[IxDA Discuss] Difference between lead user program and other UCD?

[akemi tazaki]

Hi,

What is the difference between Lead User Program
http://leaduser.com/
and other user-centric methods to collect insights?

Without calling Lead User program, in the software company I worked  
for in the past, we always had a group of users we are in contact  
regularly managed by product specialists to get their feedback on the  
products or be the early testers at concept phase or have a workshop  
to get insights.

I hear this word coming from b school type of person.

I do not see much different from being a kind of user centric method  
that place users in the early phase.

How different is this from co-creation? or participatory design?
Is it the recruiting method that is very particular in this methodology?
Is it purely terminology difference used to package the method to B  
school?

Thank you
Akemi