Preliminary Results Testing What Different Design Solutions Arise from Different Sustainable Design Methods

Abstract

Do different sustainable design methods generate different sustainable design ideas? Do they also drive different product innovation ideas? This project empirically tested three design methods: The Natural Step, Whole System Mapping, and Biomimicry. Testing involved qualitatively categorizing 1,115 design ideas from 23 workshops for over 30 companies, including consultancies and manufacturers in consumer electronics, furniture, and apparel. The categorized ideas were then counted to determine if the different design methods caused different kinds of ideas. They did. For example, The Natural Step drove more ideas on green material choice, circular end of life, and social impacts, while Biomimicry drove more durability ideas and Whole System Mapping drove more cost reduction ideas, among other differences. Overall, The Natural Step generated the highest percentage of sustainability ideas, Biomimicry generated the most innovation ideas, and Whole System Mapping generated a balance of both. These preliminary results should help designers and engineers choose design methods suited to the types of design solutions they desire.

Perception of Sustainable Design Integration Benefits Among Industry Product Development Teams: A Case Study

“…This experiment employed four sustainable design methods: Life Cycle Assessment (ISO 14040:2006(ISO 14040: , 2016, Whole System Mapping (Faludi, 2015), Biomimicry (Baumeister et al, 2013;Benyus, 1997), and The Natural Step (Robèrt, 1991;Baxter et al, 2009). These methods were chosen for their diversity in approach to sustainable design, and based on recommendations gathered in a past study from professional designers, engineers, and managers working in product development across industry sectors (Faludi et al, 2019;Faludi and Agogino, 2018). The workshop contents were put together as part of the author's dissertation (Faludi, 2017).…”

A Speculation on the Potential Support of Bio-Inspired Design to Biologicalisation in Manufacturing

“…Unsurprisingly, BID is included in typical lists of methods for eco-design and sustainable design in recent contributions, e.g. (Faludi et al, 2019). However, the effective contribution of BID to sustainable design is questioned by some scholars, as Ceschin and Gaziulusoy (2016) have pointed out.…”

Success-Oriented Eco-Ideation Sessions: Lessons Learnt From the Use of Ten Eco-Design Guidelines

“…On the other hand, while creativity is not totally neglected in eco-design (Sierra-Perez et al, 2016), the development has not taken place of bespoke and largely adopted methods and tools for leveraging creativity potential to trigger eco-innovation (Vallet et al, 2013). This conflicts with the evidence that the design and ideation of environmental friendly products is largely affected by methods (Faludi et al, 2019) and stimulation mechanisms (Tyl et al, 2018). A potential key for blending eco-oriented and creative design endeavours can be found in the need to maximize the success chances of new designs, which is a prerogative of sustainable development ecodesign has not paid enough attention to so far (Skerlos, 2015).…”