Short answer
Proactively anticipate and develop response strategies for both negative and positive forms of deviant user contributions in ideation contests.
- Field
- Innovation & Design
- Source
- Journal of Product Innovation Management (2017)
- Method
- Netnography
- Evidence
- Moderate effect
Consumer ideation contests can generate unintended 'deviant' content that ranges from destructive to constructively valuable, requiring careful management by firms. This innovation & design research insight is drawn from a 2017 study published in Journal of Product Innovation Management. Using Netnography, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Proactively anticipate and develop response strategies for both negative and positive forms of deviant user contributions in ideation contests.
Deviant Co-Creation: Unlocking Unexpected Value or Reputational Risk in Ideation Contests
Consumer ideation contests can generate unintended 'deviant' content that ranges from destructive to constructively valuable, requiring careful management by firms.
Journal of Product Innovation Management · 2017
Key Findings
- 01Deviant co-creation in ideation contests includes both illegitimate and legitimate content.
- 02Legitimate deviant content can manifest as humorous, provocative, unique, or norm-violating submissions (technical or social).
- 03Destructive deviant content can lead to negative publicity and reputational damage.
- 04Constructive deviant content can foster positive engagement, idea development, and contribute to innovation potential.
Application
Design takeaway
Proactively anticipate and develop response strategies for both negative and positive forms of deviant user contributions in ideation contests.
How to apply
When designing or managing an ideation contest, create clear guidelines for acceptable content while also preparing for unexpected submissions. Develop a tiered response system for different types of deviant content.
Project actions
- 01When designing a crowdsourcing platform, consider how to moderate and categorize user submissions.
- 02Think about how to encourage constructive 'deviance' while discouraging destructive behavior.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Provides a novel conceptualization of deviant co-creation.
- +Employs a relevant and insightful research method (netnography).
Limitations
The specific norms and expectations of different online communities can influence what is considered 'deviant'.
Reliability & validity
The netnographic approach offers rich qualitative data, but generalizability may be limited. Reliability could be enhanced through inter-coder agreement in content analysis.
Think critically
To what extent can 'destructive' deviant content be reframed or repurposed into constructive contributions, and what are the ethical considerations involved?
Design Principles
"Embrace the unpredictable nature of crowdsourcing by establishing frameworks for managing emergent, non-conforming ideas."
Understanding deviant co-creation is crucial for managing the inherent risks and opportunities in open innovation platforms. Firms must be prepared to identify and respond to both negative and potentially positive deviations from expected submissions to protect their brand and harness novel ideas.
What This Means for Your Design
When you ask lots of people for ideas, some might give you weird or unexpected ideas. Some of these might be bad and cause problems, but others could be really good and lead to new inventions.
How to use in your project
- 1.Reference this study when discussing the management of user-generated content in innovation projects or the potential challenges of open design platforms.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
The management of consumer ideation contests requires an awareness of 'deviant co-creation,' where participants submit content that deviates from expected norms. This phenomenon can be either destructive, posing reputational risks, or constructive, offering novel insights and fostering innovation, as highlighted by Gatzweiler, Blažević, and Piller (2017).
Source
Journal of Product Innovation Management
Dark Side or Bright Light: Destructive and Constructive Deviant Content in Consumer Ideation Contests
journal · 2017
View sourceQuestions About This Research
- What does the research say about deviant co-creation: unlocking unexpected value or reputational risk in ideation contests?
- Proactively anticipate and develop response strategies for both negative and positive forms of deviant user contributions in ideation contests. Evidence: Journal of Product Innovation Management (2017).
- Why does "Deviant Co-Creation: Unlocking Unexpected Value or Reputational Risk in Ideation Contests" matter for design?
- Understanding deviant co-creation is crucial for managing the inherent risks and opportunities in open innovation platforms. Firms must be prepared to identify and respond to both negative and potentially positive deviations from expected submissions to protect their brand and harness novel ideas.
- How can designers apply this research?
- Proactively anticipate and develop response strategies for both negative and positive forms of deviant user contributions in ideation contests.
- What were the main findings?
- Deviant co-creation in ideation contests includes both illegitimate and legitimate content.. Legitimate deviant content can manifest as humorous, provocative, unique, or norm-violating submissions (technical or social).. Destructive deviant content can lead to negative publicity and reputational damage.. Constructive deviant content can foster positive engagement, idea development, and contribute to innovation potential.
- What research method was used?
- Netnography.
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2017 journal from Journal of Product Innovation Management.
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- When designing or managing an ideation contest, create clear guidelines for acceptable content while also preparing for unexpected submissions. Develop a tiered response system for different types of deviant content.
- What are the limitations?
- The study's findings are based on observed online behavior, and the long-term impact of constructive deviance may vary.