User driven stimulation of radical new technological step in surface transport - The passenger rail example

Supported by a concrete example, the paper explains the U-STIR project methodology with regards to the User Driven Stimulation of Radical New Technological Step in Surface Transport. The introduction develops the problem setting, depicting the performance characteristics from the user’s point of view. In the next part of the paper the key elements of the project are worked out. Radical innovation is defined, as well as incubation of innovation. An outline of the potential methodology is given on how to lateral thinking is used to create innovative approaches. An Innovation Incubator consists of an analysis of information flow, time constraints and stability for the solution in four domains: user acceptance, business model, environment acceptance and availability of technologies to implement the idea. Adding to offering support to innovators - incubating ideas - U-STIR will provide a networking hub; linking research institutions and the business sector and depicting related knowledge and skills to help innovators in the network. A web-based innovation tool shall support the implementation of the aforementioned methodological knowledge