Ideation for digital platforms based on a companies' ecosystem

No other area shows such a potential for disruption like digital platforms. Like in B2C, now the B2B sector enters the platform economy. However, the identification of potentials for a digital platform is a huge challenge for B2B companies. Mostly, it is not easy to decide, for which customer segment a platform could be promising and which products are capable for a platform. To help companies identify platform potentials, we describe an adequate method for the ideation for digital platforms based on a companies' ecosystem in context business-to-business. The starting point of the method is a portfolio for the selection of an appropriate customer segment and product for the potential analysis. Based on a detailed model of the industries' ecosystem and a catalogue of generic platform use cases, platform ideas are identified. The ideas are designed and rated to receive a decision basis for the company. The method is validated in cooperation with a company from the dairy farm industry.