Considering the growing change towards material simplicity of consumers which consists in rejecting the consumer society by decreasing material needs and their consumption we interrogate in this research the possibility of products to support its transition of consumers. We address in a matrix product characteristics adaptation to pathways of consumers stemming from non-voluntary to radical disadopters. The main question of this work interrogates how products can address the disadoption/material simplicity phenomenon.

Circular business models (CBMs) focus on cycling, extending, intensifying, and/or dematerialising material and energy loops to reduce resource inputs and waste and emission leakage. We aim to explore consumer behaviour in circular economy through a systematic literature review to determine barriers and motivators to implementing CBMs, analysing twenty-eight articles. We identified internal motivations, such as economic and environmental concerns; and external factors facilitating engagement with circularity, such as better awareness, and products with design for circularity.

The global push for sustainable and eco-friendly transportation solutions has made the adoption of electric vehicles imperative. In India, EV adoption has shown promise, fueled by diverse product offerings and supportive government policies. However, rural India lags behind in EV adoption, despite being a significant market. To unlock the untapped potential, understanding the needs, attitudes, and barriers of rural consumers is crucial. This research conducts a study of rural Indian consumers and offers valuable design insights for automotive companies to formulate effective future strategies.

Amidst environmental, regulatory, and societal pressures, integrating sustainability into Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) is key, evolving into Sustainable PLM (sPLM). This paper uses a systematic literature review and text-mining (C-value method) to categorise sPLM research into clusters, assess their integration at organisational levels, and evaluate the level's maturity. Findings highlight a gap in operational sPLM research. Future studies should bridge the gap between theory and industrial application, enhance sPLM operationalisation, and explore emerging technologies’ impact on sPLM.

Nowadays, there is a pressing need to incorporate sustainable practices and promote environmental awareness. The fashion industry, characterized by resource-intensive consumption, significantly contributes to global sustainability threats. The authors proposed the adoption of Virtual Reality (VR) to design and develop the Fashion Footprint application, an experience aimed at enhancing sustainability awareness and fostering behavioral change. The findings suggest that VR technology is valuable in promoting sustainability awareness and driving positive behavioral shifts in the fashion industry.

E-scooters are a cost-effective means of urban transport, however, there have been questions about their safety, performance, and energy efficiency. This paper investigates the rolling resistance of scooter tyres so that the performance of scooters can be more accurately determined. A rolling resistance trailer was manufactured to directly measure tractive force and closely approximate the rolling resistance force for nine commonly used scooter tyres at low speed on a smooth concrete surface. The results of this study will enable a better understanding of the energy losses of these devices.

Biobased composites - sustainable alternatives to fossil-based materials, could gain better acceptance if their perceptual handicaps could be overcome. This paper considers the role of tactility in contrast with visual stimuli, as well as the perceptual qualities influenced by tactility. The analysis revealed a significant impact of tactility in forming attributes such as naturality, roughness and strength. Attributes like beauty and complexity remain less affected by touch, and more visual-dominant. These findings may help designers in creating desirable products with sustainable materials.

The landscape of reuse and repair (R&R) activities for manufactured products is vibrant: new European laws, research projects, local initiatives. Our aim is to capture the current and future challenges of the field through an industrial workshop held at the ICED23 conference. A collective reflection was conducted with three French stakeholders: a Product Responsibility Organization, a social and solidarity organization, and a private company producing water-driven dosing pumps. The study results in a multi-level perspective on the R&R value chain and four R&R future scenarios.

Designers must be equipped with methods to contribute to sustainability transitions. Scenario planning arose as approach to integrate future uncertainties while the low-tech concept promotes technological discernment. This paper looks at how low-tech fuelled scenario planning. Analysing institutional and archetypical scenarios shows a partial integration through high and low-tech extremes. However, more nuanced considerations are lacking. This paper shows that low-tech can bring an interesting dimension to future scenarios and thus contributes to method development for sustainable design.

Despite its importance, the understanding of the behavioural mechanisms underlying rebound effects triggered by sustainable design is still limited. Through a systematic literature review, this study analyses and discusses 18 behavioural mechanisms. The key gaps of behavioural research on rebound effects are (1) limited in-depth analysis of different mechanisms (2); lack of clearly defined concepts; and (3) neglect of various research topics. To bring the behavioural understanding of rebound effects and sustainable design to a higher level, four key steps for future research are suggested.

Manufacturing firms are facing the critical need to manage their business growth while staying within the biophysical limits of the planet. Absolute environmental sustainability decoupling (AESD) combines these goals and is one of the keys for manufacturing firms to achieve their sustainable transition. This study offers an initial contribution to categorise decoupling at the firm level while incorporating absolute environmental sustainability goals. It also explores the role of design in achieving AESD and opens doors for further research on manufacturing firms' sustainability transition.

Sustainable Product Development (SPD) enables the systematic incorporation of sustainability into product development and can be achieved by implementing a number of management practices. An industry survey was conducted to investigate the capability of manufacturing companies to apply a consolidated set of 61 SPD management practices. The results indicate that despite the high interest for SPD, the uptake of SPD practices in industry is still behind the state-of-the-art literature. Hence, a greater improvement opportunity exists in the industrial uptake in SPD.

To address the issue of unbalanced development during a product's lifecycle, a change in the approach to product development processes is necessary. One way to achieve this is by development of the product that encourages the inclusion of people in the entire lifecycle. Inclusion is intended to influence societal empowerment via sharing of power among the people included in the lifecycle. This study proposes a framework for assessment of empowerment by the inclusion of people within a product lifecycle.

Companies need to implement low-carbon operations, including product-related innovation initiatives. The literature on low-carbon product design has grown, but existing studies are primarily theoretical. This empirical study identifies design measures adopted by companies committed to GHG emission reduction. A qualitative analysis of the climate change reports from a sample of companies reporting to the CDP was conducted. Design measures were identified and classified. The findings shed light on design measures contributing to emission reduction in different product lifecycle phases.

Developmental Language Disorders (DLDs) affects a significant number of children during early childhood. Speech and Language Pathologists (SLPs) are vital in providing the adequate treatment through Speech and Language Therapeutic Toys (SALTTs) including board games, which have substantial benefits for children undergoing therapy. However, designers require support in designing board games which specifically target child therapy. A framework is proposed to assist designers in designing more efficient, inclusive and usable games which in turn are aligned with therapy goals defined by SLPs.

This study addresses the challenges of the ageing population, focusing on enhancing the life of caregivers and the elderly. It proposes a multifaceted solution that allows dependents to live close to their carers, enabling oversight without a need for constant presence. The paper employs empirical studies to ensure a deep understanding of caregiving, capturing the breadth and depth of challenges. Presenting a novel design solution, Hygge, combines physical and system design with technology integration. This prioritises accessibility, cost, maintenance, and adaptability for diverse needs.

This paper addresses challenges in pediatric urotherapy, focusing on low patient compliance and motivation. Informed by creative sessions with children aged 9-13y, a novel urotherapy ecosystem concept is designed. It includes a smart drinking bottle, context-aware reminder watch, home uroflowmeter, smartphone app, and clinician portal. Interconnected products, embodied interaction, stigma-free design, and a digital training buddy aim to enhance engagement, motivation, and patient experience. This concept showcases the potential of integrating diverse design methodologies in healthcare design.

The global elderly population rises, increasing dementia cases. Built environment impact on dementia health outcomes is known, forming the basis for evidence-based design studies. There's a need for a comprehensive assessment framework due to the complexity of interactions among Architectural Variables (AVs) and Health and Care Outcomes (HCOs). This paper proposes using Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) to create such a framework. It collects data from 105 studies on 40 AVs, 36 HCOs, and 396 interactions. MBSE offers a holistic understanding, aiding healthcare facility design decisions.

This study surveyed 190 healthcare professionals to examine attitudes towards reusable surgical gowns, aiming to reduce medical waste. Comfort (scoring 5.32 out of 7) and misconceptions about gowns serving as personal protective equipment (87% hold this belief) are crucial influencers. External motivators, trust, emotions, and workload also impact perceptions. The study recommends enhancing reusable gown design for comfort, multifunctionality, and hygiene trust. It calls for communication strategies to normalise reusables in healthcare and urges a transition to sustainable practices.

This research explores the dynamic nature of family involvement in remote patient management for cardiovascular disease and its impact on lifestyle behaviour changes. Through an interview study with patients and family members, we categorise family involvement into three types: Inform, Integrate, and Influence, highlighting the dynamic and heterogeneous nature of family involvement across different phases and activities. Overall, we emphasise the need for personalised and adaptable interventions to cater to the diversity of families and propose a modular approach to remote monitoring design.