The purpose of this research was to identify dairy farmers’ data and technological requirements in order to enhance herd health and guide innovation development. Eighteen focus groups were performed with 80 dairy producers from Belgium, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Data analysis using Template Analysis identified six themes that reflect core needs: autonomy, comfort, competence, community and relatedness, purpose, and security. Farmers liked technology that promoted convenience, knowledge, and self-sufficiency. Data sharing, accessibility, and program usability were all obstacles that hampered technology adoption. Farmers also had difficulties in workforce recruitment and management, necessitating stress-reduction techniques. Controlling barn environmental factors like as air quality, cleanliness, and stocking density was of special interest. The results imply that developers should include farmers in the design process to create a great user experience and boost accessibility.
The dairy sector is gradually being urged to embrace technology that will enhance its economic, environmental, and social sustainability. To achieve this, efficiency and milk production costs must be improved, which may be accomplished by using a variety of technologies. Such technologies include automated milking systems (AMS), automatic feeders, activity sensors, and oestrus detection devices. However, a significant minority of farmers still do not use these technology, notably data-capture systems and those unrelated to milking techniques.
One explanation for the low adoption of certain technologies is that agricultural innovations are often designed from the top down, with minimal input from end users during the early phases of development. This may lead to unequal adoption of innovations by farmers, since designers prefer to concentrate on the advantages that technology can provide for farms. However, technology may also have negative consequences, such as the relocation of agricultural workers and the marginalization of some farms.
A Responsible Innovation method has been proposed for the development of agricultural technology, particularly those used in the dairy sector. This method recognizes that innovators must respond to the social and ethical problems of research and innovation via an interactive process including stakeholders. Anticipating possible effects, responding to social requirements, including key stakeholders throughout the development process, and reflecting on motives and assumptions are all important aspects of Responsible Innovation.
Living Labs provide an approach for generating ideas while meeting Responsible Innovation objectives. Living Labs are user-centered innovation environments based on daily experience and research that enable user input in open and distributed innovation processes including all relevant partners in real-world scenarios. They are divided into three stages: idea, prototype, and innovation, each having three phases: exploration, design, and evaluation.
The idea stage of Living Labs is critical for innovation creation because it enables users to maximize their effect by focusing the design. Three theoretical streams impact the Living Lab method of gathering knowledge about user needs: soft systems thinking, needfinding, and appreciative inquiry. Qualitative techniques are used to investigate user experiences, motivations, and future aspirations.
Researchers may utilize the typology of basic requirements to determine the needs of users, which consists of 13 fundamental needs and 52 sub-needs. The requirements typology served as a coding framework for assessing qualitative data. Overall, users’ needs may be formed by collecting data on their experiences, motivations, and objectives utilizing Living Labs’ theoretical underpinnings, and then applying the data to a basic need typology.
Many studies have examined the variables that influence technology adoption on dairy farms, but few have focused on farmers’ experiences with technology. These studies often concentrate on the implications of technology for human-animal connection and labor practices, rather than addressing dairy farmers’ technological demands. One research focused on smartphone applications, although it only examined the early phases of tool development.
Previous research on dairy farmers’ experiences with technology has solely examined technologies for adult dairy cows, which may have distinct demands in terms of youngstock management. This project employed a Living Lab technique to get a wide understanding of farmers’ demands for agricultural technology and data, with the goal of developing technological ideas that meet their needs.
Data from focus groups in six countries were studied to better understand dairy producers’ farm technology requirements for mature cows and youngstock. The studies revealed that farmers have demands for autonomy, comfort, competence, community and relatedness, purpose, and security. The study underlines the need of doing user experience research throughout technology development to promote intuitive usage and favorable emotional experiences.
Technologies might help meet needs in areas including workload, labor efficiency, and communication. Farmers also want tools that gave guidance, such as goal planning and recognizing areas that need attention. The Living Lab concept promotes Responsible Innovation by including farmers from the start of the innovation process and enabling researchers to respond to farmers’ requirements.
