Creating Personas: A Qualitative Approach to Extract Innovation Perception
(A2023-112381)

AUTHORS

Gabriele Torma, Aarhus University; Jessica Aschemann-Witzel, Aarhus University

ABSTRACT

Creating Personas: A Qualitative Approach to Extract Innovation Perception Abstract: The success of innovations hinges on stakeholders' perceptions. A sole focus on one stakeholder, such as a buyer, bears the risk of failing innovation adoption because it ignores other critical stakeholders. We introduce personas as a qualitative research method for enhancing societally critical innovation adoption and acceptance rates. Personas offer clear and memorable access to relevant stakeholders' needs, goals, and frustrations regarding an innovation. First, we contribute by establishing a persona development process based on the rigor standards of established thematic analysis. Second, we offer six personas on the perception of agrivoltaics, a novel dual land-use approach where food and energy production are combined. The personas are based on the analysis of 27 semi-structured interviews with different stakeholders of agrivoltaics, such as farmers, journalists, researchers, politicians, or environmental organizations from North European countries. Keywords: Social acceptance, Innovation diffusion, Renewable energies Track: Innovation Management & New Product Development