The Lag-Users Method: A New Source of Idea Generation for New Products

Laggards are the last to adopt a product. Despite significant research on user-led innovation, prior literature ignores laggards’ impact on innovation. Companies cannot afford ignoring the input of around 16-22% of users. In this paper, we develop the Lag-User Method. Through five studies with 71 teams in three different countries, we apply the method to different technologies and services. We present our findings to three focus groups with 28 executives to get managerial insights about the Lag-User Method. Empirical findings reveal that lag-users are useful in idea generation and new product development. They have different perceptions of user-friendly products as well as different needs and expectations from other user categories. Thus, we propose that by involving lag-users in developing new products, firms can obtain a wider range of perspectives to improve the effectiveness of NPD.