Ecodesign and Usability in the Redesign of Everyday Products

Abstract

The design activity involves achieving design solutions that preserve as much as possible, natural resources, while improving the physical and social contexts of its users. Currently the market is saturated, with products that offer little advantage over its predecessors, or do not effectively respond to what users long for, thereby contributing to an excessive increase of resources. Therefore, in this study, the intention is to respond to the users’ needs, but considering also the environmental aspects. This study seeks to adapt these concepts for the redesign of a domestic product – a vacuum cleaner. For this purpose, the study was divided into two main phases of research: (1) recognition of the real needs of users as well as problems associated to the product, through surveys and usability tests (N=120), and (2) quantification of the environmental impact of the product (via eco-indicator 99 method). The overall data allowed to define the product requirements and outlined the criteria to be incorporated into the redesign product and also the measures to improve product usability that are consistent with ecodesign solutions.

Keywords: Usability, Interaction, Ecodesign, Redesign.

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe100764