Companies in various industries introduced toolkits for user innovation and design (von Hippel, 2001, Thomke, von Hippel, 2002) as a means to provide users with the opportunity to create self-designed products in a web-based setting. The underlying notion of this approach is that users are capable of self-designing products of higher subjective value (von Hippel, 1988, Franke, Piller, 2004, Franke, von Hippel, 2003, Levin et al., 2002). Much research shows its great value increment for the individual customer (compared to “off-the-shelf” standard products) and identified its different components, namely (1) closer preference fit (Franke, Schreier, 2004, Franke, von Hippel, 2003, Kamali, Loker, 2002, Franke, Keinz, Steger, 2009), (2) higher perceived uniqueness (Franke, Klanner, 2013), and (3) feelings of accomplishment (Franke, Schreier, 2010, Franke, Klanner, 2013).
However, one aspect is striking: all extant studies measure the subjective value of the self-designed product at a specific point in time, namely when the individual self-design process has been finished. This moment is of course very important – actually the buying decision is made then, and before the product design does not yet exist. However, self-designing involves a process and it may well be that perceptions, evaluations, and subjective value generation expectations undergo changes in different stages of the process. A slight indicator for this may be that very many self-design processes are actually terminated before arriving at a final product respectively before a buying decision could be made – apparently, expected value was too low for the customer.
So far, no study investigated the process of self-designing and the perceptual, cognitive, and affective processes taking place in a longitudinal manner. Thus, our research questions are:
1. Which subjective value is expected in the different stages of self-designing?
2. More detailed: How do the different components develop (preference fit, “I designed it myself” effect, perceived product uniqueness) and which role do process benefits and costs play?
3. Which factors (motivation, personality, individual resources, process experience) determine the respective levels?
To answer those questions, we gathered data in a laboratory experiment where participants (n=507) self-designed Nike Sneakers. To uncover the process itself, a longitudinal measurement of all constructs (value, components, and factors) before, during, and after the process was based on (1) established scales, (2) BDM auctions (3) FaceReader 6 software, and (4) clicking behavior. Participants were randomly assigned to groups which we interrupted for measurement at different times. We plan for a between-subject comparison and every participant was only questioned once as measurement could affect behavior.
The objective of this research project is to analyze subjective value expectations and compare the changes the main components and factors (influencing this value expectation) undergo. Additionally, process variables in terms of benefits (e.g. enjoyment) and costs (e.g. effort) and their influence on subjective value expectations are of interest and will be evaluated. By August 2016 we expect to be able to present first results of the already conducted experiment.
