Changes in design thinking under circular economy
The "green design" discussed in the early days usually focused on the selection and management of materials, reducing packaging and transportation methods, and even the issue of not causing environmental pollution when discarded. Basically, it is based on the "green life cycle" of environmental protection. Based on the 4R concept (Reduce source, Reuse, Recycle and Replace), we can reduce pollution and improve the impact of global environmental ecology. However, with the industrial transformation and green transformation under the international trend of sustainable development, design thinking has also changed.
In the process of traditional product design and development in the past, product designers mainly started from the user's needs and feelings, emphasizing the product aspect, such as the aesthetics of the appearance, the durability and feel of the material, and the ease of use of the product. Detailed design considerations such as operational fluency are the main considerations. However, today's product design not only emphasizes cool appearance, nor does it only use green materials, but also needs to be able to live in peace with the environment and achieve the goal of recycling and sustainability. Even if the product life cycle ends, it will not become an environmental hazard. burden. Therefore, we need to advance from green design to circular design. The common point between "circular design" and past product design is the "user-centered" customer-oriented thinking, but the difference is that "circular design" advocates dematerialization and the use of sustainability with circular economic value. Materials and recycling systems are given priority, and commercial value is considered comprehensively. Examine product cycle benefits from tangible to intangible, seek creative solutions to various issues, and develop more possibilities.
► Figure 1. Design path towards dematerialization of circular economy (organized and drawn by the author of this article)
To put it in a simple and intuitive way, in the past, in order to attract attention and increase selling points, products were mostly designed using the "additive design" thinking method; with the rise of green consumption, "subtractive design" is advocated as the principle, people-oriented, and "keeping things simple" The "Basic" approach is more deeply rooted in people's hearts and will take into consideration that when designing and manufacturing products, we must try to maintain a pure and simple design concept and use less materials, packaging and complex designs.
Circular design—finding optimized solutions in the process of exploration and practice
The Ellen MacArthur Foundation (EMF), the world's most influential circular economy organization, and Tim Brown, president of the well-known design company IDEO, said in 2017 that "IDEO says the future of design is circular." (Ideo Says The Future of Design Is Circular)" shares the theme of design changes under the circular economy, emphasizing that "design is the core of the transformation of the circular economy." The text mentions: Effective circular design does not only focus on the life of a single product for a single user. cycle, but rather designing a larger system that creates more value for users by supporting multiple uses for the material.
By creating a blueprint within limited resources, more business opportunities can be created. So how can we, as designers, join forces with companies to come up with innovative and attractive opportunities?
The four major processes of the circular design thinking method proposed by IDEO: 1. understand, 2. define, 3. make, and 4. release, which was proposed by the British Design Council in 2005. The conceptual steps of "the Double Diamond" are similar. The Double Diamond model is a systematic thinking based on the four steps of the service design process, including 1. discover, 2. define, and 3. develop. (develop) and 4. Execution (deliver). Both are also looking for optimized solutions in the process of exploration and practice. Today's designers or companies can no longer just develop products until they are launched, but need more comprehensive thinking, repetition, and multiple tracking. Continuously collect or feedback, aiming at the balance of people, environment, and products, to continuously optimize products or services. These stages can be combined together to form a non-(straight) linear path map. Through the process of divergence and convergence of the cyclic system, designers and enterprises are provided with a clear design framework to avoid aimlessness caused by over-divergent thinking and over-design. Explore problems in an in-depth manner, while focusing on individual issues and ignoring the overall situation.
►Figure 2. Green concept circular design thinking flow chart (organized and drawn by the author of this article)
Based on the above design thinking process as the context of design development, designers can not only consider the four stages of the green life cycle, but also combine the circular economy design goals defined by IDEO (including: 1. Strengthening the internal circulation of the product (power of the inner circles), 2. Power of circling longer, 3. Power of cascaded use, and 4. Power of pure circles, as product design development policy.
Circular design application examples
In order to assist the industry in circular transformation, the Innovation Design Group of the Plastics Center implemented "Circular Design into the Blow Molding Process to Innovate High-Value Product Development" in 2012 to assist industry players in innovating product designs to break away from old thinking.
The following case is about introducing marine waste recycled materials and PCR recycled materials into the blow molding process (see Figure 3 below) to develop carbon-reducing products. In addition to developing new products, this project also aims to expand the application range of carbon-reducing materials such as marine waste and recycled materials.
There are many products that can be developed in the blow molding process, and hand tool boxes are one of them, used to store and store hand tools. However, in recent years, all industries hope to break away from the previous framework and develop new product packaging methods, and blow molding boxes have become an option. It can be seen that the innovative application development of blow molding tool boxes has certain potential and can become one of the carbon-reducing packaging.
►Figure 3: Concept diagram of the plastics center’s guidance toolbox for manufacturers to introduce recycled material production cycles (drawn by the author of this article)
The purpose of circular design is to prioritize dematerialization and the use of sustainable materials and recycling systems with circular economic benefits, and to comprehensively consider commercial value. This project uses circular design methods to help find a green way to develop marine waste tool box products. . (As shown in Figure 4 below).
►Figure 4. The green product recycling design method developed and used by the plastics center coaching toolbox (drawn by the author of this article)
Through the design translation of the green concept circular design thinking process, an executable strategy for the circular design goals of the marine waste toolbox is established: user-centered thinking, developing appropriate solutions that meet the needs of consumers in the supply chain, and proposing design concept solutions Party, and finally implemented this concept into the market. Referring to Figure 4, the recycling design strategy of the marine waste toolbox can be developed in several directions, such as: strengthening the simple recycling of materials, simplifying surface processing procedures, and starting from product CMF, Color (color), Material (material), Finish (Surface treatment) Make an overall plan and use detailed design to weaken the grainy effect caused by the raw materials themselves. In addition to changing the appearance and texture to enhance the perceptual characteristics of the product such as visual and tactile properties, it also has a functional purpose and makes subsequent production easier. Demolding is smoother and more in line with needs.
In the design of the overall product, the volume and materials of the product are reduced without affecting the function of the product. The volume is reduced to reduce the weight of the product. The tool box with the same specifications as before is reduced to 20%, effectively implementing the company's responsible production and sales of products. Carbon reduction actions will enhance the significance of the development of this toolbox (Figure 5 below shows the implementation results of this plan).
►Figure 5. Results of the Plastics Center’s coaching toolbox for operators (picture source //Plastics Center)
Circular design is a behavioral model from grasping existing conditions to presenting a selection process. A "successful circular economy business model" can not only make profits for enterprises, but also achieve the goals of proper resource utilization and sustainable business operations at the same time. The right design can be sustainable!!!
The Plastics Center is committed to assisting manufacturers in complying with international environmental protection requirements and promoting product green concept recycling design. If companies are further interested in green sustainable design-related issues, they can contact the Innovation Design Group of the Sustainable Design Marketing Department at 04-2359-5900 ext. 233 Wu Yiling Ask the team leader.
References:
1. Du Ruize, 2017, "Green Design: Innovative Thinking and Design Practice".
2. The Circular Design Guide is a collaboration between the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and IDEO.（https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/design-and-the-circular-economy-deep-dive).
3. Developing our new Systemic Design Framework.https://www.designcouncil.org.uk/our-resources/the-double-diamond/).
4. Use circular design strategies and guidance tools – TDRI (https://www.tdri.org.tw/37312/).
Author: Designer Wang Jingzhu, Innovation Design Group, Sustainable Design Marketing Department, Plastic Industry Technology Development Center
