Enhancing the receptivity of designers and skills of designers and product planners to environmentally-considered new product development

Year: 2009
Editor: Clarke, A, Ion, W, McMahon, C and Hogarth, P
Author: McCain, Holly; Lemon, Mark; Ford, Peter
Section: SUSTAINABLE DESIGN
Page(s): 408-413

Abstract

This paper investigates the link between the receptivity of industry-based designers and product planners, and the learning styles and skills-development of eco-design strategies for use in environmentally-considered product development (ECPD). The transdisciplinary research - combining product design, sustainability, business management, sociology and education - focussed on the need to develop the skills and understanding required for effective ECPD through specific training in sustainable design innovation. Interviews were conducted with 19 UK design managers and product planners in small-to-medium-sized enterprise (SME) product design consultancies and manufacturers. The findings give a novel insight into the educational and training needs of SMEs. Practicing designers and product planners from the 'Design-for-X' generation (who, in higher education pre-2000, never received any formal education in ECPD or sustainable design innovation) would greatly benefit from continuing professional development in sustainable innovation. Provision of both formal training combined with informal project-based learning would address some of the receptivity issues faced by product development SMEs, but must be delivered with consideration to the constraints faced by industry and reflect the "hands-on" learning style of designers. Conclusions from the research have implications for SME design consultancies, manufacturers, policy-makers and higher education institutions.

Keywords: Eco-design, sustainable innovation, product development, training, skills, receptivity