Engaged in digital service innovation

Abstract: The research in this thesis has digital services innovation to support Human-Centred Service Systems (HCSSs) from a practice theory perspective as a foundation. Digital service innovation is understood as service system reconfiguration due to digitalization, with the aim to change the service systemsin a way that increases the value for the involved actors. There are several challenges in digital service innovation; one of the challenges is to address value for a Human-Centered Service System (HCSS), especially since value is the outcome that is determined by the beneficiary. Another challenge is the complexity of sharing and translation of knowledge among heterogeneous actors. The interaction among the involved actors is crucial to understand because it is through human interaction that knowledge is shared and generated.The research has been guided by two research questions: (1) What constitutes value in HCSSs? And (2) How can perceptions of value be aligned in digital service innovation? The presented research expands our understanding of digital service innovation in HCSSs supporting everyday life from a practice perspective. The overall research approach has been engaged scholarship, where the attached insider perspective has been the main focus. The empirical data is collected in two innovation projects (FIND and Free2Ride), the data comes from activities within the projects such as workshops and interviews. One finding in the thesis is the interplay between different levels of value during digital service innovation. Another finding is that beneficiaries and developer stake initiatives to share and translate knowledge. The main contribution of the research is a set of digital service innovation principles. Temporal brokering that leads to leaps in the process of reaching a common understanding and the importance of a learning dimension regarding the roles taken by service beneficiaries are also contributions in this thesis. The research also contributes an exemplification of how learning theories have been applied in order to understand digital service innovation. There are also practical contributions directed to those involved in digital service innovation on a tactical or strategic level. Future research could approach digital service innovation of HCSSs inother service systems and with other perspectives from the practice theory research.