Integrating Human-Centred Design Approach into Sustainable-Oriented 3D Printing Systems

Modern 3D printing systems have become pervasive and widely used both in professional and in informal contexts, including sustainable-oriented ones. However, the risk to create very effective but non-sustainable solutions is very high since 3D printing systems could potentially increase the environmental emergencies and the unsustainable growth. In the transition process toward sustainable ways of production and consumption, the so-called human factor still plays an important role in the achievement of sustainable-oriented actions; it drives the adoption of proper lifestyles that directly and indirectly influence the ways through which such technologies are used. Therefore, future Sustainable 3D Printing Systems should integrate the humans in the systems’ development. This study presents two important results: (a) it presents a set of interdisciplinary ‘Sustainable 3D Printing Systems’, which compose a promising sustainable-oriented scenario useful to support the transition processes toward sustainable designs and productions, and (b) it proposes a new strategy for the integration of human-centred aspects into Sustainable 3D Printing Systems, by combining insights from human-centred design approach

System innovation for sustainability at product development level: a conceptual framework

It is now commonly accepted that, in order to achieve sustainability, the socio-technical systems which fulfil social functions such as housing, food, mobility need to be transformed. This transformation is known as system innovation and requires multi-scale and systemic approaches to innovation. The literature on system innovation has provided explanations regarding how companies and product development activities fit into the big and long-term picture of system innovation only to a certain extent and this area remains largely neglected in the literature. In order to address this gap, this paper presents a conceptual framework explaining how innovation efforts at the micro-level (i.e. product/service development) can systemically be aligned with those efforts at the macro-level (i.e. socio-technical systems). The framework is prescriptive and states that companies are part of society and thus, their strategic goals should not be contradictory to visions of society and these goals should be aligned with the goals of the society envisioned to achieve sustainability. This requires companies to acknowledge the long-term visions of the society during their strategy development to guide their decisions on product development

Implementations in relation to sustainable development in industry and industrial design profession: a case of Arcelik corporation

M.Sc. study deals with implementation of sustainable development in industry and industrial design profession specific to the case of Arçelik Corporation. The study, states the historical background of sustainable development and mentions existing challenges in relation to implementation briefly, in order to set the conceptual frame. After setting the conceptual frame, the study scrutinizes how industry and industrial design profession take action with respect to sustainable development; the drives and methods are investigated. The action taken and attitude adopted by industry in relation to sustainable development is important since, industry constitutes the economical basis of development and since, it is directly related with sustainable use of resources by determining production-consumption cycle. On the other hand, industrial design profession is an important agent not only for the provision of sustainability in industry as contributing in product development process, but also for society by the ability of influencing the cultural transformation necessary for sustainable development. The case study carried out about Arçelik Corporation, revealed that the Corporation does not involve issues related with sustainable development in its vision. In addition, the environmental policy of Arçelik is driven solely by European Union’s legislative requirements as a consequence of Arçelik’s present trade relationships. Therefore Arçelik’s environmental vision is insufficient with regard to sustainable development. Nevertheless, the employees of Arçelik seems as being internalised this existing environmental vision. Yet, the employees taking part in product development and manufacture processes are almost illiterate about sustainable development and design approaches related with sustainability and environmental protection, and their knowledge about environmental effects of products is insufficient

Design for Sustainability: A Multi-level Framework from Products to Socio-technical Systems

© 2020 Fabrizio Ceschin and İdil Gaziulusoy. This book discusses the most significant ways in which design has been applied to sustainability challenges using an evolutionary perspective. It puts forward an innovation framework that is capable of coherently integrating multiple design for sustainability (DfS) approaches developed so far. It is now widely understood that design can and must play a crucial role in the societal transformations towards sustainability. Design can in fact act as a catalyst to trigger and support innovation, and can help to shape the world at different levels: from materials to products, product–service systems, social organisations and socio-technical systems. This book offers a unique perspective on how DfS has evolved in the past decades across these innovation levels, and provides insights on its promising and necessary future development directions. For design scholars, this book will trigger and feed the academic debate on the evolution of DfS and its next research frontiers. For design educators, the book can be used as a supporting tool to design courses and programmes on DfS. For bachelor’s and master’s level design, engineering and management students, the book can be a general resource to provide an understanding of the historical evolution of DfS. For design practitioners and businesses, the book offers a rich set of practical examples, design methods and tools to apply the various DfS approaches in practice, and an innovation framework which can be used as a tool to support change in organisations that aim to integrate DfS in their strategy and processes

A method to review and report literature in transdisciplinary research undertaken by individual researchers

Projects aiming to solve socially-relevant complex problems in general and sustainability related projects in particular are increasingly approached as transdisciplinary research projects. The distinguishing characteristics of transdisciplinary projects require development of unique strategies to overcome difficulties resulting from the absence of disciplinary frameworks and broadness of issues needing to be covered. Since transdisciplinary research requires broad preparation, it is particularly challenging to undertake at Ph.D. level where, traditionally, the researchers are expected to work individually. Even though review of literature in transdisciplinary research has been acknowledged as one of the challenges of transdisciplinary research, no systematic way of approaching this challenge has been proposed so far. The aim of this paper is to present a method developed to help Ph.D. researchers undertaking transdisciplinary projects in systematic structuring and prioritisation of literature review/reporting process. In this method, the transdisciplinary researcher identifies and reflects on a long-term vision that he/she aims to contribute towards its achievement. Identification of a vision is the starting point for setting filters in order to narrow the literature review. Further narrowing is done through an iterative process of identifying other filters by inquiring about the mission, context and content of the research and by answering some reflective questions. A recently finalised Ph.D. research on system innovation for sustainability at product development level is used as a case study to exemplify the use of the method

How many ways to design for sustainability?

The discourse on sustainability has reached a point where the present common view is that there is a need for radical transformational change in how human society operates (Ryan, 2013a). This view emerged as a result of studies pointing out to fast declining of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems with implications on biodiversity, as well as the urgent action needed to mitigate and adapt to climate change (Butchart et al., 2010; Hughes and Steffen, 2013; Rockström et al., 2009). The estimates of economic and social cost of inaction for addressing global, persistent and pressing environmental issues are alarming (MEA, 2005; Stern, 2006). In parallel with the changes taking place in socio-ecological contexts and increased theoretical understanding of implications of these changes, the response from the broader society in general and from business specifically has also evolved in the past decades with an increasing pace (WBCSD, 2000; 2004; 2010). Currently, studies challenging the traditionally accepted role and responsibilities of business in society and proposing new models for value creation is on the increase (e.g. Loorbach & Wijsman, 2013; Metcalf and Benn, 2012; Parrish, 2007)