technology in enterprise processes through the case of SenseGlove, a scale-up company based in YesDelft that produces Virtual Reality Gloves. The study aims to identify the potential barriers and requirements for the enterprise’s clients to adopt haptic technology and integrate it into their company processes. The research also investigates potential markets for SenseGlove's products, with a particular focus on the online meetings market.

Initially, the researcher intended to design a new use case for SenseGlove products. However, further research revealed that numerous ideas for haptic glove applications already existed. Recognizing the company's vision to enter the consumer market and become the mouse and keyboard of the future, the researcher decided to further investigate what could be a way for SenseGlove to accomplish this. Drawing upon the concept of prosumer products, exemplified by smartphones and 3D printers, the study explored four potential markets, ultimately selecting the online meetings market as the most promising through the application of Blue Ocean Theory.

To assess the potential of haptic technology in online meetings, the researcher conducted an interview with a professional experienced in online and offline meetings and performed additional observational research. The findings, combined with an examination of market factors such as price and virtual/augmented reality, implied that it was not currently advisable for SenseGlove to enter the consumer market. The main argument supporting this vision is that peripheral products like haptic technology heavily rely on the development of the AR and VR markets, which have not yet had a breakthrough in the consumer market.

A pivotal aspect of the thesis involved an internal analysis of SenseGlove’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats , uncovering an important issue: very few, if any, of the current clients integrated SenseGlove's product into their company processes. This discovery led to the formulation of the research question: "What needs to happen for enterprise clients to start integrating haptics in their company processes?" To explore this question, the researcher employed grounded theory, conducting qualitative research through interviews with 15 of SenseGlove’s clients. By analyzing these responses a comprehensive list of 15 arguments was created, detailing the necessary product improvements for SenseGlove’s clients to embrace their product. These arguments were subsequently clustered into three categories: immersiveness, usability, and costs versus benefits.

The final chapter of the thesis presents strategic recommendations in the form of a future roadmap for SenseGlove. This roadmap consists of three steps; step one focuses on encouraging adoption of the product, step two outlines strategies for establishing SenseGlove as the industry standard in the business-to-business haptics market, and step three explores entering the consumer market with a product specifically tailored for online meetings.

The findings of this thesis provide valuable insights for SenseGlove's future direction and development. By addressing the identified barriers and incorporating the recommended roadmap, SenseGlove can enhance its product offering, increase integration with enterprise clients, and potentially position itself as a leader in the haptic technology market.

Entrepreneurship, as a driver of economic growth, involves identifying opportunities and creating ventures. However, the success rate of startups is significantly low, with various sources reporting different failure rates. Common reasons for startup failure include lack of market need, insufficient funds, inadequate team, strong competition and pricing/cost issues. Scholars and practitioners have developed numerous theories and tools to assist entrepreneurs, such as the Value Proposition Canvas, Lean Startup and Customer Development. Despite these efforts, the failure rate of startups remains high, raising doubts about the effectiveness of existing tools.
To improve the success rate of startups, academic research could be used. However within entrepreneurship, academic research becomes detached from practical relevance. This is an issue described in academic literature as the ‘Research-Practice Gap’. To address this gap, a “third body” or “design” is proposed as a mediating factor between research and practice. This design could offer prescriptive principles and tools that are useful for entrepreneurs. Currently, such designs are predominantly created by reflective practitioners rather than scholars. This offers certain problems in practice, such as their lack of rigor, limited generalizability, bias and subjectivity and finally lack of theoretical grounding.
This thesis aims to provide scholars with knowledge how to create learning tools that entrepreneurs actually use. As a result, scholars are able to covert their academic papers into desirable action-oriented learning tools. The first part of this thesis analyses this research-practice gap in three ways. First, it conducts a literature research of relevant literature in the domain of learning within entrepreneurship. Second, it researches the perspective of entrepreneurs on the gap by using a qualitative research study. Finally, the author dives into the role of an entrepreneur by solving a case-study for Stippl. This reveals a first-person perspective into the research-practice gap. The conclusions of these three research methods are combined into 4 important elements to implement when creating a learning tool for entrepreneurs.
The second part of this thesis converts the analysis into a product to use for scholars. This product does not only provide insights of the analysis, but it also supports scholars in using the important elements within their learning tool. In this part, the thesis identifies the necessary requirements for the product and creates three concept ideas. These concept ideas are tested with scholars to create one final product which implements the 4 important elements for scholars to create relevant learning tools.
This thesis aims to provide scholars with the necessary knowledge to create relevant learning tools. The ultimate goal is to improve the success rate of startups by providing entrepreneurs with desirable and relevant knowledge.

PROBLEM
Foundation Models are emerging as a new paradigm in AI research &
commercialisation. While this opens up possibilities for radically innovative
solutions and significant value creation, startups are challenged with finding
unique & differentiated ways to leverage the technology, while simultaneously
mitigating potentially negative consequences.
Despite the rising prevalence of machine learning (ML) in products, designers
face challenges in creating solutions that make the best use of the new
possibilities. Designers building AI products are rarely involved in problem
setting & value finding, primarily solving human-AI interaction problems.
Additionally, common human-centered, customer feedback based innovation
approaches hinder radical innovation.
Lastly, AI Ethics and responsible innovation continues to be an afterthought.
Product designers are seldom involved in mitigating the potentially negative
consequences of such products.

APPROACH
This thesis combines literature study with a "research through design"
approach to explore ways to address these problems. Working in collaboration
with a startup trying to leverage Large Language Models (LLMs) in their
products,I use empirical research to engage in the process of finding radically
innovative opportunities for using LLMs to create value for customers.
I study risk assessment practices to explore how designers can anticipate
risks in the discovery phase of product design. I then design & test tools that
can support other designers in the future.

OUTCOMES
This thesis makes multiple contributions to further the research on
technological & responsible innovation. It documents my process for finding &
analysing user insights to support the discovery of potentially radical
innovations. Additionally, I explore the process of finding value propositions
that leverage Foundation Models, and their potential risks, early in the design
process. The thesis also records how I design a process for discovering and
anticipating potential risks of harm, and how I developed a pair of canvases
and card decks to support future designers.
The thesis supports product designers in repeating these processes through
the pair of canvases and card decks. These help them to collaborate with
engineers, and contribute to the innovation & risk mitigation processes more
effectively. The discussions focus on observations & recommendations that
can further aid them.
To help designers innovate responsibly, this thesis brings the discovery of
opportunities and risks of using Foundation Models into the same
conversation. The designed deliverables and processes showcase how both
aspects of technology innovation can be tackled in similar ways.
Through all of the above, this thesis showcases the relevance of designerly
ways of thinking and doing to the fields of radical innovation, risk
management, and Foundation Model based product development.

This project lives in the intersection between marketing and entrepreneurship. The client company is Athlete Development, an early stage start-up that creates digital strength & conditioning training plans for team sports athletes. They sought external expertise in the field of branding and the commercialization of their product. As a start-up using bootstrapping as their method of financing, they face many challenges related to managing limited resources. Thus, the minimal means they have cannot facilitate the application of established go-to-market strategies. This project aims to explore how a start-up like Athlete Development can design a go-to-market strategy, using principles from experimental learning while only operating with internal financial resources.

Before this thesis, the startup Maki was founded with the aim to inspire people in their twenties to sew their own clothing. A product was developed which gained promising traction. But to scale Maki, gaining traction is vital, just like it is for other startups.

To answer the main question, ‘how can early-stage startups obtain their first 1000 customers? ‘, this thesis explores literature and distills 6 elements that seem essential for driving traction: segmentation, positioning, core message, channels & content, branding and revenue model. For every of these elements, experiments are done to find what works for driving traction for Maki. This includes for example deep dive interviewing, testing different positionings using Instagram Advertisements, trying out TikTok as a promotion tool, testing different brand identity styles and testing revenue model types.

The learnings from these tests are eventually combined into an implementation plan for Maki. But next to this, the learnings are combined in a compact, straight-forward manual (consisting of a Booklet and a Recipe Sheet) for other startup founders to use to experiment with their ‘traction ingredients’.

Eleven out of twelve startups still fail (Startup Genome, 2019). Even though startups are a growing breed of companies. From 2016 to 2018, startups created $2.8 trillion in value, which is more than the annual GDP of the United Kingdom. In the same period, growth was at 20,6% increase from the preceding periods. Even though startups are growing in popularity, and on macro-economic scale a force to be reconed with, on the individual level they are still major gains to be made.

As co-founder of Lynk, the startup used as a case in this thesis, I understand the hype around becoming a startup founder and the struggle and uncertainty coming with it. At Lynk, we are developing a B2B SaaS Document-Project Management (bingo lingo) solution for the construction industry. The product is struggling with gaining traction with customers as sales conversations are long and pilots postponed or delayed. As with the other eleven out of twelve failed startups, Lynk is having difficulty with becoming successful. Or, in other words, to launch their product.
The aim of this thesis is twofold;
Develop and evaluate an improved product launch plan for Lynk.
Create new learnings on how startups might effectively launch a B2B SaaS products by connecting theory to practice.

To accomplish these goals, an action research approach is taken. With two purposes, to bring theory into practice and help bridge the gap between marketing literature and practice. At the same time, an autoethnographic reflective perspective is taken to create rich data from which new learnings are created.
To develop and evaluate an improved product launch plan, the project is divided into two phases, the research and design phase. Field texts are written throughout the project and transformed into autoethnographic texts by connecting the events to literature. The texts create rich data for the development of the launch plan for Lynk, as forming anecdotal learnings for other entrepreneurs.
In the research phase, a literature review is carried out and synthesised into product launch criteria concerning launch strategy and B2B selling practices. Second, Lynk’s launch practices are critically assessed through empirical research. Interviews and observations are analysed to evaluate strategic launch opportunities in each segment. Furthermore, through observations and autoethnographic reflection, Lynks sales practices are assessed. Based on the critical assessment of Lynk’s launch practices, two improvement plans are proposed to improve Lynk’s product launch. First, by developing a niche launch strategy, second by improving Lynk’s discovery and learning practices to inform future strategic planning.
The design phase explores both improvement plans. A niche positioning is developed for the two most opportune segments, translating deep customer insights regarding jobs, pains and competitive alternatives into a differentiative value proposition. While a founders sales approach is proposed that embeds customer-centred discovery practices in Lynk’s customer conversations to improve reliable data gathering. The niche positionings are evaluated through a second empirical study; both new customers interviews and ongoing sales conversations are used to evaluate the new positionings. The evaluation shows the customers are interested in the value proposition, but some insights regarding product improvements are gathered. For the next iteration, it is proposed that Lynk should reduce implementation complexity and invest in both early adopters and resellers.
Finally, the product launch plan is delivered to Lynk in the form of a Strategic Roadmap. The niche positioning, evaluations and customer-first discovery approach are evaluated through internal sessions with the team. From which input for further launch plan development are created. The launch plan for Lynk is summarised in a
Although the road of a startup is unclear, it can be said that both the strategic planning practices underlying the positioning and customer-focused discovery help Lynk to improve its product launch plan. The positioning and discovery approach proposed in this thesis might help other B2B startups analyse their launch practices and improve their launch plan by taking a customer- and competitive first approach.
This thesis aimed to improve Lynk’s launch plan. The proposed launch plan and underlying practices might help Lynk launch more effectively and improve further product development and launch in less time. On a personal note, my understanding of products and startups has changed significantly because of this thesis. By bringing theory into practice and reflecting on it in relation to daily practice, I feel I now better understand what makes a launch a success and how I can guide the development towards that. That will help in this startup, but even more so in the next. By understanding product launches better, I feel it has also improved my ability to assess and evaluate startup opportunities by considering competitive and adoption criteria.
For any startup founder reading this, my giveaway would be that any product competes with other solutions. Deeply understanding the customers view on that solution, their job and the concept of product advantage will help to shape product strategy and launch products effectively.

This thesis was performed in assignment of Alpha.One for their new eye tracking prediction platform expoze.io. The project started of with the brief; What does the future of expoze.io hold? This indicates the need for a future vision. In order to create a future vision the company purpose must first be researched, the reason why they exist. The purpose of the company is often related to the customer needs, therefore it is important to understand the subjective value that the product offers to the customer. Therefore before the preliminary research the research questions proposed were; What does the future roadmap of expoze.io look like? What is the future vision for the predictive eye tracking platform expoze.io? What is the purpose of expoze.io? What is the customer value of expoze.io? What are market gaps / differentiating factors in the market? The preliminary research revealed that for the roadmap to succeed a process integrating the roadmap should be designed. This process should also fit the company as it is still a startup, therefore it must be time, effort and cost efficient. Another insight was that there needs to be a shift to a more human oriented mindset within the company. These insights led to the addition of the following research questions. What does the future roadmap of expoze.io look like? How can the roadmap assist in adapting the product to be more Human? How could the roadmap be best adopted into the operation of the expoze.io team? (process) How to build an innovation process that fits a small startup team? cost, time, effort efficient How to create a shift to a more human oriented mindset in this process? How to make sure that ideas selected fit the needs of the customers? Through customer interviews it became evident that the subjective customer value that expoze.io brings to the customer is confidence. Through eye tracking analysis the customer gains confidence in their advertisements and if they will perform in the market as they would like it to perform. It also brings confidence in presenting their analysis to their bosses or clients. This in turn makes the purpose of expoze.io “bringing confidence to marketeers”. By accompanying the purpose with the insights from competitor analysis, customer research, trend analysis and market research the future vision could be created. Through brainstorming the following vision was proposed; “Bringing the brains to the art of marketing”. This vision was tested through a workshop with the employees at Alpha.One. The workshop also ensured the involvement of the people working at Alpha.One in the creation of the roadmap, it also facilitated communication about everyone’s ideas about the future path of the company. The vision was chosen by the most people and is therefore implemented into the roadmap. The roadmap was based on the vision that was created accompanied by the insights from the research to fill in the steps that need to be taken in order to reach that future. The core strategy of the roadmap is to create confidence by facilitating deeper insights through the platform. In order for the roadmap to succeed an innovation process to support roadmapping was designed. This innovation process will also facilitate the shift towards a more human mindset by incorporating the customer in the ideation and validation of ideas. The innovation process revolves around three meetings on the following topics; strategy, ideas and planning. For every meeting a process is designed that interacts with the roadmap and makes sure that ideas added are actual customer needs and will create an impact for the customer.

For the past decades, aviation has had a fair amount of incremental innovations, such as improved traffic management, optimization in conventional aviation technology and process developments. With the global sustainability ambitions, new technologies and innovations have been in development by a vast amount of parties. Electric aviation is one of these innovations within the developing sustainable aviation industry. Therefore, the scope of the project revolves around electric aviation, executed in collaboration with Royal Schiphol Group (RSG) and its Innovation Hub department. The Innovation Hub's main role within RSG is to provide research and set in motion radical innovations to be implemented, of which Sustainable Aviation. The research questions within the scope are therefore defined as follows: What are the current developments in the electric aviation industry? And how can RSG facilitate the transition towards sustainable aviation within the aviation industry?Geels' (2002) system transition theory serves as the foundation for the research approach, structuring the thesis in two phases accordingly to the research questions which define the scope; research and concept phase (figure 0). Within the research phase, the landscape drivers have been analysed, depicting a sustainability pull through global sustainability ambitions and a technology push through the developments in the battery technology. With these developments, multiple niche innovations have emerged over the past years, consequently making electric aviation feasible for specific use cases. The most prominent parties developing these niche innovations are Heart Aerospace, developing a 19 passenger electric aircraft with a range of 400 km, and Eviation Alice, developing a 9 passenger electric aircraft with a range of 815 km. The socio-technical (ST) system transition towards sustainable aviation is the goal of electric aviation. This transition is enabled by the interaction of technology and people. Based on this, the landscape cultural trends have been analysed and used as a basis for the comparison of the use of modalities within the mobility industry. Thus, deriving a potential ideal use case for electric aviation of 300-400 km, potentially increasing in range depending on the battery developments in the future. The current expectation is that batteries increase in energy density from 260 Wh/kg to 600 Wh/kg by the end of the decade. This range is the foundation for the entry use case, the concept of the thesis. The range of 300-400 km is one of six metrics used to develop the entry use case. The others are passenger substitution potential, network potential, location in the Netherlands, innovation resources and viral factor. In line with RSG its values, network potential has been the deciding factors when choosing the entry use case, with other potential entry use cases available when altering the deciding factor. This entry use case is between Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Oslo and Stockholm, as this has both a high passenger substitution potential with a critical strategic motive. Scandinavia aims to implement electric aviation on their airports, enabling a higher certainty and willingness to collaborate towards the development and implementation of electric aviation. With this entry use case, several bottlenecks emerge. As a pioneer in the sustainable aviation industry, RSG has a seven step plan to overcome these bottlenecks, of which creating a coalition of industry stakeholders collaborating in researching and developing the electric aviation industry. With this actionable plan, RSG has the ability to accelerate the transition towards a sustainable aviation industry, as well as progress in the research for the implementation of electric aviation.

This report describes the results of a graduation project, which was completed at Hombli, a brand of Avanca International B.V. Hombli offers smart home products and has the ambition to become a leader in this domain. In order to achieve that the company wants to create Intellectual Property in the future and have a solid brand. Hombli has two issues however First of all Hombli’s current positioning risks losing its uniqueness. Competitors also claim to be simple to use, easy to install and safe. Secondly, the way it currently creates new products is sensitive to being copied by competitors. Hombli imports products from China, adjusts them to their liking and integrates it into their ecosystem of devices. Many of these smart home products are also available to competitors, making it hard¬er for Hombli to stand out. A question rises when looking at these obstacles: How can Hombli become a household name and create I.P.? To answer this question a two step approach is proposed: First a future direction will be designed, resulting in a clear and differentiating brand story for Hombli. Second a new way innovation process will be designed as well as improving the existing way of innovating. By doing trend research and using the trend spotting method (Simonse, 2017), a future scenario is created. Summarized it resulted in the following: Because of an increase of people suffering from mental stress and the home becoming an even more prominent space in people’s lives, it makes sense for Hombli to facilitate well being at home. Then the way the company currently innovates is analysed. The existing process which focusses on sourcing products has some disadvantages. Lack of communication, no prioritisation and confusion about responsibilities result in unnecessary slack in the process and in turn hinders innovation. This then also leaves even less room for any exploratory activities. Principiles from the User Centered Design method from Abras, Maloney-Krichmar & Preece (2004) are used to redesign the current innovation process together with the employees that actually use it. During the weekly sessions the different stages of the process are discussed, altered and put to practice with actual products. The process is altered to become more like the Stage Gate innovation model from Cooper (2008). Advice is given on how to implement this in the organisation. Then the process focusing on discovering new ideas is introduced. Throughout the steps assumptions regarding the product direction are validated. This is done through initially desk research, then interviews with target users and an individual co-creation session. The product idea that results from that session is put to the test using a Smoke Test (Cops, 2020). A method used often by start-ups to see if their value proposition gains traction. The results of this step are positive and give a green light for next iterations. Then recommendations are given to further expand the proposed changes in the company to have a lasting positive effect in the future. Concluding, limitations of this research are also shared.

The construction and logistics sectors in the Netherlands are rapidly increasing in size, but unfortunately are also part of the most hazardous industries. One part of safety which needs to be addressed is manual handling related incidents. The moving of objects around a worksite through utilization of an employee’s body increases the exposure of the employees to hazards, especially if done incorrectly, and will increase costs for both employee and employer. This thesis explores the possibility of transforming the passive and reactive role of safety shoes into safety shoes that are capable of proactive (manual handling related) incident prevention, through utilization of smart technology. To gain insight into the problem, its context and the possibilities for the implementation of smart technology, an extensive literature review was conducted. In addition, practical field knowledge was gained through multiple series of semi-structured interviews and analysis of relevant cases. Research results show that the human factor plays a major role in the causation of occupational incidents and can be divided into three categories: the individual, the task and the organisation. As this human factor is either the leading cause or part of the cause for around 80% of all incidents, it is vital for incident prevention. Furthermore, current methods for detection and prevention (e.g. manual handling training and safety programs) have serious shortcomings which make them less effective tools for the reduction or elimination of manual handling related incidents. In addition to this, studies indicate the opportunity for (smart) technology to aid in overcoming these shortcomings. The above mentioned insights served as input for the synthesis of a concept design (smart safety shoes), which uses sensors and data analysis tools (e.g. machine learning) to identify and detect leading and lagging indicators for manual handling related incidents and subsequently is able to effectively communicate those insights to different parties: employees, employers, supervisors and training providers. The smart safety shoes can, in this manner, support current detection and prevention methods in their shortcomings. The before mentioned parties deploy the insights through a hybrid system: reactive incident prevention (improve the individual) and proactive prevention (improve task design and organization), which both, increase incident prevention. The concept design is accompanied by a roadmap outlining the general steps for the development of the concept. To conclude, smart safety shoes are the next step towards occupational incident prevention and potentially the first step towards smart, ubiquitous, occupational safety. However, further research is needed for the development of the smart safety shoes and the exploration of further possibilities. In addition to this, the principles behind the smart safety shoes could serve as a basis for further design research, to address other occupational safety issues and other industries.

This project is a collaborative effort between graduating student Johan van der Schaaf from Delft University of Technology, BoP Innovation Center and client organization Mhogo Foods. The project is conducted mainly in Nairobi, Kenya and focuses on building a marketing pilot for Mhogo Foods to increase access to nutrition in low-income markets. The project taps into the challenge of marketing nutrition and the difficulty of measuring effectiveness of marketing campaigns. After a short literature study and 15 interviews with the target audience that provided several insights, a design-led approach was used to create a tag line that resonates with the target audience. The combined insights resulted in a tag line that formed the key message of the campaign: ‘Mlo Wetu Halisi’ (in English: ‘Eating, in our traditional way’). The design-led approach turned out to be helpful in targeting the message to the preferences of the target audience and ensuring the tag line is inclusive. During implementation of the campaign, all materials and interventions were based on the predefined key message. The implementation of the campaign consisted of a mix of proven offline activities to gain the first market traction with digital experiments to explore new marketing opportunities. The digital experiments consisted of streaming recipe videos through Wi-Fi platforms on local buses and distributing digital coupons through several digital channels that could be redeemed at local shops. During the campaign, different digital channels were tested through the digital coupon program. An initial setup, where coupons would be distributed through Facebook, Whatsapp and the Wi-Fi platforms on buses highlighted the challenge of reaching customers through the digital channels while also educating them on the program. A second iteration, consisting of a hybrid between offline and online channels, resulted in more tangible data, with customers showing understanding and interest in the coupon program. An additional key insight was that the Wi-Fi platforms turned out to be the only digital channel that could both reach the target audience and keep the attention span of consumers for a prolonged period of time. Finally, a tool is presented that can be used in future marketing pilots to assist in building the campaign and in designing strategies for measuring effectiveness of digital channels.

The construction industry is undergoing a significant change driven by the emergence of new technologies. Digitalization is transforming the sector with the Internet of Things (IoT) being one of its core enablers. As a leading multinational organization that provides cutting-edge tools, technologies, software and services for the global construction sector, Hilti is responding to this change by shifting from a product-oriented focus to become a more solution-oriented company. One essential factor of this transition is the adoption of the IoT technology to provide new solutions to address the customers’ needs in the digital future. Thus, Hilti needs to identify and seize opportunities in the field of IoT. The purpose of this graduation thesis is to enable Hilti to identify new ideas in the area of IoT and protect them with intellectual property rights to enable long-term differentiation. A good overview of the IoT patent landscape will provide clarity to spot new business opportunities systematically. The project aims at developing an innovation process that captures ideas from within the company. A qualitative user research was conducted uncovering several pain points in the current process. The loss of ideas and the lack of quality of ideas were found to be the biggest challenges that are hindering innovation from happening. The findings were contrasted with literature, which pointed out the importance of the development of an abstract idea to become more concrete, in order to derive value from or protect it.
In an iterative process, a solution was developed that addresses the identified pain points. The outcome is a combination of a sequential and iterative innovation process structured into four phases, including ideation, collection, assessment and protection of ideas. The basic concept of the process is the validation of assumptions, for which a tool was developed that facilitates this and acts as the main touchpoint throughout the process. The process is visualized in a process blueprint providing detailed information about the different components and interactions. An implementation plan was developed, giving suggestions for the next steps to be taken to operationalize the process.
The project provides a feasible solution for Hilti to identify and protect new ideas in the area of IoT. For the implementation, it is recommended to give much attention to the guidance and training throughout the process to ensure its correct use.

This project focuses on the integration of User Research in a Qualitative approach into an Agile work environment by conducting an in-house Case Study with Werkspot (Home improvement platform in the Netherlands). Customer expectations have hit an all-time high globally (Salesforce Research 2018) and as such, companies are expected to provide experiences beyond products (physical or digital). This has impacted the way companies must operate going forward, by recognizing and addressing customer involvement throughout the development process. The challenge relies in integrating two seemingly contradicting processes Agile development (fast-paced) and Qualitative Research practices (slow-paced) into a seamless operation. The objective is to include the end-users early in the development process. In this way, Werkspot is able to increase the chances of success of product features by implementing a validation phase prior to development process. This project makes a research distinction into Validative Research (concept or idea testing in an attitudinal level) and Explorative Research (learning from users on a behavioural level). Through the Research Case Studies (Section 04: ‘Research in practice’), Validative and Explorative research methods are tested and accelerated to operate under the Agile work setting from Werkspot. The result is a Qualitative Research Process for Werkspot, through this process, the company can continuously involve users in the development of the platform.

The aim of this thesis is to increase retention for Picnic by creating a habit-forming store. Currently, conversion rates are suboptimal. In areas where Picnic is active roughly half of all households downloads the app and registers. However, the conversion of this group to active customers is sub-optimal, meaning that not all users are retained. Sub-optimal retention rates hurt companies, as they miss opportunities for business growth, increasing their profitability and cost savings. This effects also holds true for Picnic where it takes three orders to break-even on that specific customer. Project context This thesis focusses on the Dutch market, as this is where Picnic as its strongest presence. In addition to that, the Dutch online grocery market is the most advanced in Europe. This thesis focusses mainly on the competition with physical supermarkets because the growth of the online groceries segment stems from consumers switching from physical supermarkets to online grocers. Increasing the retention rates has a positive impact on the users of Picnic and society as a whole: It increases the amount of free time for users, reduces food waste and emissions in inner cities. Theoretical foundation Retention Retention is driven by the perceived utility on one hand and switching costs on the other. Both these dimensions are influenced by the habits of users. Perceived utility increases as the users gain more experience with the product, leading to a faster and more pleasant experience. Switching costs are influenced by the investments a user makes in a product, and by uncertainty about whether other companies can provide similar value. Groceries Groceries are eminently a habitual consumption: They are high-frequency purchases Groceries have a limited variability over time Grocery shopping is a behaviour that is learned over a long period of time Therefore, the challenge of this thesis is to help more users successfully form a habit around using Picnic, thereby converting into active customers.

Habits
Habits are formed when both frequency and perceived utility are high enough. A habit has four elements: The trigger, action, reward and investment. Currently, most customers fail in the action element of the habit loop. This is due to either a lack of ability or a lack of motivation.
This theory on habits and its connection is visualized in the figure below.


User research
The theoretical framework was combined with extensive user research to define what type of users currently are able to form a Picnic habit.
The qualitative user research consisted of a combination of interviews, workshops, user testing sessions, surveys and concierge tests. The quantitative user research consisted of analyses of in-app user behaviour data, purchase data, demographic analysis and market size estimations.

Early market
Users that successfully form a Picnic habit, and thereby form Picnic’s early market have both high motivation and high ability to use the service.
The high motivation results from the users being time-constrained, having physical limitations, and experience going to the supermarket negatively. This group’s high ability is a result of their high ability to plan, their relatively predictable life, and the guidance in food they receive from recipes and diets. The majority of this group are families, which are also the most profitable customers for Picnic.

Product strategies
By combining the insights from user research with the theoretical framework, three product strategies were proposed that help more users form a strong Picnic habit.
First more different types of users are enabled to place orders by their increasing their motivation and ability. Once these users are enabled to order at Picnic, their frequency of interaction is increased. Finally, when these users are interacting with this app frequently, users remain engaged by an app that improves with each usage-cycle. This happens through both user- and Picnic- driven personalization.

Implementation of product strategies
These strategies must be embedded in the store team and Picnic organization in order to be effective. In order to do so, three organizational challenges must be overcome:
Challenges in aligning teams across the organization,
Challenges in creating buy-in for customer-focused projects
Challenges in autonomous decision making, due to large dependencies between teams.

Product design framework
To deal with these organization challenges, the strategies are translated into a product design framework. This framework provides the team with clear and inspirational guidance while being concise and measurable for the rest of the organization. This leads to companywide buy-in.
 
Validation
The framework was validated in two steps: In sessions with customers and internally. The results of these validation steps indicate that the framework is likely to be successful, but it can only truly be proven by implementing it and putting it to the test.

Implementation
To achieve successful implementation, the framework must be clearly communicated and embedded in the daily work of the team. The latter should happen in both creative activities and evaluative activities.

Conclusion
The framework helps the store team to set a course for a longer period of time. It helps the team focus on solving the right problems for its users, by providing a way to visualize these problems and the effect the solutions should have. The vision and strategies provide the team with direction and help stakeholders across the organization align. The framework is not a definitive ‘how-to guide’ on building a habit-forming store, and its implementation and the subsequent execution are crucial for its success.