Humanising the Product-Service System Within a Circular Economy for Product Design and Engineering Students

Abstract

How do we avoid designing in the abstraction of organisational charts and system diagrams populated by text, symbols and icons to design for people, communities and the planet? To address this question, this paper discusses the integration of service design methods within a circular design process that encourages circularity thinking within product-service projects and enables students to: identify and communicate design opportunities from design ethnographic research; explore design opportunities as value propositions; identify and share the core values and proposed benefits of circular design opportunities; and to develop and present product-service concepts. Reflecting on product design engineering teaching practice within the context of current thinking in circular design and the circular economy, this paper presents an alternative perspective on visualising service-user journeys, stakeholder relationships and design propositions to enable design students to identify and explore innovative design propositions to circular design problems.