Chapter+Summaries+-SP

Exploring the Future of Sustainable Product Design and Innovation
 * PLANNING FOR OBSOLESCENCE: **

From the perspective of the designer so as to inspire and provide advice. I will seek to make connections to an accumulation of literature from scholarly articles, books, and talks on the subject of a more sustainable form of design that most common in business practice. It is generalized that our wasteful and unsustainable practices that have become standard were based on an infinite growth model. Many have sought to demonize big business and the corporation in pursuit of profit but it not as simple as man’s greed. There are elements of habit and human nature that play a large part in why we continue with business as usual. Even those with good intentions cannot foresee the entirety of effects that there seemingly insignificant decisions and actions have on a global scale.
 * ABSTRACT **

It is essential that you have an understanding of my motivations for pursuing my selected area of study. I am an aspiring design engineer studying mechanical engineering and Design, Innovation, and Society at RPI. This is my bias and where I am coming from
 * PREFACE **


 * INTRODUCTION **

Information age with accelerating exchange networks

} Can product design become sustainable? ◦ What the experts say on both sides } What will be the future of product design? ◦ Explore what would be ideal and why } How will we get there? ◦ Progress thus far and looking forward ◦ Propose new projects ◦ Why is progress so slow and how do we change this?
 * Questions and Goals**


 * The State of Modern Society**

Our Relation to Nature

Defining Planned Obsolescence

Perceived Obsolescence

Stating the Need for Change

This work therefore attempts to examine these relationships and propose new means and strategies for the ultimate goals of humanity. No one is stealing this ship and no one should be, it is a collective effort. What defines a new generation but a degree of obsolescence due to change over time Obsolescence must stand not as just as the end of something Our resistance to change is part of what drives our animosity of planned obsolescence. It is an inner feeling or drive for us to preserve that wich we have grown close to. But nothing lasts forever, Even if we could design products to last lifetimes, there can only be a select category of products called durable goods where we should be looking to increase lifespan indefinatelyWe like things to stay the same that is if the meet our needs. If they don’t we demand change. Nessesity is the mother of invention and if there is a need for change, it will come about. What if we devised of ways to enable consumers to build upon that wich they have grown accostome to

Obsolescence versus redundancy from market saturation

} Interviews ◦ General Perspectives on Consumerism Field Experts: ◦ John Picard- Sustainability Expert ◦ Burt Swersey- Innovation Educator ◦ Scott Osiecki- Industrial Designer ◦ Doug Whitehouse- Engineering Consultant } Literary Reviews ◦ //Made to break: Technology and obsolescence in America by Giles Slade// ◦ //The Waste Makers by Vance Packard// ◦ //Abundance: The future is better than you think by Peter H. Diamandis and Steven Kotler// ◦ //Cradle to cradle: Remaking the way we make things by William McDonough and Michael Braungart// ◦ //The Upcycle: Beyond Sustainability-designing for Abundance// ◦ //This Changes Everything// by Naomi Klein <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">◦ //The Zeitgeist Movement Defined// } Case Studies <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">◦ Maker Movement <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">◦ Kickstarter <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">◦ Quirky <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">◦ Lego <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">◦ Santa Cruz Bicycles <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">◦ Material ConneXion <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">◦ Project Ara <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">◦ The Patent System
 * Research Methods **

} Industrial Revolution } Over Production } Planned Obsolescence } Consumerism } Materialism } Advertising } Perceived Obsolescence } Electronics and E Waste } Humanity/Nature Interconnectivity
 * THE RISE OF OBSOLESCENCE **

} Public Awareness and Action } Changing Lifestyle Habits } Cooperatives } Reduce, Reuse, Recycle } Design-Led Revolution } Sustainable Materials Database } Green Engineering } Cradle to Cradle and Upcycling } Open Innovation
 * THE RIGHT DIRECTION **

} Intrinsic Obsolescence -Unplanned } Planning for New Technology } The Pace of Progress } Product Longevity } Design Compromises } Miniaturization } Standardization } Codes and Regulations } Customization } Aesthetics } User needs } Categorization- Disposable vs Durable
 * THE COMPLEXITY OF DESIGN **

} Creativity in Culture } Iterative Design } Levels of Collaboration } Invention vs Innovation } Barriers } Commercialization } The Speed of Change } Adoption and Scalability } Reverse Innovation
 * THE COURSE OF INNOVATION **

} Reducing Unintended Consequences } Legislation, Regulation, Compliance } Design Ethics and Responability } Sharing Cumulative Knowledge } Dematerialization in a Digital Age } Consumer Awareness } Eco-Friendly Culture } Greenwashing } Sustainability Incentive <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">◦ “Self interest becomes social interest”
 * BRIDGING THE GAP **

} Design and Engineering Education Reform } Multidisciplinary Design <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">◦ Sustainability sudies Incorperation } Life Cycle Analysis } Optimized Design Automation } Collaborative CAD } Big Data Analytics vs Chaos Theory } Biomimicry
 * REDESIGNING DESIGN **

} Change within a System } Iteration } The Tipping Point } A Model for the World to Follow } A Completely New System } Automation and Bio-integration } Centralized means of production } Local vs Global
 * EVOLUTION VS REVOLUTION **

OUTCOMES } Product Design Process Reform } Less bad is not good enough! } Planned Obsolescence is Unethical } Psychological Obsolescence Must End } Longer Lasting Durable Goods } Design for Upgrade via Modularization } Standardization } Design Olympics SIGNIFICANCE } Abundance through Innovation
 * CONCLUSION **

Change is required Planned Obsolescence as a Driving Force for Innovation and Sustainable Product Design Local and Global Collaboration Argue against product longevity in certain circumstances More legislation really just points out a broken system.

The changes of the last twenty-five years, both in the quantity and in the quality of man's industrial processes, have produced an entirely new situation -- a situation resulting not from our failures but from what we thought were our greatest successes.

Basic Contribution: I will argue that, at our current rate of technological growth and progression in computing power and mores law, the way we currently design consumer products is disadvantageous to the adoption of new innovations and the rate of product evolution. Areas where technology has the potential to be upgraded (primarily electronics and integrated circuits) within a company’s new products should be planned for in the current products design. The current practice is unacceptable and yes this will require longer design times and product incubation but designing within standards (analogous to Legos and developing new Legos). This proposal cannot serve for all products. Look at the grand scheme of things where were are made of star dust(Carl Sagan) and came from stars. Alchemy and with the right amount of energy, we can manipulate matter just as the stars. Go beyond abundance and recycling to suggest that with manipuable matter, things could be far different.