**4. Study 1: The analysis of 80 design briefs**

### **4.1 Research approach for the analysis of 80 design briefs**

A design brief is an essential communication paper between the company and the design bureau. It generally gives an accurate insight in the sustainability ambition a company has for their future product or service. But how often do corporations add ecodesign topics in their assignment? If they do so, which ecodesign principles are requested in the design brief?

To answer these questions, a content analysis of 80 industrial design briefs from 62 Belgium-based companies was used as research methodology. Among those companies, 50% was categorized as small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), 41% as large enterprises, while the other 9% were classified as "other" (knowledge institutions, government, universities, or associations of industry-specific institutions). The European definition (EU, 2003) was used to categorize the SME businesses. According to this definition, the main factors determining whether a

*Design and Manufacturing*

**3. Research approach**

*Essential elements of a good design brief, according to Phillips (2004).*

**Table 1.**

of this important matter.

address the research objective as follows:

achieving this.

briefing? (1a).

A variety of authors have recommended to focus on the FEI in the eco-innovation literature in the last decade [17–27] However, with few exceptions [17, 28], little attention is given in the literature regarding the design brief process in the FE in relation to sustainable product innovation. There is still insufficient comprehension

Previous research by Boks [29] has identified the use of environmental checkpoints, reviews, milestones, and roadmaps as an important success factor regarding the integration of sustainability considerations in the early stages of the product development process. As the design brief can be seen as a roadmap and project-tracking tool that defines the various steps that will be followed [3], the assumption was made that the design brief can play an important role in

The research in this chapter describes a first exploratory study to fill this gap. It aims at gaining understanding on how environmental sustainability is integrated in the design brief in the FEI. Based on the insights from the literature and previous explorative studies [19, 27–29], the research questions can be formulated in order to

How frequently do companies add environmental sustainability in their design

If they do so, which ecodesign principles are requested in the design brief? (1b). The answer to question "1a" will teach us how frequently environmental sustain-

ability elements in the design brief are mentioned in the data sample. Question "1b" on the other hand will help us to understand in more detail what ecodesign principles are used. Seeking a plausible explanation for the reason as to why certain ecodesign principles are more frequently mentioned in the design briefs than others can only be answered by firstly regarding the design briefing process in the FE, as

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company is an SME are number of employees (<250) and either turnover (≤€ 50 m) or balance sheet total (≤€ 43 m).

In all the cases, the companies firstly contact the design team with a request for proposal. This document becomes a design brief after reviewing and discussing the problems and needs with both parties.

The level of innovation proposed in the design briefs in this study varies from average to high. The design briefs can be categorized as open briefs, where the outcome of the project is not yet clearly defined and the product parameters are still flexible. All assignments covered physical, tangible products. More than 95% represents "end products", while the remaining 5% exists out of semi-finished product.

To get a good view on the daily practice and to close out socially desirable behavior, no one was informed in advance about this study.

#### **4.2 Content analysis of 80 design briefs**

Different methods supporting the analysis of a product's impact on the environment can be found in literature and practice. A method was needed to analyze the design briefs that could be applied in the first stage of a product design process, with a general product in mind. Such a method was found in the Ecodesign Strategy Wheel, also called Lifecycle Design Strategies (LiDs) [30]. The method helps to select and communicate strategies to minimize the environmental impact of a design.

The Ecodesign Strategy Wheel provides eight EcoDesign strategies that can be considered systematically, as presented in the **Table 2**. Strategy 0 is either "strategic", working on the product concept level, while the other strategies represents the product life cycle and relates to the product component, structure, and product level. The strategies are divided into 32 sub-strategies and correspond to possible solutions to improve the environmental profile of a product.

The found ecodesign elements in the design briefs were typified and assigned according to the strategies, and indicated as being quantitatively or qualitatively. No distinction is made in the analysis between projects that are initiated with the intention of doing something sustainable vs. projects without a specific sustainability focus.

#### **4.3 Limitations of the study**

The sustainability of the final product cannot be deducted from the design brief, as earlier research showed [17]. The incorporation of sustainability in a design brief does not guarantee results. Several organizational issues could function either as success or failure factors for the entire process. The opposite is also possible; in the case that the design brief does not express any wish or desire for sustainability, it is still possible that the design team may bring sustainability later in the project [28] when new insights are obtained during the innovation process.

Secondly, project leaders and design team members can strongly influence the final outcome of the design brief. Ecodesign push and pull mechanisms can show up in discussions with the company and the design team and often influence the final content of a design brief.

At last, diverse sectors were covered in the design briefs, varying from the electric and electronic industry, lighting, furniture, medical equipment, building, engineering, technology, and polymer industry. This implies a large variety in end products and in terms of production techniques, materials, end-users, market volumes, product function, etc. Therefore, the conclusions to this study can only be indicative.

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**4.4 Results of the design brief analysis**

The content analyses of the 80 design briefs have shown that the uptake of environmental considerations into design briefs is limited. There was a remarkable difference between large enterprises, SMEs and enterprises categorized as "other" (knowledge institutions, government, universities. or associations of

*4.4.1 Overall uptake*

**Table 2.**

*Integrating Sustainability in the Strategic Stage of an Innovation Process: A Design Brief…*

New concept development 0.1 Dematerialization

Reduction of material usage 2.1 Reduction of weight

0.2 Shared use of the product 0.3 Integrations of functions

1.1 Cleaner materials 1.2 Renewable materials

1.4 Recycled materials 1.5 Recyclable materials

0.4 Functional optimization of product

1.3 Lower energy content materials

2.2 Reduction in (transport) volume

3.1 Alternative production techniques

3.3 Lower/cleaner energy consumption

4.1 Less/cleaner/reusable packaging 4.2 Energy-efficient transport mode 4.3 Energy-efficient logistics

5.1 Lower energy consumption 5.2 Cleaner energy source 5.3 Fewer consumables needed 5.4 No waste of energy/consumables

6.1 Reliability and durability 6.2 Easier maintenance and repair 6.3 Modular product structure

6.5 Stronger product-user relation

7.2 Remanufacturing/refurbishing 7.3 Recycling of materials 7.4 Saver incineration

6.4 Classic design

7.1 Reuse of product

3.5 Fewer/cleaner production consumables

3.2 Fewer production steps

3.4 Less production waste

Product level Strategy Sub-strategy

Selection of low impact

Optimization of production

Optimization of distribution

Reduction of impact during

Optimization of end-of-life

*Lifecycle design strategies and sub-strategies according to the product level [30].*

materials

techniques

system

use

lifetime

system

Product system level Optimization of initial

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.89604*

**Lifecycle design strategies**

Product concept

Product component

Product structure

level

level

level


*Integrating Sustainability in the Strategic Stage of an Innovation Process: A Design Brief… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.89604*

#### **Table 2.**

*Design and Manufacturing*

or balance sheet total (≤€ 43 m).

problems and needs with both parties.

**4.2 Content analysis of 80 design briefs**

ior, no one was informed in advance about this study.

solutions to improve the environmental profile of a product.

when new insights are obtained during the innovation process.

company is an SME are number of employees (<250) and either turnover (≤€ 50 m)

In all the cases, the companies firstly contact the design team with a request for proposal. This document becomes a design brief after reviewing and discussing the

The level of innovation proposed in the design briefs in this study varies from average to high. The design briefs can be categorized as open briefs, where the outcome of the project is not yet clearly defined and the product parameters are still flexible. All assignments covered physical, tangible products. More than 95% represents "end products", while the remaining 5% exists out of semi-finished product. To get a good view on the daily practice and to close out socially desirable behav-

Different methods supporting the analysis of a product's impact on the environment can be found in literature and practice. A method was needed to analyze the design briefs that could be applied in the first stage of a product design process, with a general product in mind. Such a method was found in the Ecodesign Strategy Wheel, also called Lifecycle Design Strategies (LiDs) [30]. The method helps to select and communicate strategies to minimize the environmental impact of a design.

The Ecodesign Strategy Wheel provides eight EcoDesign strategies that can be considered systematically, as presented in the **Table 2**. Strategy 0 is either "strategic", working on the product concept level, while the other strategies represents the product life cycle and relates to the product component, structure, and product level. The strategies are divided into 32 sub-strategies and correspond to possible

The found ecodesign elements in the design briefs were typified and assigned according to the strategies, and indicated as being quantitatively or qualitatively. No distinction is made in the analysis between projects that are initiated with the intention of doing something sustainable vs. projects without a specific sustain-

The sustainability of the final product cannot be deducted from the design brief, as earlier research showed [17]. The incorporation of sustainability in a design brief does not guarantee results. Several organizational issues could function either as success or failure factors for the entire process. The opposite is also possible; in the case that the design brief does not express any wish or desire for sustainability, it is still possible that the design team may bring sustainability later in the project [28]

Secondly, project leaders and design team members can strongly influence the final outcome of the design brief. Ecodesign push and pull mechanisms can show up in discussions with the company and the design team and often influence the final

At last, diverse sectors were covered in the design briefs, varying from the electric and electronic industry, lighting, furniture, medical equipment, building, engineering, technology, and polymer industry. This implies a large variety in end products and in terms of production techniques, materials, end-users, market volumes, product function, etc. Therefore, the conclusions to this study can only be

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indicative.

ability focus.

**4.3 Limitations of the study**

content of a design brief.

*Lifecycle design strategies and sub-strategies according to the product level [30].*

### **4.4 Results of the design brief analysis**

#### *4.4.1 Overall uptake*

The content analyses of the 80 design briefs have shown that the uptake of environmental considerations into design briefs is limited. There was a remarkable difference between large enterprises, SMEs and enterprises categorized as "other" (knowledge institutions, government, universities. or associations of


#### **Table 3.**

*The uptake of ecodesign elements in the analyzed design briefs, split up by company type.*

industry-specific institutions). SMEs scored poorly: in 43% of all the SME design briefs, there was an ecodesign component found. The results are presented in **Table 3**.
