We work with people to solve
complex social challenges

Living Lab UB is the University of Barcelona‘s Social Innovation Laboratory,
which offers innovative solutions through a user-centred methodology
based on the active involvement of all social agents
—companies, clients/users, the administration, and UB researchers—

What we do

We provide feedback

to companies and public and private institutions on challenges related to people’s behaviour (customers, users…).

We offer solutions

for all stages of the development of new products and services — planning, conceptualisation, prototyping and innovation—.

We innovate socially

through a methodology of work and collaborative design that integrates research into new opportunities, the development of new ideas, and the evaluation and testing of new products and services.

Methodology

Exploration

Analysis by UB experts of the most recent studies and cases relevant to the challenge at hand.

Co-creation

Co-design of concepts, opportunities and prototypes with users and other agents.

Experimentation

Implementation of “live” scenarios with user communities to collect data for evaluation.

Evaluation

Evaluation of concepts, products, and services according to different criteria (ergonomic, cognitive, economic).

How we work

At Living Lab UB we set up a multidisciplinary team of UB research staff
for each challenge, engaging the relevant actors, and creating an experimental environment
where they can explore, co-create, and evaluate according to the needs of the project.

Living Lab UB has the best human, material, and knowledge resources for tackling social challenges:

+6.000

Over 6,000 researchers

Prestige

Supported by the prestige of the UB, the leading research university in Spain

Transfer

The experience of the Bosch i Gimpera Foundation in managing knowledge transfer

Facilities and tools

Research facilities and tools suitable for social research

Impact

Featuring a double approach – innovative and educational – to generate more social impact

Our collaborators

Private companies

We encourage the empowerment of the company’s customers/users, awareness-raising, and habit change.

Public Administration

We offer a space to test and experiment in controlled environments in order to generate rich and rigorous proposals.

Researchers

We open new lines of research, new projects where you can transfer, improve your reputation and be part of an active community.

Projects

The 5th edition of the UB’s Social Innovation Lab on Good Governance and Regulation assesses public policies and regulatory quality

Shared actions are proposed between universities, companies, administration and citizens to adapt to climate change.

Annual directory on good governance and regulation quality

How to improve municipal regulations

gE.CO Living Lab, tools for generating commons

Sharing community resources. Horizon 2020.

More projects >

Are you looking for an innovative solution to a social challenge in your company or institution?

Contact us at livinglabub@fbg.ub.edu and we will advise you.
We offer an innovative methodology focused on your users and clients

Some of our experts

Sergio Villanueva

Co-creation methods
«A Living Lab offers exceptional, comprehensive, rigorous, impacting, and socially consensual results».

Juli Ponce

Good Governance
«Collaboration between stakeholders is an essential feature».

Jordi Suriñach

Socio-economic impact analysis
«Data must be analysed in order to draw conclusions and to be able to act in an informed way».

María del Carmen Llasat

Extreme Events
«To face the challenges of climate change and natural hazards it is necessary to integrate science, society, industry and government».

Our collaborators