The document discusses the concept of "outside innovation" where customers play an active role in co-designing products and business processes. It provides examples of companies like Mozilla, Karmaloop, and National Instruments that engage customers as consultants, contributors, guides, promoters, and lead customers. The key aspects discussed are engaging lead users to identify unmet needs, conducting ethnographic research, co-designing solutions, providing tools to help customers achieve their goals, and empowering open participation and peer production.