Integrating Repair into Product Design Education: Insights on Repair, Design and Sustainability

Abstract

With the pressure of growing environmental problems, the world is changing, and so is the paradigm of design. Accordingly, the calls for change in design education are increasing throughout the literature day by day. As the designers of the future, students must be prepared for alternative scenarios. This paper provides insights into students’ learning outcomes and competencies related to repair and sustainability in the context of an assignment that integrates repair into design education. This assignment has been part of the master’s degree design course at Linköping University for the last 3 years. During these 3 years, 52 repair projects, including a diverse range of products, were developed. Aiming to find out the insights of this process, focus group sessions were conducted. As a result of these focus group sessions, 12 insights were developed, such as the concepts of brokenness, designed repair, and repair-worthy objects. Findings show that practices of repair constitute complex sites of learning, technical skill and knowledge which could enable novice designers to become competent in circular design. This paper is of value for design educators and researchers, especially those concerned with the repair and circular economy, as it can facilitate future attempts to further integrate circular strategies into design education.

Bridging the green talent gap: a case study of product design education

“…It brings with it a host of benefits, such as cost savings, improved health and well-being, social responsibility, and emotional connection. Moreover, considering aspects like repair and maintenance can be a valuable pedagogical tool that not only enhances the value, character, and aesthetics of products but also encourages circular design thinking (Terzioğlu & Wever, 2021). This approach reflects a growing recognition of the need to integrate technical education with wider ecological and social considerations, equipping future designers with the skills and knowledge they need to play a pivotal role in building a sustainable future.…”

Barriers and Opportunities to Repair in Repair Cafes

“…Although the topic of "Design for Repairability" is not explicitly mentioned in the literature, repairability is often associated with Design for Assembly / Disassembly (De Fazio et al, 2021;Bracquené et al, 2021)) Although this criterion of disassembly is essential in the definition of potential repairability, it is nonetheless one factor among many others. Recent work in the field of education has sought to identify design criteria that guarantee reparability (Terzioglu and Wever, 2021). The authors insist on the complexity of the repair process when the remediation of failures and damages have not been anticipated by the designers.…”

Performance and eye movement patterns of industrial design students reading sustainable design articles

“…However, the current emphasis on sustainable design in design education is insufficient. Many trained designers still focus on designing to sell more products 19 . Fostering sustainable thinking and capabilities in higher education for design is crucial and urgent 20 , 21 .…”

“…Fostering sustainable thinking and capabilities in higher education for design is crucial and urgent 20 , 21 . As a design concept, sustainable design education can be approached in various ways, such as reading articles on sustainable design, discussing sustainability topics 19 , and participating in sustainable design projects 22 . Reading is a common and effective learning method, widely used in university education 23 , 24 .…”