Combining foresight thinking to product development

Combining Futures Thinking to product development



Covid pandemic has globally been so far a huge challenge for the whole SME field. In this challenging market

situation, new tools and approaches are needed. Traditionally combining foresight thinking and methods to product

development processes has been a great challenge for smaller enterprises based on limited resources.

In this project, we tailor together foresight thinking and design methods to companies' product development activities.

We aim to create new tools and methods which are well suitable for SME’s limited R&D resources and can increase

companies' resilience amid a wide variety of global challenges or even when aiming to new markets or creating new products.

EKY project will conduct practical case studies with local enterprises to test and develop companies' readiness for

enhancing their RDI activities by combining foresight thinking and design methods to their processes. During the

project, all learnings and new methods will be published to benefit the whole SME field.

The development and skills needs that women entrepreneurs might have in particular will be taken into consideration in the project as the share of women among the entrepreneurs is lower in Päijät-Häme. In general the project gives the local SMEs new methods to develop their business in a more sustainable way.