1,720,957 research outputs found
Car transportable personal shopping cart
No full textThe average shopper in the US goes to the shopping mall more than two times a week for groceries and other items. During the shopping consumers often use shopping carts to move larger quantities of items than they can carry. But the shopping cart that is currently used to increase the carrying convenience of moving groceries stops at the car. From that point on there is still quite a lot of transporting to do to get the bought items to the place where they need to be. This step to step moving of the items results in inconvenience for the consumer. And there are currently no real solutions to make this easier accept bundling items in bags at the cashier, this only takes partial care of the problem. The overall process is a discontinues sequence of steps, and the develop product should help to unify and streamline this process. The project aims to create a product that makes the transportation of groceries from the aisle to the kitchen a more continues process. And doing this by using a product that is prepared for the future of shopping by considering trends and upcoming changes of the (groceries) market. In the end the goal was to create a product that increases the convenience of transporting of bought items. But that also gives the consumer the feeling that they are dealing with an evolution of the shopping cart. And in general streamlines the overall experience of transporting bought items from the shelve to the consumer’s house. The result of the project is the personal shopping cart concept. The cart consists of a shopping basket with a foldable set of wheeled legs mounted to the side of the cart. These wheels enable the cart to slide into the opened trunk of a larger size car (SUV). This is made possible by sliding tracks at the front and bottom of the cart that allow the basket to ‘ride’ in and out of the trunk. The handle pushes the legs together creating a lifting motion to get the cart to trunk height. After that, the user can keep pushing and move the legs upwards, and push them inwards into the car. Additional functionality for the cart is a higher, smaller version. The two halves of the basket slide inward to form a basket that is significantly decreased in size. Then the wheeled legs can be moved towards each other, lifting and decreasing the footprint of the cart. This transforms the cart from a large groceries shopping cart into a smaller more agile retail cart. For this graduation project four stakeholders were involved (University of technology Delft, Graduate student, Design firm and the Client) with all a different goal for the project. So the project was also a balancing act to fulfill all the goals of the involved parties. With the ultimate goal to at the end have one graduated student and one product concept. So next to the development of the concept for graduation, the client was also to be taken along in the process that is required to create a product concept. The project was executed in collaboration with the Dutch/German design firm Design2Gather based in Shanghai, China. The majority of the time spend on this project was conducted from the office in Shanghai. And the project was finished in Delft, The Netherlands.Industrial Design EngineeringDesign Engineerin
Consumer centric design for refurbishment: How designers can enhance consumer acceptance of refurbished products
No full textGlobal warming will exceed 1.5-2°C during the 21st century unless greenhouse gas emissions are heavily reduced in the next 30 years. The average carbon footprint of a person living in the European Union amounted to 6.7 tons of CO2 in 2019, of which 70% is related to the way we live, move and consume. The production and use of electronics, is an important factor in the environmental impact of consumption. A key strategy to reduce an electronic product’s environmental footprint is to extend its lifetime through refurbishment. Refurbished products are collected after being used, tested, cleaned, and restored into an acceptable state, and subsequently, they are resold. Yet, lowering the environmental impact of consumption by using refurbished products requires that refurbished products are acquired instead of new ones. However, refurbished products are not as desirable to consumers as new products, which has the consequence that they havelower purchase intentions and are willing to pay less for them.The aim of this thesis is to understand consumer acceptance of refurbished products and how designers can enhance their desirability. Thus far, marketing strategies, aiming to improve consumer adoption of refurbished products have focused on minimizing the risks associated with refurbished products and underlining their benefits. Refurbished products are, for example, often offered at a lower price than new products and with a warranty. A central issue of these marketing strategies is that they are peripheral to the product, are not applicable to all product categories, and are not appropriate for all consumers. While they can improve the trade-off for refurbished products, they do not help to keep the product at its highest material and economic value.In this dissertation, we, therefore, explore the main research question: how can designers enhance consumer acceptance of refurbished products by design
Increasing data sustainability: a behavioural approach
No full textIn a matter of decades, information technologies have become omni-present in the lives of more than a billion people. Whilst holding many promises for more efficient and therefore seemingly more sustainable practices, this fast-growing industry is expanding its footprint rapidly. Exponential advancements in hardware and software are kept in check by a quickly rising demand for data-driven products and services. With a climate and energy crisis on our hands, now is the time to ask ourselves whether this superfluous consumption of data is really necessary. By investigating the workings of the physical network and the interaction between humans and digital products, an inquiry is made into changing consumer behaviour to benefit sustainability. The resulting design demonstrates how a different approach to the way we interact with the digital world can facilitate new practices that are sustainable in the broadest sense of the word. By actively reflecting on their online behaviour, internet users are enabled to fulfil personal values that benefit people and climate.ResearchThe inquiry into the various stakeholders related to data consumption depicts an infinitely complex network with various players. Together they share a responsibility to for the social impact that the internet has on our society but in the current situation these individual parties mainly act out of self-interest. Digital services providers and their users behave in immoral and unethical ways to satisfy immediate cravings which stands in the way of fulfilling social values. All stakeholders are put under enormous stress by this fast consumption pattern which the project categorises as somewhat uncivilized. This uncivilized behaviour is further defined in three ‘pillars’ that lie at the root of the current value conflicts.Norms & regulationPerverse pleasure seeking, deceptive technologies and social misbehavior threaten the individual on the web. Moderation & modestyConstant distractions and the acceleration at which we increase productivity lead to an overload of information that humans are not capable of handling.Active involvementThe lack of physicality of data infrastructure combined with a generally apathetic mindset leads to a loss of autonomy and control.DesignFrom experiments with possible interventions it is concluded that to start making a change towards a more civilized behaviour, data consumption needs to be made more concrete in a way that facilitates debate about the topic. A final concept is proposed that embodies this philosophy by encouraging KPN customers to start caring about the impact of data consumption on themselves, their close peers and the environment. It does so through the following set of criteria:1.Installing awareness about data usage by educating and framing2.Eliciting a social frame of reference for internet users to adhere to3.Helping consumers commit to purposeful decisions4.Affording inconvenience when users want to engage in meaningless behaviour5.Materialising the benefits of data reduction6.Making low data use standard in daily practicesBesides this intervention targeted at consumers, the design and research also hold various implications for the other stakeholders within the project context.Design for Interactio
Fighting premature obsolescence: Design guidelines to increase (expected) product lifetimes
No full textScientists have been warning for years about the consequences of the current take-make-waste system, and incremental change is needed to enable the environment to regenerate and move towards a sustainable society. Especially electronic waste (e-waste), which currently increases three times faster than regular waste and is hard to collect and recycle (The World Bank, 2021), is an increasing concern and an opportunity for improvement. In this project, the problem of premature obsolescence is addressed. The project investigates how to increase the lifetime of electronic consumer durables. By fully understanding how the consumers make replacement decisions, the decisions people make can be influenced. It turns out that as a product moves towards the expected lifetime, the perceived value of the product goes down, and the consumer is less likely to take care of the product or repair it when it breaks. Consequently, this project investigates how to increase the expected lifetime of products. This contributes to the Premature Obsolescence Multistakeholder Product Testing Program (PROMPT). PROMPT is working on a test program to assess the lifetime of products from a technical, user, and market perspective. The formulated assignment is to generate design guidelines that help to improve the expected product lifetime and illustrate this on a case example. The products that will be investigated are washing machines, televisions, vacuum cleaners, and smartphones. Two studies were performed. One qualitative study to get more insights in an explorative way, and a quantitative study to measure the most effective way to increase the expected lifetime. From the first study, it was concluded that people determine the expected lifetime at several moments throughout the lifetime of the product. Also, past experiences with the product, the average lifetime, the amount of warranty and expected change in demographics are factors that were considered by the participants while determining the expected lifetime of their products. Also, it was concluded that many people are not aware of their expectations of the (expected) lifetime of products, and therefore creating more awareness could lead to increased lifetime of products. In the quantitative study, only vacuum cleaners were studied. It turned out that warranty and the availability of spare parts are the most effective strategies to increase the expected lifetime of vacuum cleaners. However, the strategies build upon each other while increasing the expected lifetime. Therefore, to address all consumers, more strategies should be integrated in a product for the optimal result. The findings from this study can be used by PROMPT as a starting point for testing criteria. For example, criteria about the attempts of companies to increase the expected lifetime of products could be integrating in the testing program. However, before doing this, more research is needed about the influencing factors of the expected lifetime of products.Strategic Product Desig
Understanding householders’ perspectives on sorting plastic waste
No full textThis report provides an overview of the individual and contextual factors that have been found to influence households’ recycling and sorting of their waste, including recycling of plastic waste. It also unveils a comprehensive overview on how specific intervention strategies could encourage households to recycle more frequently and effectively. Finally, the academic report includes guidelines that can help foster households’ recycling and sorting behaviou
Finding the sweet spot: a sustainability strategy and holistically sustainable packaging designs for Bertolli
No full textFood packaging serves many functions, from product protection to extending product shelf life to enabling convenient or effective usage (i.e., portability, resealability) to communicating relevant information or brand image to consumers. However, packaging has various negative impacts on the environment throughout its life cycle. While consumers are aware of the detrimental environmental impact of packaging, there is a mismatch between consumers’ perception of packaging sustainability and the scientifically-measured impact (Otto et al., 2021). This thesis explored the intersection of the consumer, governmental, and scientific perspectives on packaging sustainability, while also balancing other important aspects (i.e., quality perception, feasibility, etc.) to realise a holistically sustainable packaging strategy. The client company for this project was Enrico Food, the brand owner of Bertolli. Bertolli is a key player in the Mediterranean foods category in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany. This project aimed to contribute to two of Enrico’s business objectives: a successful launch of the Bertolli pasta sauce product line in the UK and improving the environmental sustainability of the pasta sauce packaging. This thesis resulted in a suitable sustainability strategy and holistically sustainable packaging concepts for the UK launch and beyond.First, background research into the system surrounding (Bertolli’s) food packaging was conducted via stakeholder interviews and desk research. Literature research into sustainable packaging design strategies, consumer behaviour, and brand sustainability strategy was carried out. A framework integrating various stakeholders’ perspectives was developed to aid in the creation of a suitable and meaningful sustainability strategy for Bertolli. Various tools and methods identified in the literature review were employed to evaluate the current packaging formats and develop new packaging concepts. The strategy and concepts were refined based on internal and external stakeholder feedback, expert feedback, and consumer studies.This process resulted in the proposal of a comprehensive sustainability strategy that addresses relevant material issues in an authentic way. Concerning packaging design, a revamped design of Bertolli’s pouch pack format was proposed. The pouch was identified as the most suitable pack format for Bertolli to focus its efforts on in the short-term and medium-term due to its current and forecasted environmental performance, ease of implementation, and high consumer acceptance. Various sustainability cues (i.e., naturalistic graphic design style, claims, and sustainability information) were embedded to improve consumer sustainability perception. For the long-term time horizon, two main strategies were proposed: direct-to-consumer models and reusable packaging models. Roadmaps were developed to guide Bertolli in implementing the proposed sustainability strategy and packaging sustainability improvements. This thesis provides insights into sustainability strategy development, UK consumers’ packaging preferences, and techniques to design and evaluate sustainable packaging concepts.Integrated Product Desig
Do consumers mind contamination by previous users? A choice-based conjoint analysis to explore strategies that improve consumers' choice for refurbished products
No full textRefurbishment is an effective strategy to extend product lifetimes in a circular economy. However, consumers believe that refurbished products are contaminated with traces of prior use, which can be indicated by the appearance (e.g., scratches) or functionality (e.g., lower battery capacity) of refurbished products. This research explores strategies to improve consumer adoption of refurbished products by reducing contamination. In a choice-based conjoint analysis, 785 participants were exposed to refurbished headphones varying in features related to contamination, warranty, and price. We tested three contamination-reducing strategies, including (1). Communication about the clean object state, (2). Eliminating signs of use (aesthetic and functional wear-and-tear) and (3). Renewing parts that touch the skin (e.g., ear-cushions). Additionally, we analysed whether different consumer groups are driven by different attributes of refurbished products. Results showed that most consumers value refurbished products that show no signs of wear-and-tear and that have parts touching the skin renewed during the refurbishment process. These attributes are even more important than the reduced price or warranty, even though these are frequently used to market refurbished products. Depending on the consumer group, other contamination-reducing strategies were of great influence. While some consumer groups highly valued that signs of prior use are eliminated through an as-new appearance, others preferred refurbished products without functional wear-and-tear. In conclusion, four design strategies to deal with contamination during multiple life cycles of refurbished products are discussed.Responsible Marketing and Consumer BehaviorDesign, Organisation and Strateg
Hip and authentic. Defining neo-retro style in package design
No full textStyles in design have a strong evocative power for consumers and are commonly used by brands to communicate specific associations of ideas. This article describes the style elements and the associations related to a contemporary style in graphic design: the neo-retro style. We argue that this style is linked to the hipster subculture but used in a broader context. Complementary methods were used to progressively determine the styling elements and the values related to this style. Study 1, a multi-method qualitative study using creative sessions and content analysis, yields a description of the formative elements of the neo-retro style from both an analytical (structure, graphics, and information) and a holistic perspective (naturalness, harmony, elaborateness). In study 2, we designed eight coffee packages manipulating structural and graphical elements, namely the presence of ornaments, texture and variation in typefaces, and tested the associations evoked by these elements among 251 participants. The results first confirm quantitatively that these elements are evocative of the neo-retro style. We also show that this style is associated with values such as authenticity and craftsmanship and as such with the hipster subculture. The study contributes to theory and practice in the fields of design and brand management and shows that packaging elements can be manipulated to evoke values in the marketplace.Responsible Marketing and Consumer Behavio
Teaching aspiring industrial designers to understand value(s)
No full textThis chapter describes ‘Understanding Values’, a course that teachesaspiring designers who aim to design for values to disentangle how differentnotions of value and values influence the design process, the design outcome,and how the outcome is evaluated. The course strives to make abstract valuesmore tangible by asking students to analyse the values supported or hinderedby an existing product-service system and how it brings or destroys value fora broad range of direct and indirect stakeholders. Various theories, methodsand tools are brought forward to help them perform their analysis and comeup with a more acceptable alternative value proposition. Students are alsoencouraged to conduct high-quality dialogues to reflect on their own values asdesigners, the ethics of design and the value tensions they experience duringthe course. These reflections in turn serve as input for the development oftheir own code of ethics.Marketing and Consumer Researc
Repack the packaging of fast moving consumer goods
No full textThis research examines the potential for sustainable packaging in the context of supermarket products, focusing on the concepts of reuse and standardisation.The central question addressed is whether consumers retain positive attitudes towards purchase intention, brand image, perceived quality, aesthetic attractiveness, and perceived environmental friendliness when packaging for fast-moving consumer goods (FMCGs) is standardised to its core function of protection, while marketing elements are transferred to online communication channels. The study uses a wide range of methods, including reading lots of articles, talking to people who know a lot about the topic, analysing data, experiments and in-depth interviews.The findings reveal positive consumer responses towards the concepts of reuse and standardisation. Although no statistically significant results emerge from the mixed experiment design, the analysis of open-ended questions demonstrates a clear and positive attitude among participants. Consequently, it can be concluded that consumers generally show a favourable and cooperative attitude towards packaging standardisation and reuse, provided that convenience, hygiene and accessibility are prioritised.This research is of significant relevance due to the substantial volume of plastic waste generated by packaging, evolving legislative frameworks, and the urgent need for environmental changes. It emphasises the necessity for proactive changes and innovative approaches to address sustainability challenges in the packaging industry. By shedding light on consumer perceptions and preferences, this study offers valuable insights for businesses and policymakers seeking to navigate the transition towards more sustainable packaging practices.Strategic Product Desig
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