Background

AIM

One way to continue the collaboration and exchange of information between MMI researchers and MMI professionals in the business community is to establish and maintain an MMI Platform. The following objectives have been formulated for the MMI Platform:

  • The MMI Platform is a meeting place for knowledge and expertise in the field of HMI research, education and practical application. In this way, the MMI Platform builds a bridge between companies and knowledge institutions.
  • The MMI Platform covers all economically important sectors where MMI plays an essential role in the development of products and services. In this way, the MMI Platform distinguishes itself from groups dealing with only one industrial sector.
  • The MMI Platform is a unique high level and broad-based forum.
  • The MMI Platform offers the opportunity for both organised and informal exchange of ideas between the members themselves.
  • The MMI Platform plays a role in the development and assessment of public policy and will strengthen that role in the future. That’s why the MMI Platform promotes contacts between individual members at national and international level with HMI trade associations, policy organisations and government agencies.

COMPOSITION OF THE MMI PLATFORM

In order to achieve these objectives, it is important that the platform has a broad and balanced composition. Only then will the MMI Platform be able to discuss the objectives throughout and independently of incidents and business cycles, focusing on the long term. The MMI Platform is an independent and representative group of people from the business community, government, knowledge institutions and research institutes. Members are expected to be able to put aside ‘the delusion of the day’ in the context of discussion in the platform. In order to achieve a balanced composition, membership is obtained by invitation after nomination. Membership is granted in a personal capacity. Members therefore do not represent the organisation in which they work and cannot be represented ad hoc by a colleague.

The platform was started by ten pioneering members and currently has about 35 members. The aim is to reach a final size of about 50 members. With an average attendance rate of 50%, this results in meetings with 25 people, a sufficiently large number to offer enough interesting interlocutors for each person present.

PROFILE OF THE MEMBERS

  • Working in a company (from SMEs to multinational companies), knowledge institute, research institute or government body active in MMI research or its application.
  • Position with decision-making power
  • Authority-based
  • Entrepreneurial, communicative and socially competent
  • Wide interest in MMI research and application, also outside the company’s own sector
  • Having access to a large (inter)national network
  • Aware of the synergy between MMI research, education and activity
  • Regular active participation (minimum presence of 50%)

SECTORS FROM WHICH MEMBERS ARE RECRUITED

  • Universities and colleges
  • Research institutes (TNO, NLR, top institutes)
  • Public bodies active in e-government (tax office, municipalities)
  • Companies, among others in the field of:
  • Automotive
  • Aviation / Aerospace
  • Telecom
  • Lifestyle & wellbeing, cure, care
  • High-tech systems
  • ICT (product software, custom software, consultancy)
  • Financial services (banks, insurance companies)
  • Gaming
  • Defence, safety & security
  • Domotica
  • MMI research and design tools

ACTIVITIES

The MMI Platform works on creating a meeting point, exercising influence and realising interaction between science and industry. During members’ meetings and in smaller groups (such as working groups) recent and expected developments in MMI research, practical applications and their potential implications are discussed and assessed. To this end, it shall undertake the following activities:

  • Periodic closed meeting (3x per year), preferably rotating on location with one of the members, including a social element.
  • Periodic public meeting with a catchy theme for members and their introductions. The theme should make it possible to identify concrete actions.
  • Knowledge circles around a specific theme, such as the design and operation of a UX lab.
  • Ad hoc working groups, for example for a strategic research agenda or policy-influencing reports. Workgroups deliver high-profile publications whose form and medium are tuned to the nature of the message and the target group (report, newspaper, radio, TV).