Facilitating Social and Cognitive Translation in Innovation Networks

In this paper we present a two year long interpretative case study based on a Living Lab project. The case study is used to in retrospect investigate cognitive and social translation in a doubly distributed innovation network. By identifying and empirically exemplify how translations occurred, we present insights of how to support cognitive and social translations in these kind of networks. Using the concepts from Yoo et al. (2009) we explore the research question: how can cognitive and social translation be supported in Living Labs? Based on the findings we conclude that Living Labs can support heterogeneous set of actors and knowledge resources by supporting cognitive translation with techniques such as scenarios, mock-ups and prototypes. By working with an iterative process the involved actors can be supported to materialize prior and new knowledge which can be translated between different communities of actors. By setting up and providing a common ground a trading zone can be established supporting the social translations within the network by offering a space where negotiation of interests and alignment of perspectives can be facilitated.