Through participation in the apparel industry to innovation
Abstract
This paper describes a theoretical framework for participatory product development and provides
examples of the use of open innovation and mass customization in the apparel industry. The topic is a
joint research project between the Department of clothing technology at the University of Applied
Sciences Berlin, Germany (HTW) and at the Institute for Vocational Education and Training of the
Technical University of Berlin, Germany (TU). The involvement of end users during product
development can offer a solution-oriented approach to creating concrete products and improving
productmarket fit. It can create products that better meet user needs, cost less, are more novel, and are
quicker to bring to market. The industry, therefore, needs to identify the best method for the
application of these techniques. The study provides an overview of different participatory methods.
From this toolbox of methods, every company will find an individual method to involve users in the
development process and to create an emotional connection to the product itself. Case studies in
Vietnam and Indonesia help to identify possibilities for participation in the agency business. The
sourcing process shows almost no active user participation so far, despite relevant literature on
innovation development through participation. The paper gives an overview of how the industry can
change the passive role of the user to an active empowerment with autonomous product solutions for
innovation development.
Keywords: Product development, participation, open innovation, mass customisation, garment
industry
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