Case Study: Shine A Light (Light Therapy Experts)
The Problem
Amidst two consecutive historic New England winters, more people than ever have been diagnosed with Seasonal Affective Disorder. Long known as the “winter blues,” this condition affects people living in areas with reduced sunlight, and can cause severe depression if not treated appropriately.
The product development team at a consumer electronics company saw an opportunity to hep SAD sufferers with a new household light therapy product, while taking advantage of the market opportunity presented by increased diagnosis. With winter wearing on, they were eager to create a prototype as quickly as possible. However, although their company manufactured a full range of specialty household lighting products, they had little knowledge of the therapeutic benefits of specific light frequencies. Without this knowledge, they were uncertain which specific components to utilize in the prototype.
Critical Issues
Tight Budget Technical Expertise Hands-on Experience
The Solution
Maven initiated a Telephone Consultation inquiry targeting light therapy experts and individuals familiar with existing light therapy products currently available on the market. Within a day Maven delivered a dozen qualified candidates with deep experience on these topic, including two individuals who worked for the same company as the product developers and who participated in the company’s Knowledge Community. The two colleagues identified by Maven both had previous experience working with lighting products intended to treat Seasonal Affective Disorder.
The team consulted with their company’s previously unidentified light therapy experts, as well as with a physician with Maven’s Global Knowledge Marketplace who had over 30 years of experience with sleep medicine, focused specifically on how light affects the human body. Through the combination of internal collaboration via the Knowledge Community and targeted external consulting via the Knowledge Marketplace, the team discovered that they were on the right track with their development efforts and were able to quickly move forward with the design of the new product.
“I can’t believe we had light therapy experts within our own organization – who knew?! I wish we hadn’t wasted so much time trolling through the internet before we tried Maven.” – Senior Manager, Product Development
