Jo Pierson is Senior Researcher at SMIT. He lectures bachelor and master courses on socio-economic issues of the information society and on qualitative research methods at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel in the department of Communication Studies (Faculty of Arts and Philosophy). Jo Pierson holds a PhD degree in social science - communication studies (Vrije Universiteit Brussel).

His core expertise is situated in the field of innovation strategic research on the meaning and use of fixed and mobile media technologies at home, at work and in public settings. For this he is doing research on involving users in technological design and development via test and experimentation platforms like ‘living labs’. He has also publishes on the adoption and domestication of ICT by small business (SMEs and micro-enterprises). Other research areas include e-inclusion issues and information society policy at European and national level.

Related projects

• A4MC3
• Coplintho
• E-paper
• FLEET
• i-City
• MADUF
• MCDP
• MINECO - ICT & SME's
• Test and Experimentation Platforms for Broadband
• Regional television and IDTV
• ROMAS
• Future Study e-Health
• VIN - Virtual Individual Network
• Virtual museum
• Video Q SAC
• Urbizone - User research
• Citizen Media
• DIGIMO
• LLECOS
• URBAN

Publications

• Van den Broeck, W. & Pierson, J. (2009) The appropriation of television in the home. Paper for the COST298 conference, Copenhagen, May 12th-May15th
• Pierson, Jo (2008) Identitying users as innovators. Presentation at Working group ‘Users as innovators’ in COST Action 298 ‘Participation in the Broadband Society’, 27-29 February 2008, Delft, The Netherlands.
• Amela Karahasanovic, Petter Bae Brandtz, Jan Heim, Marika Lüders, Lotte Vermeir, Jo Pierson, Bram Lievens, Jeroen Vanattenhoven, Greet Jans (2008) Co-Creation and User-Generated Content - Elderly People's User Requirements. In: Computers in Human Behavior. Elsevier, October 2008.
• Van den Broeck,W. and Pierson,J. (eds.) (2008). Digital television in Europe. Brussels: VUBpress.
• Van den Broeck, W., Pierson, J. (2008) (eds.) Digital television in Europe, Brussels: VUBPress
• Pierson, Jo, Jacobs, An, Dreessen, Katrien & De Marez, Lieven (2008) 'Exploring and designing wireless city applications by way of archetype user research within a living lab', in Observatorio (OBS*), 2 (2), 99-118.
• Karen Torben Nielsen, An Jacobs, Bram Lievens & Jo Pierson (2008) Faking the real thing? Proxy technology assessment as a method for participative design. Paper presented at Participatory Design Conference 2008. Bloomington, 1-4 October.
• Vermeir, Lotte, Van Lier, Tim, Pierson, Jo & Lievens, Bram (2008) Making the online complementary to the offline: social requirements to foster the ‘sense of community’. Presentation at Communication Policy and Technology section for the IAMCR (International Association for Media and Communication Research) congress ‘Media and global divides’, organised by Stockholm University & IAMCR, 20-25 July 2008, Stockholm, Sweden.
• Vangenck M., Jacobs A., Lievens B., Vanhengel E. & Pierson J. (2008) Does Mobile Television Challenge the Dimension of Viewing Television? An Explorative Research on Time, Place and Social Context of the Use of Mobile Television Content. Presented at the EuroITV 2008 Conference, July 3-4, Salzburg, Austria.
• Evens, Tom, De Marez, Lieven, Schuurman, Dimitri, Jacobs, An & Pierson, Jo (2008) Mobile Television in Flanders: Multi-methodical approach for user-centric technology development. Presentation at Audience section for the IAMCR (International Association for Media and Communication Research) congress ‘Media and global divides’, organised by Stockholm University & IAMCR, 20-25 July 2008, Stockholm, Sweden.
• Jacobs A., Lievens B., Vangenck M., Vanhengel E. & Pierson, J. (2008) Mobile television or television on a mobile? Presented at the Cost 2008 Conference, 15 May, Budapest, Hungary.
• Lievens B., Vanhengel E. & Pierson, J. (2008) Mobile television: new affordance, new practice? Paper presented at the IAMCR 2008 Conference, July 20-25, Stockholm, Sweden.
• Bram Lievens, Karen Torben Nielsen, Jo Pierson & An Jacobs (2008) Proxy technology assessment as a multi-method approach for identifying social requirements of co-creative media. Paper presented at NordiCHI 2008 Workshop: New approaches to requirements elicitation. Lund, 20-22 October.
• Van den Broeck, Wendy & Pierson, Jo (2008) 'The i in iDTV: how interactive is interactive digital television?' in A. Urban & B. Sapio & T. Turk (Eds.) Digital television revisited - Linking users, markets and policies (Workshop proceedings). Brussels: COST 298 - OPOCE, 41-49.
• Pierson, Jo (2008) 'There is no business like small business: the use and meaning of ICTs for micro-enterprises', in E. Loos & E. Mante-Meijer & L. Haddon (Eds.) The social dynamics of information and communication technology. Aldershot: Ashgate, 153-170.
• Lievens, B., Vangenck, M. & Pierson J. (2008) User experiences Urbizone. Research report for Brussels Regional Informatic Center. September 2008, 75p.
• Naessens, Kris & Pierson, Jo (2008) Explaining the economic digital divide: A multimethod study on ICT adoption in micro-enterprises. Presentation at Digital Divide working group for the IAMCR (International Association for Media and Communication Research) congress ‘Media and global divides’, organised by Stockholm University & IAMCR, 20-25 July 2008, Stockholm, Sweden.
• Van Lier, Tim, Dreessen, Katrien, Pierson, Jo & Jacobs, An (2007) ‘Kapellekes hebben’, ‘window shoppen’ en ‘boodschappen doen’ als insteek voor de ontwikkeling van nieuwe mobiele ICT applicaties. Presentation at ‘Dag van Sociologie’ Conference, 31 May 2007, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
• Jacobs, A., Dreessen, K. & Pierson J. (2007) ‘Thick’ personas – Using ethnographic methods for persona development as a tool for conveying the social science view in technological design.’ Paper for COST 298 Conference, Moscow, 23-25 May 2007.
• Pierson, J., Baelden, D., Lievens, B. & Marsigny, C. (2007) Analysing sector specificity regarding ICT and broadband usage by SMME businesses. In: The Southern African Journal of Information and Telecommunication. Issue 8: 154-171
• Naessens, Kris, Pierson, Jo, Stroobants, Eric & Vander Putte, Chris (2007) Digitale Hefbomen voor Innovatie bij Micro-ondernemingen (DIGIMO): studie van het ICT-bezit en -gebruik in Vlaamse micro-ondernemingen - input voor een ICT-stimuleringscampagne bij micro-ondernemingen. Brussel: IBBT-SMIT / KMO IT Centrum, 215.
• Pierson J., Jacobs, A., Dreessen, K., Demarez, L (2007) Exploring and designing wireless city applications by way of archetype user research within a living lab, Paper for the Cost 298 Conference, Moscow, 23-25 May 2007.
• Ballon, P., Pierson, J. & Delaere, S (2007) Fostering Innovation in Networked Communications: Test and Experimentation Platforms for Broadband Systems. In: Heilesen, S.B. & Siggaard Jensen, S. (eds.) Designing for Networked Communications – Strategies and development. Hershey (PA)/London, IDEA, 2007, pp.137-166
• VAN LIER, T. & PIERSON, J. (2007). Identification of community practices and co-creation by pre-adolescents: the case of Ketnet Kick, for Cost 298 conference 23-25 May, Moscow.
• VAN LIER, T. & PIERSON, J. (2007). Re-interpretation of online communities by pre-adolescents: the case of Ketnet Kick, for IAMCR conference 23-25 July, Paris.
• Wendy Van den Broeck, Bram Lievens & Jo Pierson (2007) Re-inventing newspapers in a digital era: the mobile e-paper. In: Conference Proceedings Mobile Media 2007. Sydney, Australia. July 2-5
• Jacobs, An, Pierson, Jo & Dreessen, Katrien (2007) Sense and sensibility: personas as boundary objects in technology design. Presentation at ESA 8th Annual Conference of the European Sociological Association (Theoretical and Methodological Innovations), 3-6 September 2007, Glasgow, UK.
• Lievens B., Van den Broeck, W. & Pierson, J. (2007) The Mobile (R)evolution in Everyday Life: A Cross Border between Public and Private Sphere. In: Conference Proceedings of Mobile Media 2007, Sydney, Australia, July 2-5
• Wendy Van den Broeck, Jo Pierson & Bram Lievens (2007) Video – on – demand: towards new viewing practices? In: Conference Proceedings THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UNEXPECTED: The user and the future of information and communication technologies. COST Action 298. Moskow, Russian Federation, May 23-25
• Van den Broeck, W., Pierson, J. & Lievens, B. (2007) VOD: towards new viewing practices? Observatorio, Vol1, n°3. (http://obs.obercom.pt/index.php/obs/issue/view/9)
• Jacobs, An & Pierson, Jo (2007) 'Walking the interface: domestication reconsidered?' in J. Cornelis & M. Wynants (Eds.) Brave New Interfaces - Individual, social and economic impact of the next generation interfaces. Brussels: VUBPress Crosstalks, 204-216.
• Van den Broeck, Wendy & Lievens, Bram. (2007) Why broadband? The meaning of broadband for residential users. In: The Southern African Journal of Information and Communication. Issue 8: 30-52
• Van den Broeck, W., Lievens, B., Pierson, J. Eindrapport e-paper - verslag kwalitatief onderzoek fieldtrial. onderzoeksrapport IBBT project e-paper, 2006
• Pierson, J., Jacobs, A., Dreessen, K., Lievens, B., Van den Broeck, I., Van den Broeck, W. Walking the interface: uncovering practices through proxy technology assessment. Paper for EPIC 2006, Portland (USA), 24-26 September 2006
• Berte, K., De Marez, L., Verdeghem, P., Van den Broeck, W., Lievens, B., Pierson, J., Weeghmans, L. An interdisciplinary approach in socio-economic research on the diffusion and appropriation- case: the multimedia content distribution platform. Paper presented at the BB Europe conference, Geneva, Switzerland, 11-14 December 2006.
• Pierson J., Baelden D., Lievens B. & Marsigny C. Analysing sector specificity regarding ICT and broadband usage by SMEs in Belgium. Paper presented at the BroadBand Europe Conference. Geneva. 11-14 December 2006
• Van den Broeck, W., Lievens B. & Pierson J. (2006) Domestication research for media and technology development: a case study, in: Conference Proceedings of IAMCR 2006, Cairo, Egypt, 23-28 July.
• Pierson J., Baelden D., Lievens B. & Marsigny C. Future usages of broadband technologies and the consequences for developing countries. Paper presented at the BILA workshop (Link Centre). Johannesburg. 08-09 May 2006.
• Baelden, Dorien & Pierson, Jo (2006) SMMEs and ICT Survey in Belgium: Methodology and first results. Paper presented at 'LINC-conference (BILA)', 8-9 July 2006, South-Africa.
• Pierson J., Baelden D., Lievens B., Lobet-Maris, C. & Marsigny C. (2006) Stimuleringsbeleid voor ICT-gebruik bij KMO's. Onderzoeksverslag en input voor sensibiliseringscampagne. Onderzoek uitgevoerd in opdracht van Mineco.
• Baelden, Dorien, Pierson, Jo, Lievens, Bram, Lobet-Maris, Claire & Marsigny, Christine (2006) Stimuleringsbeleid voor ICT-gebruik bij KMO's: onderzoeksverslag en input voor sensibiliseringscampagne. Brussels: Federale Overheidsdienst Economie, KMO, Middenstand en Energie, 153.
• Lievens B., Van den Broeck, W. & Pierson, J. (2006) The mobile digital newspaper: embedding the news consumer in technology development by means of living lab research, in: Conference Proceedings of IAMCR 2006, Cairo, Egypt, 23-28 July.
• Van den Broeck, W., Lievens, B., Pierson, J. MCDP: tussentijds rapport pre-survey focusgroepen. 2005
• Pierson, J. & Lievens, B. (2005) 'Configuring living labs for a 'thick' understanding of innovation', in Conference proceedings of EPIC 2005 (Ethnographic Praxis in Industry Conference), published by NAPA (National Association for the Practice of Anthropology) - Microsoft - Intel, US, 114-127
• Heres, J., Mante-Meijer, E., Turk, T. & Pierson, J. (2005) 'Adoption of information and communication technology: a proposed framework', in E. Mante-Meijer & L. Klamer (Eds.) ICT capabilities in action: What people do (COST-TIST Action 269). Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, 19-48.
• Pierson, J. (2005) 'Domestication at work in small businesses', in T. Berker, M. Hartmann, Y. Punie & K. Ward (Eds.) Domestication of media and technology. Berkshire: Open University Press, 205-226.
• Pierson, J. (2005) 'ICT adoption and use by small businesses', in E. Mante-Meijer & L. Klamer (Eds.) ICT capabilities in action : What people do (EUR 21637 - COST-TIST Action 269). Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, 81-102.
• Pierson, Jo, Lievens, Bram & Ballon, Pieter (2005) ‘Living labs for broadband innovation: Configuring user involvement’, Paper for the BBEurope 2005 (BroadBand Europe), organised by the framework of BREAD - Broadband For All (www.bbeurope.org), Bordeaux, France, 12-15 December 2005.
• Leurdijk, A., Limonard, S., Pals, N., den Blanken, M., Heres, J., Pierson, J., van Staden, M., de Jong, C., Carro, S., Garcia, G., Alonso, I., Antolin, P., Munoz, A. & Russ, M. (2005) New Media for a New Millenium (NM2): The market perspective (Integrated Project IST - Cross-media content for leisure and entertainment - IST004124). Delft: NM2 Consortium, 76.
• Ballon, P., Delaere, S., Pierson, J., Poel, M., Slot, M., Bierhof, J. & M. Diocaretz (2005) Test & Experimentation Platforms for Broadband Innovation: Conceptualizing and Benchmarking International Best Practice. IBBT / VUB-SMIT Report.
• Ballon, P., Pierson, J. & Delaere, S. (2005) Test and experimentation platforms for broadband innovation: examining european practice, in: Conference Proceedings of 16th European Regional Conference by the International Telecommunications Society (ITS), Porto, Portugal, 4-6 September.
• Pierson, Jo (2005) 'The take-up of ICT by micro-enterprises: an assessment of the bottlenecks and of European initiatives (online version)', in Communications & Strategies, 57 (1st Quarter).
• Limonard, S. & Frissen, V. in co-operation with Pierson, J. & Delaere, S. (2005) Versnelling in Breedbanddiensten ontwikkeling (Acceleration in the development of broadband services). Delft: TNO, 2005, 18. (Internal report in Dutch)
• Delaere, S., Pierson, J. & Van den Broeck, W. (2004) 21 Aanbevelingen voor breedband in de 21ste eeuw (21 Recommendations for broadband in the 21st century). Brussels: VUB-SMIT, 35. (Internal report in Dutch delivered to TNO-STB)
• Frissen, V., Pennings, L., van Staden, M. & Pierson, J. (2004) Breedband in het onderwijs: kansrijke initiatieven (Broadband in education: promissing initiatives; in Dutch). Delft: Ministerie van Economische Zaken & TNO, 69.
• Pierson, J. (2004) De betekenis en acceptatie van e-health: DWTC-eindrapport (Meaning and acceptance of e-health: DWTC final report; in Dutch). Brussels: VUB-SMIT, 26.
• Frissen, V., Hoving, D. & Pierson, J. (2004) Digitaal Wonen Moerwijk: Eindrapportage onderzoek (Digital Living Moerwijk - Final research report; in Dutch). Delft: TNO, 69.
• Van den Broeck, W., Pierson, J. & Pauwels, C. (2004). Does interactive television imply new uses? A Flemish case study, In: Conference Proceedings of 2nd European Conference on Interactive Television: Enhancing the Experience, Brighton, UK, 31 March - 2 April.
• Pierson, J. (2004) Enabling sustainability through small business ICT acceptance in Europe, In: Conference Proceedings of Euro-CPR Conference', Barcelona, Spain, 28-30 March.
• Verhoest, P., Naumanen, M., Jorgensen, U., Frissen, V., Pierson, J., Aichholzer, G., Rader, M., Henten, A. & Skouby, K. E. (2004) Mapping the European knowledge base of socio-economic impact studies on IST (EKB-SEIS) - Edited by J.C. Burgelman, I. Tuomi, Y. Punie & R. van Bavel (EUR 21375 EN). Sevilla: EU-IPTS-ESTO, 45.
• Pierson, J., Heres, J. & Frissen, V. (2004) Social capital, quality of life and IST. Paper for BREAD Conference (FP6 Coordination Action), Brugge, Belgium, 8-10 December.
• Ling, R., Anderson, B., Doffler, W., Frissen, V., Mooy, R., Pierson, J. & Thomas, F. (2004) SOCQUIT (SOcial Capital, QUality of life and Information Technology): Report of literature and data review, including conceptual framework and implications for IST. Delft: SOCQUIT Consortium, 131.
• Van den Broeck, W, Pierson, J. & Pauwels, C. (2004) Vlaanderen Interactief: Eindrapport onderzoeksbevindingen kwalitatief gebruikersonderzoek (Flanders Interactive: Final report with qualitative user research findings). Brussels: VUB-SMIT, September 2004, 120.
• Pierson, J. (2003) De (on)verenigbaarheid van informatie- en communicatietechnologie en zelfstandige ondernemers: Een gebruikersgericht en innovatiestrategisch onderzoek naar adoptie, gebruik en betekenis van ICT voor zaakvoerders van micro-ondernemingen (The (in)compatibility between information and communication technology and self-employed entrepreneurs: User-oriented and innovation-strategic research on adoption, use and meaning of ICT for business owners of micro-enterprises) (Unpublished PhD-thesis in Dutch). Brussels: VUB, 612.
• Van Audenhove, L., Lievens, B., Pierson, J., Neuckens, F., Loisen, J. & Pauwels, C. (2003) De Vlaamse MultiMedia Actoren: Onderzoeksrapport in opdracht van de Vlaamse overheid (Flemish MultiMedia Players: Research report for the Flemish government) (PBO 98/52/20; in Dutch). Brussels: VUB-SMIT, 84.
• Pierson, J. (2003) 'Identifying the digital divide on business level: micro-enterprises and computers', In: B. Cammaerts, L., Van Audenhove, G. Nulens & C. Pauwels (eds.) Beyond the digital divide: tackling exclusion and fostering inclusion. Brussels: VUBPress, 97-122.
• Pierson, J. (2003) There is no business like small business: the use and meaning of ICT for micro-enterprises, in: Conference Proceedings of COST 269 Conference 'The good, the bad and the irrelevant: the user and the future of information and communication technologies’, Medialab - University of Art and Design, Helsinki, Finland, 3-5 September, 359-365.
• Pierson, J. (2002) Social embeddedness of ICT appropriation among micro-enterprises, in: Conference Proceedings of 23th IAMCR Conference (International Association for Media and Communication Research), Barcelona, Spain, July 2002.
• Pierson, J. (2001) Configuring capabilities for electronic business by micro enterprises, in: Conference Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Uses of Services and Telecommunication (ICUST), Paris, France, June 2001, 53-62.
• Pierson, J. (2001) De analyse van ICT-bezit en -gebruik bij micro-ondernemingen in Vlaanderen: Eindrapport voor IWT-Medialab project (Analysis of ICT adoption and use by micro-enterprises in Flanders: Final report for IWT-Medialab project) (in Dutch). Brussels: VUB-SMIT, 24.
• Pierson, J. (2000) Community Informatics for electronic democracy: Social shaping of the digital city in Antwerp (DMA), in: M. Gurstein (Ed.) Community Informatics: Enabling Communities with Information and Communication Technologies. Hershey-London: Idea Group Publishing, 251-274.
• Pierson, J. (2000) DMA ou la ville digitale d Anvers, in: B. Van Bastelaer, L. Henin & C. Lobet-Maris (Eds.) Villes virtuelles - Entre Communauté et Cité - Analyse de cas. Paris-Montréal: L'Harmattan, 77-108.
• Pierson, J. (2000) ICT appropriation by small businesses: An interplay between home and work, in: A. Sloane & F. van Rijn (Eds.) Home Informatics and Telematics - Information, Technology and Society. Boston: Kluwer Academic Publishers, 109-124.
• Pierson, J. (2000) Informatie- en communicatieprocessen in de Limburgse fruitteeltsector en de rol van ICT (Information and communication processes in the fruit farming sector of Limburg and the role of ICT) (IWT-Medialab report 970460 in Dutch for Concentra Regionale UitgeversGroep), Brussels: VUB-SMIT,mei 2000, 88.
• Pierson, J. (1999) 'Toe-eigening van ICT door kleinschalige ondernemers: een interpretatieve analyse van adoptie en gebruik' (Appropriation of ICT by small-scale entrepreneurs: an interpretative analysis of adoption and use), in: Communicatie, 28 (4), 4-26.

Recent weblog posts

• SMIT researchers runner-up in Best Paper Award at EuroITV 2009 (05 June 2009)
• Open innovation and living labs: User perspective (04 November 2007)