Ecodesign Tools For Designers: Defining The Requirements

EcoDesign tools for designers:
defining the requirements

JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
14, 2006, 1386-1395
Vi c k y L o f t h o u s e
1 2 / 1 4 / 2 0 11
Outline
1. Introduction
2. Methodology
3. Misalignments between existing ecodesign tools and
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
design requirements
Prototype tool
Criteria identified for design focused ecodesign tools
The framework
Final stages of information/Inspiration
Conclusions
2
1. Introduction
Presents the findings from a three year
collaborative research project with Electrolux

and a subsequent 18-month continuation project
with Huntleigh Healthcare Ltd.
Develop a prototype tool which was tested,
refined and retested on designers to generate a
more detailed understanding of their
requirements.
2. Methodology
Types of problems
Designers in large multinationals,

2. Novice designers,
3. Design consultants with little experience in ecodesign,
4. Ecodesign experts and environmental affairs personnel
1.
The findings were used to build a prototype version of
Information/Inspiration.
Obtain feedback from twenty one different cases
4
3. Misalignments between existing ecodesign tools

and design requirements
Ecodesign literature shows that many existing tools fail
because they do not focus on design, but instead are

aimed at strategic management or retrospective analysis
of existing products.
During the pilot study, many of the designers indicated
that they did not have the right sort of tools to support
them in carrying out ecodesign.
The main issues identified are described below within five
categories;
Service, Content, Time, Style and Culture.
5
3.1 Service
Many of the designers complained that the tools available
did not show them how to do ecodesign.

Designers were asking for guidance.
They were looking for short and punchy lists of issues,
and simple targets to reduce the amount of things that they
need to think about.
To summarize, it appeared that the designers were looking
for ecodesign tools that combine guidance, information
and education.
6
3.2 Content
Designers continually asked for examples of ecodesign, to
help them see what others were achieving through

ecodesign.
A need for specific information on areas such as materials,
construction techniques to help them become involved.
Environmental databases are too technical and scientific.
The pilot study suggested that industrial designers need
content which is specific to design and design issues
rather than general environmental information.
7
3.3 Time
Ecodesign tools were too time consuming to be carried
out on a regular basis.

In order to compliment their way of working, designers
need ecodesign support mechanisms that can be used by
individuals on a less formal basis, as and when required.
Ideally they should fit into their daily practices.
3.4 Style
Ecodesign information needs to presented in a style that is
appropriate for the user.

Designers spend little time reading.
No lengthy technical documents full of graphs and wordy,
technical explanations.
Designers do not react well to manuals and often file
them, rather than use them.
Many designers favored a nontechnical approach and on a
number of occasions they asked for nuggets of
information (short pieces of text) that can be easily
digested.
9
3.5 Culture
Hands-on workshops to facilitate learning appear to be the
most appropriate approach.

But the time restrictions generally mean they are not a
suitable way of integrating ecodesign into product
development.
Designers were looking for a tool that takes up little time,
and can be referred to as and when required.
10
4. Prototype Tool
The findings collected in the pilot study were used to
develop the prototype version of Information/Inspiration

that was used to collect data in the main study.
Information/Inspiration was a working prototype,
primarily developed as a mechanism for collecting data

and not a finished product.
11
4.1 Suitable access

A web based format for Info/Insp. support requirements:
Providing the potential for the content to be presented in a
highly visual and interactive way, making it very relevant to
the designers way of working;
Offering the opportunity for the amount of reading to be kept
to a minimum;
Recognizing the time restrictions on design and supporting the
opportunity for the user to access it on demand, thus enabling
designers to integrate it easily into their daily practice;
Providing a good opportunity for the ecodesign information to
be kept up to date.
12
www.informationinspiration.org.uk
13
4.2 Content
Information was presented via six categories: general,
materials, recycling, production, use and packaging.

Data was provided as nuggets of information.
Short lists of rules were provided.
Inspiration provides product examples in six categories:
materials, form, energy, function, parts, and packaging
Encourage, inspire and educate designers, to help them
build up their tacit ecodesign knowledge and/or support
idea generation at the beginning of an ecodesign project.
14
5. Criteria identified for design focused ecodesign tools

Using the prototype, a more detailed understanding of the
service, content, visual requirement, language and mode

of access required were identified and a number of
important criteria upon which to base ecodesign tools
emerged.
5.1 Delivering a useful service
Each of the individual elements provided in the tool has
particular benefits to industrial designers
15

5.1.1 Guidance
Many users were new to the subject area and needed to be
introduced to important issues.
Need for appropriate information, legislation and product
examples.
Made ecodesign accessible.
5.1.2 Information
Designers were looking for ecodesign information in the
broadest sense.
Information to source a wide range of topics including
packaging, recycled plastics, and fixings to facilitate
disassembly.
16

5.1.3 Education
A number of designers liked the fact that the tool enabled
them to see who was doing what in ecodesign.
The prototype could have had a stronger educational focus.
5.1.4 Importance of combining the elements
Information and guidance
Within the context of this tool, checklists have a
valuable role to play.
Linking together guiding questions and checklists with
information sources that provided potential solutions
17
Importance of combining the elements

Guidance and education
Designers wanted simple guidance.
They asked for a simple, explicit hierarchy of approaches,
so that they knew what to tackle first for an easy win.
Education and information
Using the tool to educate themselves about the state of the
art in eco-design, especially when looking for the latest in
style, new materials, and the new technologies that others
have used to solve different problems.
Build up a database of ecodesign knowledge
18
Summary
Due to the combination of information and guidance, it
was able to outline important topics for consideration and

then direct the user as to where to find out more detail.
Providing information to support ecodesign education
enabled the designers to use the tool to build up tacit
knowledge on eco-design that they could draw on at a
later date.
Designers also wanted to know which issues to tackle first.
This suggests that tools such as the LiDS wheel would
provide a valuable addition to this tool.
19
5.2 Content
Ecodesign tools need to contain two different types of
content: information and stimuli.

These two types of content need to be intrinsically linked
so designers can benefit from information that is relevant
and examples which are based in reality.
Ecodesign information was linked to the case studies,
added to the usefulness of the tool. It was felt that the

level of information provided was only the tip of the
iceberg.
20
5.3 Visual
Ecodesign information should be presented visually using
case studies and examples.

Examples contribute to the education and empowerment
of industrial designers.
Images also have the potential to play a much more
practical role, as a mechanism through which designers
can learn how the product works, how the product was
manufactured, how it was used and what it was made
from.
21
5.4 Language
The content provided in ecodesign tools needs to be
presented in the form of nuggets of information rather

than large quantities of text, and be presented in an
appropriate language for industrial designers, avoiding
technical/scientific jargon and an academic framework.
5.5 Access
Ecodesign tools need to fit into design practice
Ecodesign is not a priority issue and is therefore subject to time
constraints.
2. Industrial designers have a dynamic way of working that is not
suited to planned, workshop based programs but more to an
integrated approach.
1.
22
6. The framework
It combines all of the
elements which need to

be embodied in tools of
this nature.
Its strength lies in the
combination of the
different elements.
23
6. The framework
Four levels of interconnectivity.
1. Unique focus
Specifically aimed at supporting the activity of designing and the
culture of Industrial Design.
2. Meeting the cultural requirements of designers

3. Content of the elements
Ensures that designers can identify the important issues to
address in ecodesign, find associated cases to illustrate how

others have met these needs, and then back this up with focused,
specific product focused information.
4. Interaction between the elements
24
7. Final stages of Information/Inspiration

7.1 Information
Ecodesign would need a section on where to start, that would
provide a quick step-by-step approach.
True value lay in its ability to link together existing materials.
Provide a list of 24 ecodesign strategies.
7.2 Inspiration
1. Case studies are now grouped according to product type.
2. Examples have been added and the quality of the product
descriptions has been improved.
3. Design of the product to improve the environmental
performance are listed and linked to the strategies section in
Information.
25
8. Conclusions
The approach used is more in keeping with the culture of
Industrial Designers:
1. Fits their way of working better;
2. Communicates in a language that they understand;
3. Provides a resource of relevant, product specific ecodesign
information; and
4. A starting point for ecodesign.
Raised their awareness:
1. Through an introduction to the basic principles of ecodesign;
2. Introduce and encourage to think ecodesign issues; and
3. Provide with more detailed ecodesign information.
26

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EcoDesign tools for designers:

defining the requirements

collaborative research project with Electrolux

Designers in large multinationals,

The findings were used to build a prototype version of

3. Misalignments between existing ecodesign tools

because they do not focus on design, but instead are

did not show them how to do ecodesign.

help them see what others were achieving through

out on a regular basis.

appropriate for the user.

most appropriate approach.

and can be referred to as and when required.

develop the prototype version of Information/Inspiration

primarily developed as a mechanism for collecting data

4.1 Suitable access

materials, recycling, production, use and packaging.

5. Criteria identified for design focused ecodesign tools

service, content, visual requirement, language and mode

5.1 Delivering a useful service

5.1 Delivering a useful service

Importance of combining the elements

was able to outline important topics for consideration and

content: information and stimuli.

added to the usefulness of the tool. It was felt that the

case studies and examples.

presented in the form of nuggets of information rather

elements which need to

culture of Industrial Design.

2. Meeting the cultural requirements of designers

address in ecodesign, find associated cases to illustrate how

4. Interaction between the elements

7. Final stages of Information/Inspiration

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