DESIGN FOR AMELIORATION: FRAMEWORK OF DESIGN FOR SUSTAINABILITY TOOL

Abstract

Design for Sustainability (DfS) tools are used adjacent to a design process to determine the sustainability level of the proposed solution be it a product, service, or a combination of both. A DfS tool must assess all three pillars of sustainability: people, planet, and profit. Different types of DfS tools are cataloged and compared and the findings show that many of them are underdeveloped while others are still in a theoretical stage. Some underperform in one or two pillars of sustainability thus can only be categorized as partial DfS tools. These tools are then fitted into the framework of the human-centered design process due to its focus on the people pillar of sustainability which is often overlooked. While many tools are suitable to be used in one particular stage of a design process, analysis shows that only a small number of them are comprehensive enough to be used throughout the entirety of the design process. The versatility of different DfS tools is deemed essential because it allows designers to keep track of their projects at any point in the design process. A framework for a more comprehensive DfS tool is then proposed, called Design for Amelioration, with which designers assess the sustainability level of all pillars of sustainability at every stage of the design process.