Engaging Users in Technology Innovation Processes: Insights from the Evolving Practices in the Space Sector

The extent of user engagement in the development of innovations is an ongoing debate in industrial practice and academic research. Organizations employ a diverse range of user engagement practices in innovation processes. User engagement is advantageous for the commercialization and adoption phases of technologies, particularly in sectors traditionally distant from society, such as the space industry. Following an explorative qualitative research, we performed a multiple case study to investigate the practices and the extent of private user engagement in the New Space Earth Observation (EO) context. Our study reveals that strategies adopted by New Space organizations address longstanding challenges that have hindered the creation of the EO market under the traditional space economy landscape. We illustrate how organizations overcome such challenges through innovative business model strategies, which prioritize technological simplification, solution reusability, and increased tolerance for failure and risk. We contribute to research by elucidating criteria that guide New Space organizations in the adoption of user engagement practices within solution development processes. By shedding light on the benefits of these user engagement methodologies, space organizations accustomed to the traditional space economy can discover avenues for exploring and developing solutions catering to broader user bases, extending beyond the conventional institutional ones. This research adds therefore to the growing body of knowledge on how ambidextrous organizational structures can be instrumental in navigating dynamic environments.