Cognitive Resources

In the following paragraphs I will explain how lead userness of employees helps to leverage cognitive resources, which are deployed by these Individuals in the innovation process. 

The ability of putting themselves in the place of customers is also fostered, when employees form close social ties with customers, i.e. in communities. During these 

Next to this, as opposed to external users, embedded lead users know what the constraints of the product are and what the intended function is. This helps them to go beyond normal reporting of errors but to also detect the reasons for problems in use. E.g. one embedded lead user from a sailing company reported that it is sometimes Impossible to track down the problem with a product from a mere customer description of the problem  

When embedded lead users are in this very situation themseives, it is easier for them to identify what the underlying cause for customer complaints are. This transiation from customer into company language helps them to eliminate noise from regular customer feedback like wrong application, excess, or unintended use. 

In contrast to external users, embedded lead users develop a different reiationship to product use. This can be traced back to the Arm-related knowledge embedded lead users can draw on, as they are located within the company Embedded lead users know what corporate processes are needed to develop and manufacture products. During their time in the Arm they learn what options are possible within the design space of products. 

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Warburton DM, Rusted JM Cholinergic control of cognitive resources. Neuropsychobiology 28 43-46, 1993... 

There is a cognitive load associated with each medium, which affects the level of cognitive effort required to access the information. While older technologies like text on paper have almost no load due to the learner s familiarity with them, technologies with which a learner is not as familiar require cognitive resources when being accessed. 

Does a specific individual have the needed cognitive resources to perform the task ... 

Granholm, E., Asamow, E. R., Sarldn, A. J., Dykes, K. L. (1996). Pupillary resportses index cognitive resource limitations. Psychophysiology, 33,457-461. 

Tasks requiring very low levels of muscular forces are not predominantly physical. Their successful accomplishment is strongly dependent on cognitive resources. The application of strong and... 

The resources on which embedded lead users draw during iimovation can be conceptualized as intellectual (knowledge) and social (structural, relational, cognitive) resources. All of them can be traced back to the fact that embedded lead users are located in overlapping contexts of use and work. Table 5 gives an overview of my findings. 

Cognitive resources and embedded lead users in the prosthetics industry (Health 1,2)... 

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