Key Competencies for Design in a Circular Economy: Exploring Gaps in Design Knowledge and Skills for a Circular Economy

Abstract

In a recent study, we identified seven key circular competencies for design: (1) Design for Multiple Use Cycles, (2) Design for Recovery, (3) Circular Impact Assessment, (4) Circular Business Models, (5) Circular User Engagement, (6) Circular Economy Collaboration, and (7) Circular Economy Communication. These were derived from small-scale studies with designers working in the Netherlands. We set out to assess to what extent this set of seven competencies is recognized by an international group of designers and to evaluate whether any competencies are missing. We used an online survey to collect data from 128 respondents from 25 countries working on circular economy projects. The survey results showed that respondents use and have expertise in all seven competencies and they stressed the practical importance of two new competencies: Circular Systems Thinking and Circular Materials and Manufacturing. The resulting set of nine key competencies is the first internationally verified, coherent set of key circular economy competencies for design. This set will strengthen the pedagogical base of design for a circular economy and will guide the development of circular design methodology.

Systemic Design for a circular textile: towards a systemic change

“…Finally, following the discourse of Sumter D. et al (2021) who recently performed a study investigating the key competencies for design in a CE, it emerged that "Circular Systems Thinking" and "Circular Materials and Manufacturing" are two new competencies identified for the next generation of design, besides the seven already validated in a previous study. This internationally validated set of interlinked competencies provides a foundation for the growing interest in circular design, and Systemic Design absorbs these logics into its methods and processes.…”

Economía e información circular en el sector agroalimentario argentino: estudio exploratorio desde la teoría institucional

“…El período de envío y recepción de respuestas fue de abril a julio 2021. Se recibieron 210 respuestas completas, lo que implica un ratio de respuestas de 8,4%, similar al obtenido en otros estudios de la temática (Mura et al, 2020;Sumter et al, 2021).…”

Design, Materials, and Extrusion-Based Additive Manufacturing in Circular Economy Contexts: From Waste to New Products

“…Within this framework, designers play a crucial role in the implementation and development of these approaches. Therefore, a new set of interdisciplinary skills is required to foster this transition and build a methodology for circular design [7,[10][11][12]. As a matter of fact, the early stages of design strongly influence the impacts of a product during its life cycle, and designers should be not only aware of it but also properly trained [13,14].…”