Design for Sustainability Tools: Categories of classification towards practical use

Abstract

Since the emergence of early approaches to design for the environment (such as green design or ecodesign), several tools have been developed to support the design process in the integration of environmental, social and, more recently in a comprehensive way, sustainability and circularity criteria. The vast quantity and diversity of tools have required the creation of ways to organize and classify them to facilitate their identification, selection and use by designers, engineers, and other product development professionals, according to the needs of the design practice objectives, and the specificities of the project.This paper aims to analyze the existing knowledge regarding design for sustainability and circularity tools to identify the main categories used to classify these tools. This was done with the aim of synthesizing the most appropriate classification from the point of view of the product designer who will use the tools. To achieve this, the methodology of literature review was employed, which included scientific papers, theses, and reference books in the field.This analysis gathered a wide diversity of classification forms and organized them into 6 overarching categories. It was also possible to verify that certain forms of classification are not particularly relevant for designers when selecting a tool, as they don’t clarify the feasibility of applying the tool. It is possible to conclude that there is still a need for homogenization and consensus in academia regarding the best way to classify these tools so that the classification is scientifically sound and useful for designers.

Keywords: Product design, Design for sustainability, Design for Circular Economy, Design tools, Tools classification

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1004220