Core+Categories+-SP


 * Core Categories**

__Sustainable Product Design__

(The overarching aim of this study is to figure out if there are better ways of designing products sustainably to create a better world that is the world we want in harmony with nature.)

- Explore the effective sustainable practices in the design, production, use and aftermarket of the consumer products we produce - C2C Design, Green engineering and other methods should be critiqued - What happens if business as usual continues? - Identify strategies and views that are not effective at bringing about change and sustained sustainability - Why are changes so slow and methods so ineffective despite how promising they may seem and regardless of how well-educated the public is. How do we bridge the gaps to see real change at an adequate rate? - Design complexity- If truly sustainable product design is to become reality, the complexities inherent in the design process suggest that an accumulation of equally complex design practices can be the only effective solution.

__Innovation__

(This is the process through which products change overtime to contribute to our progress toward prosperity and higher quality living for more. It is in our nature to create and iterate and innovation is the expression of novelty, built from the foundations of technology that came before. If we are to transcend our impending world problems, advancing technology is our best hope and innovation is the arrow in the right direction.)

- Evolution and iterative change versus revolutionary products and shifting paradigms - Examine the effectiveness of current innovation strategies utilized in business and compare and contrast different schools of thought on where ideas come from, under what circumstances and are we creating effective cultures for innovation in our workspaces based on findings from these studies of creativity, inspiration, and inventions. - The process of innovation and if it can be taught or facilitated in various commercial spheres - The relationship between innovation and profit as inconsistent with companies’ lack in prioritization of idea generation and radical change - The pace of change and development of consumer products. Incremental annual changes to product lines as expected with often updated aesthetic appeal. - What constitutes good innovation and change what drives the direction of this evolution. Is it a natural process always toward the greatest interest and is this influenced by the models and systems within which it is operated.

__Obsolescence__

(This idea is the main obstacle to sustainability and what drives the manifestation of waste; yet, perhaps it is a main solution to accommodate the growing necessity for change and innovation. It is essential to flesh the idea out from its most principle definition to its various forms and our past, current, and future views about it.)

- Planned obsolescence- entirely frustrating to consumers as to be verified through consumer interview. It is unethical and unsustainable. Find arguments that contradict the common belief in greater profitability through repeat purchasing. Explain your strategy for modularity, design for upgrade or disassembly, and planning for obsolescence due to the inevitability of change and the encouraged progress of technological innovation. - Perceived obsolescence- ethical issues associate with marketing and perhaps “brainwashing” or misleading consumers. No one has yet written about how intentional the phenomenon of perceived obsolescence is. It has become engrained in our culture at this point and continually changing aesthetics are expected if not demanded and psychologically add value to products. Perhaps it has evolved to become the norm and is not as blatantly considered as a strategy, but rather a side effect of appealing to commonly perceived preference and practice. Marketing and design follow demand and market trends for what consumers will buy. - Intrinsic Obsolescence- That is to say, the unplanned yet inevitable point in time after which a product is no longer useful. This ties in well to the complexity of design and the obstacles to creating roust products (durable goods) that last as a sound method for sustainable design. - Elaborate the concept of ownership and the value we place on different categories of material goods. Tools and services only have value to us when they are needed and this is of a periodic nature. Perhaps examine collective consumerism, ownership, and borrowing and its practicality and scalability.