Customer relevance – The process of identifying future customer requirements ‘Customer Relevance’

The research goal of the track is to study design practises, methods and processes in relation to product development within the security industry with focus on the end-customers. With the introduction and diffusion of ICT in the industry there will be an increased need to understand the customers’ changing preferences. Another way of describing this shift is to say that customer preferences are moving from a relatively ‘rigid’ technology to a more ‘flexible’ technology where the possibilities of configuration are more or less endless, and only limited to human cognitive constraints. This will inevitably have profound consequences on the how customers and organisations purchase and work with security. The long-term goal of this project is to function as a ‘proxy’ between the end-customers and the industry, and eventually increase communications between the two and improve product/services development of the industry.

Within the security industry, companies need to understand the practice and methods for understanding how customers define value. Value propositions involve identifying what current and prospect customers value, and adjusting products, positioning and branding initiatives, as well as business and development models accordingly. To develop value propositions and products “just in time” it will also become increasingly important to prioritize the format and information required to make the right decisions.

Contact: Markus Lahtinen