Living lab methodology as an approach to innovation in ICT4D: The Siyakhula Living Lab experience

Abstract

Underdevelopment and poverty represent key challenges faced by the modern world, which have attracted the attention of NGOs, civil society, government and multinationals. Various undertakings including the United Nations Millennium Development Goals articulation and the World Summit on Information Society highlight the global commitment towards addressing these problems. The solutions to these problems should be derived out of well-str uctured innovation systems that take into consideration the grassroot context and c oncerns. A number of innovation models have been formulated and utilized effectivel y in different industries, and some of these have equally been used effectively in community development contexts. This paper elaborates on the Living Lab m ethodology and its application in ICT4D contexts, highlighting the effectiveness of t his model towards integrating end-users within their problem solving effort. This is discussed through the backdrop of the Siyakhula Living Lab, an ICT4D intervention. The embedding environment for this model, which enables key synergies with ot her stakeholders, is also discussed .