Integrating Product-Service Systems (PSS) drives sustainability through stakeholder alignment and eco-efficiency.

Why It Matters

This perspective shifts the focus from individual products to the entire lifecycle and user experience, encouraging designers to consider broader environmental and social impacts. By understanding and managing stakeholder interactions, designers can create more resilient and responsible solutions.

Key Finding

Sustainable Product-Service Systems (PSS) are designed by focusing on how to best satisfy user needs through integrated products and services, carefully managing how different stakeholders interact, and continuously seeking ways to improve environmental and social performance.

Key Findings

• PSS design for sustainability necessitates a holistic view of demand satisfaction, encompassing both products and services.
• Effective stakeholder configuration and interaction design are crucial for achieving system sustainability.
• Continuous pursuit of eco-efficient and socially equitable solutions is a defining characteristic of sustainable PSS.
• Conservation and biocompatibility can be enhanced through thoughtful design of stakeholder interactions.

Research Evidence

Aim: How can the design of Product-Service Systems (PSS) be strategically approached to enhance system sustainability by converging stakeholder interests and promoting eco-efficiency?

Method: Conceptual Framework Development

Procedure: The research outlines three core approaches for PSS design for sustainability: the satisfaction-system approach (designing for demand satisfaction), the stakeholder configuration approach (designing stakeholder interactions), and the system sustainability approach (designing for continuous eco-efficiency and social equity).

Context: Product-Service System (PSS) design for sustainability

Design Principle

Design for holistic satisfaction and sustainable stakeholder co-creation.

How to Apply

When developing new offerings, consider how services can complement or replace physical products to reduce environmental impact and enhance user value, while actively involving all relevant stakeholders in the design process.

Limitations

The paper focuses on conceptual frameworks and may require empirical validation for specific contexts. The complexity of managing diverse stakeholder interests can be a significant challenge.

Student Guide (IB Design Technology)

Simple Explanation: Think about how services can work with products to be better for the environment and people, and make sure everyone involved is happy and working together.

Why This Matters: Understanding Product-Service Systems (PSS) helps you design solutions that are not only functional but also environmentally and socially responsible, which is increasingly important in design practice.

Critical Thinking: How can the inherent complexity of managing diverse stakeholder interests in a PSS be effectively simplified or managed to ensure successful implementation and sustainability?

IA-Ready Paragraph: The integration of Product-Service Systems (PSS) offers a powerful paradigm for designing for sustainability, moving beyond the limitations of traditional product-centric approaches. By strategically aligning stakeholder interests and focusing on the holistic satisfaction of user needs through integrated products and services, designers can foster eco-efficiency and social equity. This approach necessitates a deep understanding of stakeholder dynamics and a commitment to continuous improvement in environmental and social performance, as highlighted by research in PSS design for sustainability (Vezzoli et al., 2017).

Project Tips

• When defining your design problem, consider the entire system of use, not just the product.
• Map out all potential stakeholders and their interests early in your design process.
• Look for opportunities to integrate services that reduce resource consumption or waste.

How to Use in IA

• Reference this research when discussing the strategic shift towards service-based design and the importance of stakeholder involvement in achieving sustainability goals.

Examiner Tips

• Demonstrate an understanding of how PSS design moves beyond traditional product-centric approaches to address broader sustainability challenges.
• Clearly articulate the role of stakeholder engagement in developing effective and sustainable PSS.

Independent Variable: ["Design approach (e.g., traditional product design vs. PSS design)","Stakeholder engagement strategy"]

Dependent Variable: ["System sustainability (eco-efficiency, social equity)","Stakeholder satisfaction","Resource conservation"]

Controlled Variables: ["Type of product/service","Market context","Regulatory environment"]

Strengths

• Provides a comprehensive framework for PSS design for sustainability.
• Emphasizes the critical role of stakeholder collaboration.

Critical Questions

• What are the key challenges in translating these conceptual approaches into practical design methodologies?
• How can the success of PSS for sustainability be measured quantitatively?

Extended Essay Application

• An Extended Essay could explore the development and testing of a specific PSS model for a chosen product category, analyzing its potential impact on sustainability and stakeholder engagement.
• Investigate the diffusion of PSS innovations for sustainability across different industries.

Source

Product-Service System design for sustainability · 2017 · 10.4324/9781351278003-4