Explorations on the relationship between happiness and sustainable design

Through understanding the way in which design can contribute in a holistic way to sustainability, this thesis investigates and proposes the design methods, and characteristics of sustainable products, services or systems capable of contributing to our happiness, hence shaping and promoting society towards sustainable lifestyles. It presents the first indications of the relationship between Happiness and Sustainable Design. The review of a vast array of phenomena (Happiness, Sustainable Lifestyles/Society, Sustainable Product Design, Consumption Behaviour, and the emerging Role of the Designer), shed light on this relationship, as well as making evident the social gap that represents within sustainable design. This led to the development of an Initial Theory to bridge this gap, which then proposed the development of new design theories and tools and also a radical evolution of the design discipline. Preliminary Testing with sustainable design thinkers validated this theory and pointed out other interesting avenues in order to develop and test it further. Subsequently, through an exploratory and iterative approach, with the Initial Theory at the heart of the research, the Design for Happiness workshop framework emerged and took shape. Two pilot studies and a first study facilitated its planning, development and implementation, which ultimately led to a strong Design Process and Tool-Kit. In addition, two Main Studies confirmed its effectiveness and put forward a robust conceptual design outcome; the trials of which demonstrated its success and high potential to contribute to Happiness and Sustainable Lifestyles. Overall, the results and findings of this research demonstrated that material changes can take place without having to do without social networks which feed our happiness. The Design for Happiness workshop framework is a practical proposal that encourages multidisciplinary groups to reinterpret the relationship between objects and users, hence approaching design from a different perspective that results in innovative conceptual designs. Here, the designer becomes a process facilitator who shares design tools, encouraging participation in the construction of collective and integrated design visions and scenarios. Creativity and Sustainability are pivotal pillars of this proposal and its success is anchored in its capacity to deliver a collection of experiences that contribute to happiness through the way in which they require people to live in general. It also challenges the evolution of the Design discipline and its consequential theoretical development. The relationship between Design, Sustainability and Happiness is new territory. This research is the first on the subject of Sustainable Design and Happiness, therefore offering a groundbreaking opportunity for design, designers, and its practical applications

A design framework to build sustainable societies: using happiness as leverage

Increasingly, design is being forced to re-examine the role it plays in the happiness of people and the sustainability of society. This paper proposes the ‘Design for Happiness’ Framework as an approach to address this and it is illustrated through a design study. The design methods, process and characteristics of products and services capable of contributing in a positive and holistic way to these issues are discussed. The findings demonstrate that the framework encourages the reinterpretation of the relationship between products, services, and users; approaching design from a new perspective where the characteristics of what is meaningful for people sits at its core. The results are innovative systemic designs with high potential to contribute to happier sustainable societies

Moving textile artisans' communties towards a sustainable future: a theoretical framework

The current economic crisis is building momentum for designers to challenge the linear take-make-waste model and explore sustainable strategies, services and systems. With this in mind, this research explores how service design can encourage textile artisans’ communities towards a sustainable future, providing social engagement, rescuing cultural heritage, boosting economic development and enhancing environmental stewardship. Service design is here proposed as an approach to empower such communities, co-design collaborative services and sustain innovations within an enabling ecosystem. The paper focuses on the first study of this research where a theoretical framework to help textile artisans’ communities transitioning to a sustainable future was co-developed with academic experts in the field. A Nominal Group Technique and semi-structure interviews were used to collect data; results and findings are presented as barriers, enablers and a manifesto to encourage a sustainable future. To conclude, next steps and challenges posed by the envisioned future are discussed

Navigating the sociocultural landscape in service design

This paper reports on a case study where a service design approach was implemented to develop strategies for scaling-up a social enterprise, building on design as a meaning-making and framing practice. Context deconstruction methods drawn from semiotics and cultural studies were introduced during user research. These methods facilitated exploration of global and local sociocultural trends, mapping business category themes and competing offers, and identifying potential user groups’ cultural codes – i.e. expectations, aspirations and socio-symbolic aspects of consumption that influence users’ value perception. Subsequently, insights translated into strategies and guidelines for reframing the service value proposition and touchpoints to appeal to a wider potential user range. Results indicate that widening exploration from a user- to a context-centred approach enhances designers’ strategic skills, building stronger capability to observe and interpret sociocultural needs and attitudes. In turn, this highlights the central role of the service designer in leveraging the acceptance and diffusion of innovations

Empowering, co-designing, scaling: A service design model for the sustainable future of textile artisans’ communities

The global economic and environmental crisis is creating momentum for designers to challenge the current “linear economy” based on a take-make-waste model, and explore strategies, services and systems inspired by new ethics of sustainability. Within this arena, textile artisanship is becoming an interesting opportunity for opening up resilient micro-enterprises, addressing the disruptive challenges posed by future trends (e.g. slow consumption, alternative economies, redistributed manufacturing, flexible production, circular economy, advanced artisanship, design entrepreneurship and enabling ecosystems). In particular, this research is focused on textile artisans’ communities, bottom-up and human-centred aggregations engaged in giving form and meaning to local natural fibres, by hands or by directly controlling mechanised and digital tools, and managing the process of making culturally and socially significant apparel. With this in mind, a theoretical framework has been developed, outlining barriers, enablers and a sustainable manifesto for textile artisans’ communities. Service design is here proposed as a key approach within this scenario, due to its user-centric, relational and systemic strength to co-create tangible and intangible value towards holistic sustainability. Using service design methods, participatory action research will be pursued to empower artisans’ communities, co-design collaborative services and scale up innovations within an enabling ecosystem. The overall aim of this research is to explore how service design can encourage textile artisans’ communities towards a sustainable future, providing social engagement, rescuing cultural heritage, boosting economic development and enhancing environmental stewardship

How can service design drive textile artisans’ communities towards a sustainable future? [Poster]

How can service design drive textile artisans’ communities towards a sustainable future? [Poster

A service ecosystem empowering textile artisans’ communities towards a sustainable future [Poster]

The global economic and environmental crisis is leading to the end of a linear economy based on consumption and waste, while setting the ground for cutting-edge business opportunities, inspired by new ethics of sustainability. Textile artisanship is the human-centred economic activity of giving form and meaning to local natural bres, by hands or by directly controlling mechanised and digital tools and managing the process of apparel making. Artisanship is an interesting opportunity for opening up exible and redistributed micro-factories, while bridging local realities with global markets. It is a key contributor to sustainable development as it preserves cultural heritage, provides social employment, and boosts creative economies and environmental stewardship. The aim of the research is to explore how service design can strategically drive textile artisans’ communities towards a sustainable future. This means empowering artisans’ creative assets and social bonds, co-designing collaborative services and scaling up glocal initiatives within an enabling ecosystem

Switch the channel: using cultural codes for designing and positioning sustainable products and services for mainstream audiences

An important step towards achieving sustainability is to encourage a wide uptake of more resource-efficient consumption patterns by the mainstream of society. In this paper, it is argued that by paying more attention to the elaboration of meaning – or symbolic value – designers can develop innovations that are more appealing and relevant to a wider range of potential users, especially by positioning sustainable products, services, and systems as aspirational choices that lead the user to improved well-being and happiness. The theoretical proposition is explored in the context of sustainable Product Service Systems (sustainable PSS), analysing the opportunities they pose for systemic disruption as radical innovations, and proposing a design framework for tackling the cultural barriers for their mainstream adoption. Based on the theoretical propositions, an initial methodological framework for the integration of semiotic and cultural analysis methods to the design process is discussed, in order to better support designers in identify the cultural codes that can make sustainable PSS innovations more relevant and desirable in their socio-cultural context. In exploring the potential of semiotics and cultural analysis methods as a strategy to improve the value proposition of sustainable innovations, we offer a new perspective for understanding the symbolic aspects of consumption as social signifier, and highlight the opportunities this opens for sustainable design to influence societal transformation

Design based on nature – a literature investigation

This paper discusses the findings of a doctoral literature investigation considering design practice inspired by Nature into education. Academic and mainstream commercial publications related to Bio-design, Bionics, Biomimetics, Biomimicry and Nature Inspired Design form the basis of this investigation. Several approaches are compared and discussed to determine whether they are suitable for design education and capable of fostering sustainable design thinking. Current sustainable design education in the UK is explored to determine whether the identified current sustainable design methods are consistently embedded across the years of an undergraduate design degree or rather seen as an add-on to traditional design methods. The investigation concludes with 3 core questions that form the basis of further investigations. 1) Are design methods involving inspiration through nature used successfully in sustainable design education? 2) Could the integration of design based on nature lead to consistent inherently sustainable design practices. 3) Could this approach foster collaborative cross-discipline design projects at undergraduate level

Using art therapy techniques to explore home life happiness

The home plays many roles in our daily lives. It provides shelter and a place to rest. It can be viewed as an extension of the self, portraying our hopes and ideals, and where we create our identity within society1. However, contemporary homes are filled with modern appliances that offer few opportunities for creative output or experience, reducing potential for self-reflection and psychological growth. This lifestyle of high consumption and productivity does not correlate with long-term happiness2 but engagement in creativity does3. Furthermore, art creation engages the emotional centres of the brain4 so can potentially be used to investigate and enhance happiness in the home. In particular, art therapy techniques (for example, art making in silence) can be used to trigger and explore positive emotions. Also, service design approaches (for example, experience journey maps) can facilitate the conceptualisation of new experiences, including happier ones. Based in the UK, this research will therefore explore how creativity can contribute to happiness in the domestic space by using approaches from art therapy and service design. A series of workshops, comprising family homeowners and later service designers, guided by the researchers, will use techniques from these fields to investigate how home happiness might be developed/facilitated. The first of these workshops tested the use of art therapy techniques. This paper will present initial findings from this, such as creating the right context for reflective art making, facilitating emotional expression and art making with a focus on positive family time