Process Development: Testing the E-DI in Academic Environments

Process development is Phase 3 of the process research methodology (Platts, International Journal of Operations & Production Management, 4–17, 13, 1993). It consists of testing the methods, tools, and guidelines of the process created in the previous phase. In order to validate the feasibility, usability, and utility of the process and to refine it through the testing sessions, four field studies have been conducted, applying a beta test (Chiesa et al., Journal of Product Innovation Management: An International Publication of the Product Development & Management Association, 13, 105–136, 1996; Cooper & Schindler, Business research methods. McGraw-Hill Higher Education, 2013). A beta test is a type of test with a series of consecutive steps, in which a group of potential users ‘try out’ a product. In this case, the product is the process to be tested (Chiesa et al., Journal of Product Innovation Management: An International Publication of the Product Development & Management Association, 13, 105–136, 1996). Figure 4.1 presents the testing logic of the process development phase. The Emotion-Driven Innovation (E-DI) process was tested by two groups of graduate design students. Those in the first group did not have any professional experience as product designers, while those in the second actively worked as professional product designers at the time of the study.