A Win-Win Strategy to Integrate Sustainability Objectives in Product Design – An Educational Approach

Abstract

Most existing educational design approaches focus on discipline-specific modules, while those based on a generic product concept rarely target sustainability goals. With the increasing interest in sustainability and education for sustainable development, it is necessary to rethink the product design approaches to target both customer needs and community requirements for sustainability. The main goal of the integral design approach proposed in the present work is to create a broader picture that integrates the design process, life cycle analysis, and the role of each design and life cycle player. A wider management scheme that sets a clear road map of the contribution of all players is introduced. This scheme is based on a win-win strategy between different players to promote mechanisms to enhance sustainability and min-imize risks and socioeconomic footprints.