Design works to manage change by proposing and prototyping future possibility for people. But many complex issues that require diverse responses can not be done by experts and classic science or design research. For instance the impact of generation +60 “the baby-boomers on the economy, the built environment, the health and well-being industry, the travel and leisure sector and the food and drug industries and their regulation are problems which can use Human Centred Design and design development/living lab processes but require that the entire set of overlapping systems be engaged in the innovation process. Transforming aspects of society and the artefacts that provide service and reference points is complex organisational change.
A team or select group begins with sketching/modeling the system and stepping into the shoes of each influenced or influencing stakeholder. This design research, storyboarding of the system and diving into the current experience allows them to understand who and what needs to be invited into the narratives to co-create new possibility. As collaborator connect, interview and begin to deepen the relationships the process often requires dialogue and a designed process to enable instead of getting stuck in diverse points of view and competitive interests. Seeking inclusive ways to safely encounter the underlying needs and co.create the social-economic-ecosystem fabric significantly improves the likelihood of solutions fit and reduces both the need for additional products or regulation. Dialogue with Design Thinking produces much more comprehensive and durable results. And we can see this proven out in the work of OpenIDEO, IDEO and other top agencies that practice HCD.
One can start the shift to circular business models and products anywhere along the life cycle of the production, distribution, sales/loan, user realm and disposal- valorisation of resources cycle. It may depend very much on the people most affected in the change as well as logically where one can cut costs. But a more motivating process that demonstrates circularity and success is to bring teams together to create and launch a new service that replaces a exploitive or wasteful process and includes digital innovation to reduce processing costs. The innovation teams includes people throughout the company who are commited and want to be part of the solution. Shifting to Circular Business models and practices is therefore about continuous learning and dialogue with short innovation cycle and impact measurements built right into the process. There are over 100 Swiss companies moving to circular business models in many sectors with fresh products that show circularity builds market resilience and collaborative eco-systems.
Workshop Leader
Circular Design-Systems Thinking
Humanity Centered Design
Open Social Innovation
Eco-Product Design + Prototyping
