What are the issues that a Product Designer will have to consider when designing products in the future?

What are the issues that a Product Designer will have to consider when designing products in the future?

The most obvious concern is waste; this is what sustainability is all about.

To solve this I was reading materials and design by Ashby/Johnson and came across a passage were it said:

“ How, then, to respond to the nearer – term problem of reducing the impact of usage?

One obvious way is to do more with less. Material reduction are made possible by recycling, by the use of renewable materials made from things that grow, by miniaturization and by replacing goods by services. “

“Energy reduction can be achieved by lightweight design of transport systems, by the optimized thermal management of buildings and by increased efficiency of energy conversion and utilization in industry.”

“ Probably the most effective measure of all is that of increasing product life: doubling life halves the impact of three out of four stages of 2.3 (diagram in What is meant by ”design for sustainability? Section) And this refocuses the spotlight on industrial design – people don’t discard possessions they love.”

Reference: Materials and Design Publisher: Butterworth-Heinemann; 2 edition (4 Dec 2009)

The final section sums up by touching on the “Teddy bear factor” which you will be familiar with when Keith showed us his cup, and I can say myself I too have a treasured possession which I would never through out. The answers displayed in the Materials and Design is pretty simple but also very effective. We – the designers- just have to realize this and put this plan into action.