by yao.sossou1 -

Examples of successful interaction design for a sustainable future.

An effective interaction design for a sustainable future will emphasize user demands and goals while simultaneously considering the product or service’s environmental impact. This could include using sustainable materials, conserving energy, and planning for ease of repair and recycling. It could also include features that support sustainable behavior, such as tracking and boosting energy efficiency. The main goal would be to produce a design that is user-friendly and accessible while also supporting long-term sustainability. More specifically, a successful interaction design for a sustainable future may incorporate the following elements:

  • Efficient and user-friendly interface: The design should be simple to use and comprehend, with clear and unambiguous instructions and feedback.
  • Minimalistic environmental impact: The materials and manufacturing processes used should minimize environmental harm and promote sustainability.
  • Energy-saving features: The design should include features that reduce energy consumption, such as automatic shut-off or sleep modes.
  • Durability and longevity: The product should be designed to last as long as possible, with easy-to-repair or upgrade components.
  • Encourages sustainable behaviors: The design should include features that encourage sustainable behavior, such as tracking and promoting energy efficiency, or providing feedback on environmental impact.
  • Accessibility: The design should be inclusive, taking into account the needs of those with impairments, older folks, and users with low literacy.
  • Circular Economy Consideration: The product should be built so that materials may be easily reused and recycled at the end of its life cycle.

That being mentioned we would then like to draw your attention to some of the practical examples of successful interaction design applications for a sustainable future. Of course, the list is not exhaustive.

Energy-efficient home appliances: Interaction design can make home appliances more energy-efficient by making it easy for users to adjust settings, monitor usage, and schedule usage for off-peak hours. For example, smart thermostats can be controlled through a mobile app and can learn user preferences and automatically adjust settings to conserve energy.

source: 5 Facts of Energy Efficient Home Appliances | Visual.ly

Sustainable transportation: Interaction design can encourage sustainable transportation by making it easy for users to plan and track their journeys, find the nearest public transportation, and pay for fares using mobile apps. Especially with  newly trending electric and self-driving cars, usability and affordance should gain focus while designing in order to drive the interest of the customers and users.

source: https://www.arup.com/perspectives/sustainable-urban-transport-in-the-uae

Recycling and waste management: Interaction design can make recycling and waste management more efficient by providing clear, easy-to-understand instructions for sorting and disposing of waste, and by using sensors and other technologies to track waste and alert users when it needs to be disposed of.

Sustainable food choices: Interaction design can help people make more sustainable food choices by providing information about the environmental impact of different foods, and by making it easy for people to find and purchase locally-sourced and organic foods.

Sustainable travel: Interaction design can encourage sustainable travel by making it easy for users to plan and book trips that have minimal environmental impacts, such as by providing information about carbon offset options or eco-friendly accommodations. Also, how do we encourage the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions through the design of engaging and useful transportation solutions?

Sustainable fashion: Interaction design can encourage sustainable fashion by providing information about the environmental impact of different fabrics and clothing production methods, and by making it easy for users to find and purchase sustainable clothing options.

Here is also some descriptive example of sustainable design patterns that can be implemented in buildings

Green roofs: This is a sustainable design pattern in which vegetation is grown on the roof of a building. This not only helps to reduce the heat island effect but also helps to insulate the building and reduce stormwater runoff.

Passive solar design: This is a design pattern that utilizes the sun’s energy to heat and cool a building. This can be achieved through the use of large windows that face the sun, thermal mass materials that absorb and store heat, and strategic shading and ventilation to control temperature.

Rainwater harvesting: This is a design pattern that involves the collection and storage of rainwater for later use, such as for irrigation or flushing toilets. This helps to reduce the demand for municipal water supplies and can help to mitigate the effects of drought.

Biophilic design: This is a design pattern that incorporates elements of nature, such as plants, water, and natural light, into the built environment. This can help to improve the well-being of building occupants and can also help to reduce energy consumption.

by anine.hallen -

Little progress among the giants largely because of lack of accountability and poor-quality data

This and the previous blog post are looking into two major reports about the state of sustainability in the fashion world. “The Business of Fashion Index 2022” is looking at the 30 largest companies in fashion and how they are doing over a variety of fields of sustainability.

“The Business of Fashion Index 2022” by The Business of Fashion

The Business of Fashion Index 2022 “examine the performance of the industry’s 30 largest publicly traded companies by revenue across three market segments: luxury, sportswear and high street (ed. ordinary clothes).” Although the original 15 companies from the last years report had some progress, this was “eclipsed” by the new additions’ inaction.

Business of Fashion (BoF) points at “limited accountability within the sector, poor-quality data and a lack of investment“ as some of the biggest obstacles. This is very clear when BoF writes that “some of the industry’s biggest players — including URBN, Skechers, Fila Holdings, Anta and HLA Group — provided little or no public detail about plans to tackle their environmental and social impact.”

Although this is quite dark, there are also positive news. Fast retailing had the biggest improvement (of 11 points) from last years report, showing some of the “technological innovation, policy cues and standardised reporting frameworks” in action. If the fashion industry can do more of this, if can lead to real change.

”The Index assesses companies’ progress towards ambitious 2030 goals across six impact categories: Transparency, Emissions, Water & Chemicals, Waste, Materials and Workers’ Rights.”

As we see in the figure, waste is one of the areas that has the lowest score overall. This is something “very easy” to work on by not overproducing (resulting in landfill material before it has even been in the store) and to use scrap products and cuttings in a mindful way. Transparency is also something that is also obvious to focus on as a smaller company as this is one of the advantages of being smaller.

For me it would be interesting to read the full report (behind a paywall) as a designer to make sure that I follow the parameters given by BoF. To take part in the politics of fashion would also be an impactful way of taking part of this world.

Source:

https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/sustainability/widespread-inaction-on-sustainability-eclipses-progress-at-fashions-biggest-companies/

by anine.hallen -

The richest are both the problem and the solution

As I have gotten more into the topic of the sustainability of fashion, I have found some interesting reports with different takes. This and the next blogpost will summarize and highlight some of the most important finds of two reports. I will also mention how I can use these finds further on.

“Unfit, Unfair, Unfashionable” by Hot or Cool

Hot or Cool’s report “Unfit, Unfair, Unfashionable” showes the divide in consumption between high and low income countries and people. They found that “the richest 20% in the UK emit 83% above the 1.5-target.” At the same time, “74% of people in Indonesia live below sufficiency consumption levels of fashion.” On average the fashion footprint need to be reduced by 2030 by 60% among the high income countries of G20, 40% by the upper-middle income countries while the low income countries are already below the 1.5-degree limit. This divide between high and low income is both clear between countries and within countries.

Within a representative sampling of G20 countries they found that the lowest and second to lowest income quintile is responsible for respectively 6-11% and 10-13%. The second to highest and highest on the other hand is responsible for respectively 24-26% and 36-42%. In simpler words: “On average, the fashion consumption of the richest 20% causes 20 times higher emissions than that of the poorest 20%. This ratio varies substantially across countries, following levels of income inequality.” This debunks the idea that the poor is responsible for the emission because they by “cheap” clothes. They often get blamed in discussion about the emissions of fashion, but it is time that the rich scale down on their consumption.

As reducing the number of purchases of new clothes much (respectively 4 and 3 times) more effective than increasing the use time or (what is considered achievable through) decarbonization of the fashion industry, this should be the focus. (https://hotorcool.org/unfit-unfair-unfashionable/)

Consumtion/emission with no action taken and a sufficient scenario
Consumption within countries differs very much relating to income level

In a way this is positive news. Reducing the amount of garments of high income people is a task possible to asses for small companies. This can be done by producing high quality, interesting and lovable pieces that can play many parts in a person’s wardrobe. If we can produce such pieces they can replace the feeling if need of new pieces. The other end, producing lower-emission garments for persons with low income, is a much more complex task. This needs to be assessed by the fast fashion companies and the fashion culture itself. This also needs to be done, but it won’t be as effective as changing the behavior of high income persons.

Another interesting find to consider is that in the UK, Italy and Germany the richest 20% need to reduce their footprint of fashion consumption by respectively 83%, 75% and 75%. However, in the fashion nation France this number is substantially lower, “only” 50% (https://hotorcool.org/unfit-unfair-unfashionable/). This point to the issue that fashion consumption is highly dependent on culture. “French women” is a trademark in fashion, known and praised for using fewer, versatile and timeless pieces instead of indulging in micro and fast trends.

Source:
https://hotorcool.org/unfit-unfair-unfashionable/

Full report:
https://hotorcool.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Hot_or_Cool_1_5_fashion_report_.pdf

by anine.hallen -

Why design outerwear?

In this post I will clarify and define my own motivations going into this project. It will be useful for me by checking with this post during the process to see if I am true to my own passions and wishes. As mentioned in the previous blog post I wish to research if designing “yet another clothing piece” can ever be called ethical and sustainable. This is because I have a personal wish to design outerwear that is flexible in use, comfortable and seen as something fun instead of something dreadful.

Since I was little I have been fascinated with clothing and how it affects us. When choosing a direction of study, I chose to not study fashion/textile because I could not see a way I could get into that industry with my ethics and sustainable responsibility. Now I find myself constantly “gliding towards” wanting to get into the designing and production of clothing, but being conflicted by the sustainable matter.

I have two main issues to address if I want to get into the clothing industry:
– how can I design clothing with a clear conscience regarding the climate crisis?
– how can I, as an industrial/interaction designer, contribute in the “fashion world” without a fashion degree?

I need an answer or at least an indication of something positive in these questions before I get into the actual designing of clothing. These questions will therefore be focused on by me in first phase of this project. To find answers I will look into similar phenomenons to see if I can draw any parallel lines.

Eventually I can also look into more specific ways to design clothing in more sustainable ways and how I as a non-fashion designer can help in these aspects.

by anine.hallen -

Deciding a on a topic between two opposites

For my first talk with Mr. Fabry we mainly talked about the topic of designing a digital tool as an aid before and during therapy agains depression. This is clearly an interaction design project and could be very interesting. Still, I have a passion project of designing more instrumental and lovable outerwear for winter. This is a project I know I want to execute at some point, but to me it does not scream interaction design. We still took the time to talk about it for five minutes, but that was not enough to decide what to do research on for a whole semester and if it would make sense in our field. Therefore I present both here as a way to process what I would prefer to do this semester.

Topic option 1 – Designing a digital tool for assistance before and during therapy against depression

Depression is one of the leading health struggles in the world. Even though there are good ways to effectively treat this condition for many cases, people with depression often find them self in a vacuum waiting for treatment. How can we make this waiting time more manageable and less likely to create worse mental struggles? Can a digital tool help a depressed person start their treatment before they receive traditional therapy? What does the tool need to consist of to be effective and manageable for someone who is already struggling to be productive in their everyday life? These are the questions I want to answer in this project.

Many people who experience depression also experience extreme waiting times before they are able to get the help that they need. There is clearly a gap between the demand and the supply of traditional therapy. For example, WHO has created a Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP) to aid countries to increase services for people with mental […] disorders from non-specialist in mental health. I want to research if we can also help and train loved ones to better help their family member, partner or friend who struggle with depression before they get professional help.

There are many recognized methods depressed people can use as part of their journey to a healthier mind. To get started with these methods is often one of the first thing a therapist will help the patient with to make their life more manageable to deal with quite quickly. If a digital tool was successful in teaching people with depression about these methods this would have a dual positiv effect: the waiting time before therapy would be less destructive and more manageable, and the patient would already have startet their treatment when they arrive at their first therapy session. This could result in a more effective start of therapy, thereby shorter treatments and less waiting time for the next patient.

In this research there will be multiple answers that need answering:

  1. Does this type of tool already exist and why is it not more successful?
  2. What methods could/should or should not be used by a patient without professional supervision?
  3. How should a digital tool present these methods to make them accessible and manageable for a depressed person to deal with?
  4. How do other digital tools used for observation/follow-ups of other groups by professionals and non-professionals work? For example in relationships between athlete-trainer, patient-doctor or parent-teacher.
  5. Can this type of digital tool also be used during therapy or will it interfere with the therapist?

It is estimated by WHO that 5% of adults suffer from depression at any point globally. In some countries the number is even higher. Between 6% and 12% of the population is depressed at any point. There every sixth person is expected to experience depression in their lifetime. The tool would therefore be very impactful if it creates just a slight net positive.

Topic 2 – Designing outerwear for a more pleasurable experience in winter commuting

As the winter creeps upon us, so does the conversations about how horrible it is with all the layers and all the clothing we need to put on. Going to, being on and walking from a bus can leave you sweaty yet cold. If you have a car, would you be more likely to drive in the winter because of this uncomfortableness? Do you buy a new clothes every year in hopes of finding slightly less uncomfortable outerwear? I want to research how our winter clothing affects us and our decisions to find out whether or not I should put effort in making a perfect outerwear clothing line or if this would just be yet another empty promise in the name of the environment and wellness.

There are indications that uncomfortable clothing can lead to temporary increased stress and blood pressure (American Heart Association) and clothing we associate with smart people can lead us to solve difficult tasks better (Social Psychological and Personality Science). Personally I have both experienced and heard about others experiences of clumpy, ugly, wrongly tempered clothing when the colder weather comes. I can’t help but wonder how this makes ut feel and if our outerwear could help us make better decisions for ourselves and the environment.

In this research it will be relevant to explore:

  1. What do we already know about psychology and clothing/fashion? Does our clothing affect or mood or behavior?
  2. How do people experience their own outerwear? Are there some similarities between the clothing items that are experienced as successful/comfortable or the ones that are not?
  3. What characteristics is needed for someone to buy an item vs. to keep them and repair/perceive/love them for a long time?