Short answer
Designers of open innovation platforms must move beyond a one-size-fits-all approach and create flexible yet cohesive interaction designs that accommodate the diverse needs and motivations of both those seeking solutions and those offering them.
- Field
- Innovation & Markets
- Source
- Journal of Product Innovation Management (2025)
- Method
- Conjoint study
- Sample
- 842 respondents
- Evidence
- Strong effect
Designing open innovation platforms requires a careful balance of features to satisfy the distinct needs of both those seeking solutions and those providing them. This innovation & markets research insight is drawn from a 2025 study published in Journal of Product Innovation Management. Using Conjoint study with 842 respondents, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Designers of open innovation platforms must move beyond a one-size-fits-all approach and create flexible yet cohesive interaction designs that accommodate the diverse needs and motivations of both those seeking solutions and those offering them.
Balancing Seeker and Solver Preferences on Open Innovation Platforms
Designing open innovation platforms requires a careful balance of features to satisfy the distinct needs of both those seeking solutions and those providing them.
Journal of Product Innovation Management · 2025
Key Findings
- 01Solution seekers and problem solvers have conflicting preferences for key interaction design features on open innovation platforms.
- 02A 'best' configuration exists that can balance the individual preferences of both seekers and solvers.
- 03Personal characteristics such as social trust, risk aversion, and need for cognition influence individual preferences for platform design.
Application
Design takeaway
Designers of open innovation platforms must move beyond a one-size-fits-all approach and create flexible yet cohesive interaction designs that accommodate the diverse needs and motivations of both those seeking solutions and those offering them.
How to apply
When designing or iterating on an open innovation platform, conduct user research with both potential solution seekers and solvers to identify their core needs and pain points regarding communication, collaboration, and reward systems. Use this data to inform a balanced feature set.
Project actions
- 01When researching user needs for a collaborative platform, ensure you gather input from all key user groups.
- 02Consider how different features (e.g., communication methods, reward structures) might appeal differently to various user types.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Large sample size provides robust statistical power.
- +Utilizes conjoint analysis, a strong method for understanding trade-offs in preferences.
Limitations
The study was conducted online, and real-world interactions might differ. The specific features examined might not cover all aspects of platform design.
Reliability & validity
The use of conjoint analysis with a large sample size suggests good reliability. Validity is supported by the theoretical grounding in Social Exchange Theory and the identification of influencing personal characteristics.
Think critically
To what extent can a single platform design truly satisfy fundamentally opposing user needs, or is some level of compromise always inherent?
Design Principles
"Design for dual audiences: When designing platforms that serve distinct user groups with potentially conflicting needs, strive for configurations that offer a balanced optimal outcome for all stakeholders."
Understanding the differing preferences of solution seekers and problem solvers is crucial for designing effective open innovation platforms. A well-designed platform can foster greater participation, higher quality contributions, and ultimately, more successful innovation outcomes.
What This Means for Your Design
When you make a website where people can ask for ideas and other people can give ideas, you need to think about what both groups want. They might want different things, but you can design the website so it works well for everyone.
How to use in your project
- 1.Reference this study when discussing the importance of user research for collaborative platforms and how to balance competing user needs in your design process.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
Research indicates that the design of open innovation platforms must carefully consider the divergent preferences of solution seekers and problem solvers. A study by Leckel, Randhawa, and Piller (2025) found that while these groups often have conflicting desires regarding platform features like communication and feedback, a balanced configuration can be achieved. This highlights the importance of user-centered design that accounts for the needs of all stakeholders to maximize platform effectiveness and value creation.
Source
Journal of Product Innovation Management
Interaction design for open innovation platforms: A social exchange perspective
journal · 2025
View sourceQuestions About This Research
- What does the research say about balancing seeker and solver preferences on open innovation platforms?
- Designers of open innovation platforms must move beyond a one-size-fits-all approach and create flexible yet cohesive interaction designs that accommodate the diverse needs and motivations of both those seeking solutions and those offering them. Evidence: Journal of Product Innovation Management (2025).
- Why does "Balancing Seeker and Solver Preferences on Open Innovation Platforms" matter for design?
- Understanding the differing preferences of solution seekers and problem solvers is crucial for designing effective open innovation platforms. A well-designed platform can foster greater participation, higher quality contributions, and ultimately, more successful innovation outcomes.
- How can designers apply this research?
- Designers of open innovation platforms must move beyond a one-size-fits-all approach and create flexible yet cohesive interaction designs that accommodate the diverse needs and motivations of both those seeking solutions and those offering them.
- What were the main findings?
- Solution seekers and problem solvers have conflicting preferences for key interaction design features on open innovation platforms.. A 'best' configuration exists that can balance the individual preferences of both seekers and solvers.. Personal characteristics such as social trust, risk aversion, and need for cognition influence individual preferences for platform design.
- What research method was used?
- Conjoint study with 842 respondents.
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2025 journal from Journal of Product Innovation Management.
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- When designing or iterating on an open innovation platform, conduct user research with both potential solution seekers and solvers to identify their core needs and pain points regarding communication, collaboration, and reward systems. Use this data to inform a balanced feature set.
- What are the limitations?
- The study's findings might be specific to the types of open innovation platforms and user groups examined. The influence of cultural factors on preferences was not explicitly detailed.