Tang Tang | University of Leeds (original) (raw)
Papers by Tang Tang
Thinking Skills and Creativity, 2020
This is a repository copy of Developing critical thinking, collective creativity skills and probl... more This is a repository copy of Developing critical thinking, collective creativity skills and problem solving through playful design jams.
This article presents a theoretical model developed from research which aims to explore how exper... more This article presents a theoretical model developed from research which aims to explore how experiences of relationship can be used as a lens through which the complexities of an emerging interdisciplinary, transnational research project can be explored. Partners in the AMASS (Acting on the Margins: Art as Social Sculpture) project work in eight European countries on a range of activities that make use of creative arts-based research as a tool for addressing social need. The network of individuals, institutions and contexts making up the project delivers a unique collection of relationships which seek - through the actions of their project - to achieve concrete impact. By using a novel participatory method for reflection in action via the materialisation of dialogue, it is possible to identify and discuss moments or instances in the development and formalisation of the AMASS relationships as significant in terms of the ways that a process of ‘social infrastructuring’ took place as t...
BACKGROUND ISSUES On the occasion of the 2014 "Design and Emotion" Conference, Dr. Vezz... more BACKGROUND ISSUES On the occasion of the 2014 "Design and Emotion" Conference, Dr. Vezzani and Dr. Tang, from the University of Leeds, will work with Fabrizio Pierandrei from PACO to organize a one-day (6 hours) workshop aimed at using design thinking as leverage to create a sustainable urban community in Medellín. It attempts to test a portable model to engage stakeholders in the use of Design Jams for the development of a sustainable community. Playful City Jam calls for the participation of Medellín communities and local organizations to work creatively and collaboratively with practitioners and students from different design areas (i.e., design students and teachers with social sensibility, government workers, community groups involved with social innovation processes, etc.) to deliver multi-sectorial solutions to promoting a sense of community and individual engagement in urban sustainability. This proposed workshop, which is part of an ongoing project led by Dr. Tang...
The aim of this paper is to present a service model and methods that enable empowerment and actio... more The aim of this paper is to present a service model and methods that enable empowerment and action in the context of the San youth. Their stakeholders have an extremely important role in both providing services as well as lobbying for their cause to improve the situation in the local context. When the public service production does not have vast resources available the role of civil society and non-governmental organisations become more and more important in the service production as well as in the service delivery. Further, it is fundamental to develop means for local dialogue that enables communication between different stakeholders and the San youth. This paper focuses on service design and creative methodologies that can be utilized for creating wellbeing at the local level in South Africa and Namibia. Service design has become an important tool for creating insights and understanding over complex societal challenges and finding new solutions for underserved and marginalized com...
It has been acknowledged that in the current sustainable design practice, the main focus tends to... more It has been acknowledged that in the current sustainable design practice, the main focus tends to be on environmental and economic sustainability, while the social dimension of sustainability has been essentially neglected. This paper aims to address this disparity through Design Jams, and evaluates whether the use of Design Jams is relevant or not to engage student designers within social sustainability and impart key competencies in informal learning. Drawing on the literature on social sustainability in design (SSD) education, key competencies for sustainable development and Design Jams, this paper proposes a conceptual framework for SSD learning, and then outlines the findings from three Design Jam case studies conducted at School of Design, University of Leeds. The conclusion is drawn to inform an ongoing research project with the aim to explore ways in which student designers could be more engaged with social sustainability, and thus to become social change agents.
Managing Complexity and Creating Innovation through Design, 2019
Designing dialogues for complexities with marginalised youth: processes and tools Culture, lifest... more Designing dialogues for complexities with marginalised youth: processes and tools Culture, lifestyles, resources and conditions offered by complex realities create challenges but also ignite opportunities for a meaningful dialogue between facilitators and marginalised youth that enable empathy, learning and empowerment. We propose a dialogue model that has helped to identify opportunities to motivate and potentially empower youth to be/become involved in service innovation and local dialogue with stakeholders. Through a case study, we demonstrate how we apply this model while working with indigenous San youth in vocational training or higher education courses in Windhoek, Namibia. By taking into account the complexities, tools are adapted, developed and introduced for enhancing dialogue. Reflections are made on both the outcomes and the ways that designers restructure their roles as facilitators to enable peer-topeer exchanges and ongoing dialogues with youth and potentially catalyse a transformative process in unlocking situated knowledge, developing the skills and capacities of the youth who are part of the fabric of change.
Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing, 2020
Various stressors such as microgravity, vibration, radiation, restriction, and isolation in manne... more Various stressors such as microgravity, vibration, radiation, restriction, and isolation in manned spaceflight environments can cause a variety of negative psycho-physiological effects. At the emotional level, for example, they may provoke anxiety and depression, which affects the astronauts' operational efficiency and overall mission performance. The colour design of a spaceflight environment could positively affect a person's emotional level and thus help to counteract such negative psycho-physiological effects. This paper presents a new model for validating the colour design of spaceflight environments at the psychophysiological and emotional level in order to increase the quality of emotional habitability and support efficiency and performance. Psycho-physiological experiments were tested on six coloured light in a dedicate physical mockup of a specific spaceflight environment. In particular the sanitary area of the space station was used as a case study. As result the highest quality of emotional habitability was achieved in a yellow coloured light environment, that is very close to the natural solar condition. Note: In order to support the confidentiality in this paper is not mentioned the name of the space station.
Appetite, 2020
Offering large portions of high energy dense (HED) foods increases overall energy intake in child... more Offering large portions of high energy dense (HED) foods increases overall energy intake in children, a potentially important contributing factor to childhood overweight and obesity. Packaging offers a simple heuristic to encourage healthy eating for nutrient dense foods and to downsize portions of HED foods. However, it is not clear how parents use packaging for portion control, nor how packaging might be used as a solution to offset large portions. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate mothers' portion strategies and how they use packaging to facilitate portion control for children. 21 mothers of 25 children aged 1-5 years participated in semi-structured interviews to identify strategies used by mothers for portioning snack and meal items. Mothers reported feeling confident in amounts offered to their children, and were unaware of, or did not apply, recommendations for age-appropriate portions of meal items and snacks. Mothers portioned according to child appetite, needs and characteristics, not necessarily age. They reported that their child was able to determine for themselves how much to consume. However, mothers also applied restrictions to some foods. No differences in considerations and strategies were found between different ethnic groups of British and Chinese mothers. Mothers reported that packaging was an important determinant of preferences and a useful, convenient means of portion control. To promote appropriate consumption norms in children, a packaging design concept is described to aid downsizing for a highly liked HED food. Future studies should examine how creative packaging solutions influence parents' feeding practices and how this might influence dietary quality through user testing.
This report presents the findings from a qualitative study investigating how product design can b... more This report presents the findings from a qualitative study investigating how product design can be used to change consumer behaviour to reduce the household energy consumption. A fundamental aspect of this aim is to fill the gap in existing research by understanding the product use behaviour and its impacts on the environment. Household cold appliances were chosen as a case to explore the capacity of designer-conducted user studies to identify unsustainable aspects of product use. Usercentred research techniques [1, 2] including ...
Routledge Handbook of Sustainable Design, Jul 28, 2017
ServDes2018. Service Design Proof of Concept, Proceedings of the ServDes.2018 Conference, 18-20 June, Milano, Italy, Jun 29, 2018
The Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, Aug 24, 2018
Offering large portions of high-energy-dense (HED) foods increases overall intake in children and... more Offering large portions of high-energy-dense (HED) foods increases overall intake in children and adults. This is known as the portion size effect (PSE). It is robust, reliable and enduring. Over time, the PSE may facilitate overeating and ultimately positive energy balance. Therefore, it is important to understand what drives the PSE and what might be done to counter the effects of an environment promoting large portions, especially in children. Explanations for the PSE are many and diverse, ranging from consumer error in estimating portion size to simple heuristics such as cleaning the plate or eating in accordance with consumption norms. However, individual characteristics and hedonic processes influence the PSE, suggesting a more complex explanation than error or heuristics. Here PSE studies are reviewed to identify interventions that can be used to downsize portions of HED foods, with a focus on children who are still learning about social norms for portion size. Although the s...
It has been acknowledged that in the current sustainable design practice, the main focus tends to... more It has been acknowledged that in the current sustainable design practice, the main focus tends to be on environmental and economic sustainability, while the social dimension of sustainability has been essentially neglected. This paper aims to address this disparity through Design Jams, and evaluates whether the use of Design Jams is relevant or not to engage student designers within social sustainability and impart key competencies in informal learning. Drawing on the literature on social sustainability in design (SSD) education, key competencies for sustainable development and Design Jams, this paper proposes a conceptual framework for SSD learning, and then outlines the findings from three Design Jam case studies conducted at the School of Design, University of Leeds. The conclusion is drawn to inform an ongoing research project with the aim to explore ways in which student designers could be more engaged with social sustainability, and thus to become social change agents.
The Design Journal, 2011
Abstract: Sustainable design takes into account environmental, economic and social impacts enacte... more Abstract: Sustainable design takes into account environmental, economic and social impacts enacted throughout the product lifecycle. Design for Sustainable Behaviour (DfSB) is an emerging activity under the banner of sustainable design which aims to reduce products' environmental and social impact by moderating how users interact with them.
It has been acknowledged that in the current sustainable design practice, the main focus tends to... more It has been acknowledged that in the current sustainable design practice, the main focus tends to be on environmental and economic sustainability, while the social dimension of sustainability has been essentially neglected. This paper aims to address this disparity through Design Jams, and evaluates whether the use of Design Jams is relevant or not to engage student designers within social sustainability and impart key competencies in informal learning. Drawing on the literature on social sustainability in design (SSD) education, key competencies for sustainable development and Design Jams, this paper proposes a conceptual framework for SSD learning, and then outlines the findings from three Design Jam case studies conducted at School of Design, University of Leeds. The conclusion is drawn to inform an ongoing research project with the aim to explore ways in which student designers could be more engaged with social sustainability, and thus to become social change agents.
To slow down the increasing environmental degradation, design for sustainable behaviour (DfSB) ha... more To slow down the increasing environmental degradation, design for sustainable behaviour (DfSB) has emerged in sustainable design aiming to promote behavioural change through design innovations to reduce environmental and social impacts from the demand side or consumer side. This paper presents a practice-based journey to investigate the process and results of the application of social-psychological theories into sustainable design. Focusing on the behaviour-related impacts of products and services during the use stage, a Design Behaviour Intervention Model (DBIM) is developed through the analysis and synthesis of the social-psychological theories and behaviour-changing strategies. The DBIM indicates that an in-depth study of consumer behaviour is the preliminary step in DfSB, which determines the application of design strategies and potentially the effectiveness of design interventions. A case study is presented to demonstrate the application of the model. The results show that consumer behaviour insights offer rich resources to assist designers in sustainable design innovation. Product-based design suggestions and a proposed solution highlight that the application of DBIM coupled with consumer involvement throughout the design process could produce desirable and sustainable patterns of household fridge use. Finally, the structured consideration of behavioural change and their possible application in DfSB are discussed.
This report presents the findings from a qualitative study investigating how product design can b... more This report presents the findings from a qualitative study investigating how product design can be used to change consumer behaviour to reduce the household energy consumption. A fundamental aspect of this aim is to fill the gap in existing research by understanding the product use behaviour and its impacts on the environment. Household cold appliances were chosen as a case to explore the capacity of designer-conducted user studies to identify unsustainable aspects of product use. Usercentred research techniques [1, 2] including questionnaires, semi-structured interview and Product-in- Use observations were used to collect information about the “actual” and “assumed” needs, the diversity in use context, the unsustainable and sustainable use patterns and the hidden factors behind the usage. Eighteen British families were involved in this qualitative study. This paper presents the methods and process for extracting design oriented information from the behaviour study in the early phases of energy efficient products development. It concludes that usage patterns study can offer resources to assist manufacturers and designers minimise environmental impacts product use. Also it discusses the implications for the future design of household cold appliances.
This paper reviews the trends in society, technology and energy demand of the past 30 years, toge... more This paper reviews the trends in society, technology and energy demand of the past 30 years, together with the growth of the ‘on-demand’ culture. The ‘24/7’ or ‘always on’ society can be defined as one where people demand—and generally receive—what they want ‘now’. It has grown up in parallel with developments in information technology, which have produced the services needed to meet that demand. Larger numbers of appliances, resulting from greater affluence and disposable income, have increased energy use, despite energy efficiencies in other areas. While monetary factors suggest that changes brought about by the 24/7 society will generally be self-correcting at the macro-economic level, there will nevertheless be effects for individuals, such as potentially severe impacts on the fuel poor as electricity prices rise.
We conclude with a view of future directions. As the 24/7 culture continues to grow, there is scope for designers and for information technology to manage and reduce energy consumption. This includes buildings, their services systems, and the mix of new technologies that will be deployed over the next 20 years or so, including the possibilities for data exchange and control at the interface between energy suppliers and consumers, coupled with greater understanding of the behaviour of the consumers themselves.
The use phase of the lifecycle of electrical products has a significant environmental impact, mai... more The use phase of the lifecycle of electrical products has a significant environmental impact, mainly determined by the consumer’s behaviour. Many consumers do not make the link between their daily consumption behaviour in the household and environmental problems such as climate change. In the 21st century, the residential sector, together with transport and industry, is one of the largest man-made contributors in the UK to climate change. It is argued that technological innovations, current eco-efficient products and consumer education have been ineffective in creating the long term radical behavioural change needed to reduce the impact of product use. Products, as the interface between consumers and consumption activities, have the potential to influence the way in which consumption occurs. In the sustainable design field however, designer responsibility traditionally considers raw material selection and product disposal. There is limited work that addresses the environmental impacts relating directly to use behaviour of the product. This paper illustrates that user behaviour studies can be the preliminary step for designers to improve energy efficiency of products. A single product type, household cold appliance, was chosen as a case to explore the capacity of designer-conducted user study to identify unsustainable aspects of product use. Adopting a user-centred approach, two pilot studies were used to gain an insight into domestic fridge and freezer use in the UK. Qualitative ethnographical research methods were employed to investigate the daily practices and “real” needs of user as well as the connection between the knowledge, attitudes, intention and actual action. The design suggestions drawn from the user behaviour analysis provide examples of how energy impact level of the interaction with the product can be reduced through design.
Proceedings of the DESIGN 2008, …, Jan 1, 2008
Energy consumption during the use phase of electrical products’ lifecycle has a significant envir... more Energy consumption during the use phase of electrical products’ lifecycle has a significant environmental impact, mainly determined by the user behaviour. Product designers are in a position to shape the way in which consumption occurs and to bridge the gap between environmental values and user everyday action. This paper analyzes the barriers to sustainable energy use and by linking the design strategy research with the psychological theories, the breakthrough points that potentially enable design to influence the user behaviour and habits are identified. Employing a user-centred approach, the results of a pilot study are presented that provide an understanding of user perceptions of environmental issues.
Thinking Skills and Creativity, 2020
This is a repository copy of Developing critical thinking, collective creativity skills and probl... more This is a repository copy of Developing critical thinking, collective creativity skills and problem solving through playful design jams.
This article presents a theoretical model developed from research which aims to explore how exper... more This article presents a theoretical model developed from research which aims to explore how experiences of relationship can be used as a lens through which the complexities of an emerging interdisciplinary, transnational research project can be explored. Partners in the AMASS (Acting on the Margins: Art as Social Sculpture) project work in eight European countries on a range of activities that make use of creative arts-based research as a tool for addressing social need. The network of individuals, institutions and contexts making up the project delivers a unique collection of relationships which seek - through the actions of their project - to achieve concrete impact. By using a novel participatory method for reflection in action via the materialisation of dialogue, it is possible to identify and discuss moments or instances in the development and formalisation of the AMASS relationships as significant in terms of the ways that a process of ‘social infrastructuring’ took place as t...
BACKGROUND ISSUES On the occasion of the 2014 "Design and Emotion" Conference, Dr. Vezz... more BACKGROUND ISSUES On the occasion of the 2014 "Design and Emotion" Conference, Dr. Vezzani and Dr. Tang, from the University of Leeds, will work with Fabrizio Pierandrei from PACO to organize a one-day (6 hours) workshop aimed at using design thinking as leverage to create a sustainable urban community in Medellín. It attempts to test a portable model to engage stakeholders in the use of Design Jams for the development of a sustainable community. Playful City Jam calls for the participation of Medellín communities and local organizations to work creatively and collaboratively with practitioners and students from different design areas (i.e., design students and teachers with social sensibility, government workers, community groups involved with social innovation processes, etc.) to deliver multi-sectorial solutions to promoting a sense of community and individual engagement in urban sustainability. This proposed workshop, which is part of an ongoing project led by Dr. Tang...
The aim of this paper is to present a service model and methods that enable empowerment and actio... more The aim of this paper is to present a service model and methods that enable empowerment and action in the context of the San youth. Their stakeholders have an extremely important role in both providing services as well as lobbying for their cause to improve the situation in the local context. When the public service production does not have vast resources available the role of civil society and non-governmental organisations become more and more important in the service production as well as in the service delivery. Further, it is fundamental to develop means for local dialogue that enables communication between different stakeholders and the San youth. This paper focuses on service design and creative methodologies that can be utilized for creating wellbeing at the local level in South Africa and Namibia. Service design has become an important tool for creating insights and understanding over complex societal challenges and finding new solutions for underserved and marginalized com...
It has been acknowledged that in the current sustainable design practice, the main focus tends to... more It has been acknowledged that in the current sustainable design practice, the main focus tends to be on environmental and economic sustainability, while the social dimension of sustainability has been essentially neglected. This paper aims to address this disparity through Design Jams, and evaluates whether the use of Design Jams is relevant or not to engage student designers within social sustainability and impart key competencies in informal learning. Drawing on the literature on social sustainability in design (SSD) education, key competencies for sustainable development and Design Jams, this paper proposes a conceptual framework for SSD learning, and then outlines the findings from three Design Jam case studies conducted at School of Design, University of Leeds. The conclusion is drawn to inform an ongoing research project with the aim to explore ways in which student designers could be more engaged with social sustainability, and thus to become social change agents.
Managing Complexity and Creating Innovation through Design, 2019
Designing dialogues for complexities with marginalised youth: processes and tools Culture, lifest... more Designing dialogues for complexities with marginalised youth: processes and tools Culture, lifestyles, resources and conditions offered by complex realities create challenges but also ignite opportunities for a meaningful dialogue between facilitators and marginalised youth that enable empathy, learning and empowerment. We propose a dialogue model that has helped to identify opportunities to motivate and potentially empower youth to be/become involved in service innovation and local dialogue with stakeholders. Through a case study, we demonstrate how we apply this model while working with indigenous San youth in vocational training or higher education courses in Windhoek, Namibia. By taking into account the complexities, tools are adapted, developed and introduced for enhancing dialogue. Reflections are made on both the outcomes and the ways that designers restructure their roles as facilitators to enable peer-topeer exchanges and ongoing dialogues with youth and potentially catalyse a transformative process in unlocking situated knowledge, developing the skills and capacities of the youth who are part of the fabric of change.
Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing, 2020
Various stressors such as microgravity, vibration, radiation, restriction, and isolation in manne... more Various stressors such as microgravity, vibration, radiation, restriction, and isolation in manned spaceflight environments can cause a variety of negative psycho-physiological effects. At the emotional level, for example, they may provoke anxiety and depression, which affects the astronauts' operational efficiency and overall mission performance. The colour design of a spaceflight environment could positively affect a person's emotional level and thus help to counteract such negative psycho-physiological effects. This paper presents a new model for validating the colour design of spaceflight environments at the psychophysiological and emotional level in order to increase the quality of emotional habitability and support efficiency and performance. Psycho-physiological experiments were tested on six coloured light in a dedicate physical mockup of a specific spaceflight environment. In particular the sanitary area of the space station was used as a case study. As result the highest quality of emotional habitability was achieved in a yellow coloured light environment, that is very close to the natural solar condition. Note: In order to support the confidentiality in this paper is not mentioned the name of the space station.
Appetite, 2020
Offering large portions of high energy dense (HED) foods increases overall energy intake in child... more Offering large portions of high energy dense (HED) foods increases overall energy intake in children, a potentially important contributing factor to childhood overweight and obesity. Packaging offers a simple heuristic to encourage healthy eating for nutrient dense foods and to downsize portions of HED foods. However, it is not clear how parents use packaging for portion control, nor how packaging might be used as a solution to offset large portions. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate mothers' portion strategies and how they use packaging to facilitate portion control for children. 21 mothers of 25 children aged 1-5 years participated in semi-structured interviews to identify strategies used by mothers for portioning snack and meal items. Mothers reported feeling confident in amounts offered to their children, and were unaware of, or did not apply, recommendations for age-appropriate portions of meal items and snacks. Mothers portioned according to child appetite, needs and characteristics, not necessarily age. They reported that their child was able to determine for themselves how much to consume. However, mothers also applied restrictions to some foods. No differences in considerations and strategies were found between different ethnic groups of British and Chinese mothers. Mothers reported that packaging was an important determinant of preferences and a useful, convenient means of portion control. To promote appropriate consumption norms in children, a packaging design concept is described to aid downsizing for a highly liked HED food. Future studies should examine how creative packaging solutions influence parents' feeding practices and how this might influence dietary quality through user testing.
This report presents the findings from a qualitative study investigating how product design can b... more This report presents the findings from a qualitative study investigating how product design can be used to change consumer behaviour to reduce the household energy consumption. A fundamental aspect of this aim is to fill the gap in existing research by understanding the product use behaviour and its impacts on the environment. Household cold appliances were chosen as a case to explore the capacity of designer-conducted user studies to identify unsustainable aspects of product use. Usercentred research techniques [1, 2] including ...
Routledge Handbook of Sustainable Design, Jul 28, 2017
ServDes2018. Service Design Proof of Concept, Proceedings of the ServDes.2018 Conference, 18-20 June, Milano, Italy, Jun 29, 2018
The Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, Aug 24, 2018
Offering large portions of high-energy-dense (HED) foods increases overall intake in children and... more Offering large portions of high-energy-dense (HED) foods increases overall intake in children and adults. This is known as the portion size effect (PSE). It is robust, reliable and enduring. Over time, the PSE may facilitate overeating and ultimately positive energy balance. Therefore, it is important to understand what drives the PSE and what might be done to counter the effects of an environment promoting large portions, especially in children. Explanations for the PSE are many and diverse, ranging from consumer error in estimating portion size to simple heuristics such as cleaning the plate or eating in accordance with consumption norms. However, individual characteristics and hedonic processes influence the PSE, suggesting a more complex explanation than error or heuristics. Here PSE studies are reviewed to identify interventions that can be used to downsize portions of HED foods, with a focus on children who are still learning about social norms for portion size. Although the s...
It has been acknowledged that in the current sustainable design practice, the main focus tends to... more It has been acknowledged that in the current sustainable design practice, the main focus tends to be on environmental and economic sustainability, while the social dimension of sustainability has been essentially neglected. This paper aims to address this disparity through Design Jams, and evaluates whether the use of Design Jams is relevant or not to engage student designers within social sustainability and impart key competencies in informal learning. Drawing on the literature on social sustainability in design (SSD) education, key competencies for sustainable development and Design Jams, this paper proposes a conceptual framework for SSD learning, and then outlines the findings from three Design Jam case studies conducted at the School of Design, University of Leeds. The conclusion is drawn to inform an ongoing research project with the aim to explore ways in which student designers could be more engaged with social sustainability, and thus to become social change agents.
The Design Journal, 2011
Abstract: Sustainable design takes into account environmental, economic and social impacts enacte... more Abstract: Sustainable design takes into account environmental, economic and social impacts enacted throughout the product lifecycle. Design for Sustainable Behaviour (DfSB) is an emerging activity under the banner of sustainable design which aims to reduce products' environmental and social impact by moderating how users interact with them.
It has been acknowledged that in the current sustainable design practice, the main focus tends to... more It has been acknowledged that in the current sustainable design practice, the main focus tends to be on environmental and economic sustainability, while the social dimension of sustainability has been essentially neglected. This paper aims to address this disparity through Design Jams, and evaluates whether the use of Design Jams is relevant or not to engage student designers within social sustainability and impart key competencies in informal learning. Drawing on the literature on social sustainability in design (SSD) education, key competencies for sustainable development and Design Jams, this paper proposes a conceptual framework for SSD learning, and then outlines the findings from three Design Jam case studies conducted at School of Design, University of Leeds. The conclusion is drawn to inform an ongoing research project with the aim to explore ways in which student designers could be more engaged with social sustainability, and thus to become social change agents.
To slow down the increasing environmental degradation, design for sustainable behaviour (DfSB) ha... more To slow down the increasing environmental degradation, design for sustainable behaviour (DfSB) has emerged in sustainable design aiming to promote behavioural change through design innovations to reduce environmental and social impacts from the demand side or consumer side. This paper presents a practice-based journey to investigate the process and results of the application of social-psychological theories into sustainable design. Focusing on the behaviour-related impacts of products and services during the use stage, a Design Behaviour Intervention Model (DBIM) is developed through the analysis and synthesis of the social-psychological theories and behaviour-changing strategies. The DBIM indicates that an in-depth study of consumer behaviour is the preliminary step in DfSB, which determines the application of design strategies and potentially the effectiveness of design interventions. A case study is presented to demonstrate the application of the model. The results show that consumer behaviour insights offer rich resources to assist designers in sustainable design innovation. Product-based design suggestions and a proposed solution highlight that the application of DBIM coupled with consumer involvement throughout the design process could produce desirable and sustainable patterns of household fridge use. Finally, the structured consideration of behavioural change and their possible application in DfSB are discussed.
This report presents the findings from a qualitative study investigating how product design can b... more This report presents the findings from a qualitative study investigating how product design can be used to change consumer behaviour to reduce the household energy consumption. A fundamental aspect of this aim is to fill the gap in existing research by understanding the product use behaviour and its impacts on the environment. Household cold appliances were chosen as a case to explore the capacity of designer-conducted user studies to identify unsustainable aspects of product use. Usercentred research techniques [1, 2] including questionnaires, semi-structured interview and Product-in- Use observations were used to collect information about the “actual” and “assumed” needs, the diversity in use context, the unsustainable and sustainable use patterns and the hidden factors behind the usage. Eighteen British families were involved in this qualitative study. This paper presents the methods and process for extracting design oriented information from the behaviour study in the early phases of energy efficient products development. It concludes that usage patterns study can offer resources to assist manufacturers and designers minimise environmental impacts product use. Also it discusses the implications for the future design of household cold appliances.
This paper reviews the trends in society, technology and energy demand of the past 30 years, toge... more This paper reviews the trends in society, technology and energy demand of the past 30 years, together with the growth of the ‘on-demand’ culture. The ‘24/7’ or ‘always on’ society can be defined as one where people demand—and generally receive—what they want ‘now’. It has grown up in parallel with developments in information technology, which have produced the services needed to meet that demand. Larger numbers of appliances, resulting from greater affluence and disposable income, have increased energy use, despite energy efficiencies in other areas. While monetary factors suggest that changes brought about by the 24/7 society will generally be self-correcting at the macro-economic level, there will nevertheless be effects for individuals, such as potentially severe impacts on the fuel poor as electricity prices rise.
We conclude with a view of future directions. As the 24/7 culture continues to grow, there is scope for designers and for information technology to manage and reduce energy consumption. This includes buildings, their services systems, and the mix of new technologies that will be deployed over the next 20 years or so, including the possibilities for data exchange and control at the interface between energy suppliers and consumers, coupled with greater understanding of the behaviour of the consumers themselves.
The use phase of the lifecycle of electrical products has a significant environmental impact, mai... more The use phase of the lifecycle of electrical products has a significant environmental impact, mainly determined by the consumer’s behaviour. Many consumers do not make the link between their daily consumption behaviour in the household and environmental problems such as climate change. In the 21st century, the residential sector, together with transport and industry, is one of the largest man-made contributors in the UK to climate change. It is argued that technological innovations, current eco-efficient products and consumer education have been ineffective in creating the long term radical behavioural change needed to reduce the impact of product use. Products, as the interface between consumers and consumption activities, have the potential to influence the way in which consumption occurs. In the sustainable design field however, designer responsibility traditionally considers raw material selection and product disposal. There is limited work that addresses the environmental impacts relating directly to use behaviour of the product. This paper illustrates that user behaviour studies can be the preliminary step for designers to improve energy efficiency of products. A single product type, household cold appliance, was chosen as a case to explore the capacity of designer-conducted user study to identify unsustainable aspects of product use. Adopting a user-centred approach, two pilot studies were used to gain an insight into domestic fridge and freezer use in the UK. Qualitative ethnographical research methods were employed to investigate the daily practices and “real” needs of user as well as the connection between the knowledge, attitudes, intention and actual action. The design suggestions drawn from the user behaviour analysis provide examples of how energy impact level of the interaction with the product can be reduced through design.
Proceedings of the DESIGN 2008, …, Jan 1, 2008
Energy consumption during the use phase of electrical products’ lifecycle has a significant envir... more Energy consumption during the use phase of electrical products’ lifecycle has a significant environmental impact, mainly determined by the user behaviour. Product designers are in a position to shape the way in which consumption occurs and to bridge the gap between environmental values and user everyday action. This paper analyzes the barriers to sustainable energy use and by linking the design strategy research with the psychological theories, the breakthrough points that potentially enable design to influence the user behaviour and habits are identified. Employing a user-centred approach, the results of a pilot study are presented that provide an understanding of user perceptions of environmental issues.