Big data has been a buzzword for years. At Volvo Group's Connected Solutions organization it’s the focus of our daily work and the springboard for innovation. By collecting data from 700 000 connected Volvo Group vehicles around the world we have the chance to analyse behaviour, forecast the needs of tomorrow and develop the services to match.
Connectivity, software development and the design of new services is the focus for Volvo Group's Connected Solutions organization. In the centre of this process you find our Innovation Lab, a growing department in our Lindholmen office with expertise in four teams, each with a strategic focus area:
- Advanced analytics and visualisation
- Business innovation and foresight
- Software engineering and prototyping
A fourth team is currently forming the start of a new Silicon Valley-office for collaboration with its academic institutions and vibrant start-up community.
Close partnerships
At Innovation Lab projects are conducted in a co-operative manner by multidisciplinary teams. Ideas and initiatives can origin from other Volvo Group business areas, from ideas born in workshops with the start-up community – or start with a new insight from analysing the collected data.
– Innovation Lab for me is a place where we identify new ideas and new business offerings. We work together closely with the truck divisions and business areas in Volvo Group, as well as partners and start-ups. It’s a place with a lot of energy, where we have fun and accelerate the ideas all the way to the market, says Tommy Hansson Strand, vice president Innovation Lab at Group Connected Solutions.
Insights for creation
Research and insight collection is an important part of all work to ensure a clear understanding of how the service developed will be used in the real world. Combining insights across industry sectors, digital trends and data from connected we have great opportunities to find killer applications and generate real value for our customers and Volvo Group.
Speed & innovation
At Innovation Lab we see value in doing things differently than traditional corporate functions. Therefore, we work with agile methods in diverse and focused concept and venture teams. We believe in rapid prototyping and validation to get early customer feedback for continuous improvement in further iterations.
This means that in fast design sprints, teams at Innovation Lab, can go from idea to validated prototype in just a couple of weeks. And that the value in a new service can be proven early, before investing too much work and resources.