63. Local experimentation

The innovative work involved in adopting and adapting generic technologies in real-life environments has received less attention in innovation studies. Often this work takes place through local experimentation. Here, technology adoption usually involves interactive learning among various types of users, which is key for the expansion and embedding of the results of local experimentation. Such learning often involves very localized tacit knowledge. Strategic niche management is a research stream that examines the conditions for such local experimentation to be purposive and effective in generating innovations that are selected and retained on a wider scale, and thus grow to challenge established technologies. The role of local experimentation in deployment-related innovation is exemplified through a case of experimentation for the deployment of solar photovoltaic panels in downtown Helsinki in the context of a “Climate Street” initiative.