How can you ensure your sustainable design solutions are holistic and systems-based?
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Sustainable design is not only about creating products or services that minimize environmental impact, but also about considering the social, economic, and cultural aspects of the problem and the solution. To achieve this, you need to adopt a holistic and systems-based approach that takes into account the interconnections and interactions between different elements and stakeholders. In this article, you will learn how to ensure your sustainable design solutions are holistic and systems-based by following these four steps:
The first step is to define the system boundaries of your design problem and solution. This means identifying the scope, scale, and context of the issue you are trying to address, as well as the goals, values, and criteria of your design solution. You should also consider the direct and indirect impacts of your design on the environment, society, and economy, both locally and globally. By defining the system boundaries, you can avoid oversimplifying or overlooking important aspects of the problem and the solution.
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Magali Cicujano
Consultant
Defining system boundaries is the fundamental step in the design process, providing the framework for addressing complex problems effectively. By establishing the scope, scale, and context, designers can develop a comprehensive understanding of the issue at hand. Considering goals, values, criteria, and broader impacts ensures that design solutions align with ethical, social, and environmental considerations. Avoiding oversimplification and neglect allows for the development of robust, holistic solutions that address the complexities of the system.
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Arnaud Blandin
Executive, Mentor, Teacher | Sustainability, ESG, Impact Investing, Technology
Actually defining boundaries based only on your solution and your system can create a tunnel effect not allowing holistic view. It is important to consider a true holistic system of review such as advised by the ESRS system developed by EFRAG or the TNFD recommendations for biodiversity
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The second step is to analyze the system dynamics of your design problem and solution. This means understanding the relationships, feedback loops, and leverage points that affect the behavior and performance of the system. You should also explore the potential scenarios, risks, and opportunities that your design solution might create or face in the short and long term. By analyzing the system dynamics, you can identify the root causes and effects of the problem and the solution, as well as the trade-offs and synergies between different aspects of the system.
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Magali Cicujano
Consultant
Designers can develop effective, holistic solutions by identifying root causes and effects, exploring potential scenarios, risks, and opportunities, and considering trade-offs and synergies. This analysis allows designers to address the underlying dynamics of the system, leading to more sustainable, impactful outcomes. The power of system dynamics analysis creates transformative design solutions that address the core challenges and foster positive change.
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Abbigail Meah-Ali
Project Manager and Consultant/Training Facilitator/Auditor
Sustainable design is more than just reducing environmental impact. It's a multidimensional solution that involves social, economic, and cultural factors. Consider the bigger picture, acknowledging the intricate web of interconnections among elements and stakeholders. Sustainability is about balance. Dive into system dynamics. Understand the relationships, feedback loops, and leverage points that drive behavior. Explore scenarios, risks, and opportunities to ensure a well-rounded, enduring solution.
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The third step is to engage the system stakeholders of your design problem and solution. This means involving the people and organizations that have a stake or interest in the problem and the solution, such as users, customers, beneficiaries, partners, suppliers, competitors, regulators, and communities. You should also seek to understand their needs, preferences, expectations, and perspectives, as well as their roles, responsibilities, and influences in the system. By engaging the system stakeholders, you can co-create and co-evaluate your design solution with them, as well as build trust and collaboration.
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Magali Cicujano
Consultant
Engaging system stakeholders is a vital step in the design process, enabling designers to tap into the collective wisdom and expertise of those who have a stake in the problem and its solution. By understanding stakeholders' needs, preferences, expectations, and roles, designers can co-create and co-evaluate solutions that are more likely to succeed. Furthermore, stakeholder engagement fosters trust, collaboration, and a sense of ownership, enhancing the overall impact and effectiveness of the design solution. Embrace stakeholder engagement as a means to create meaningful and sustainable change in the systems we seek to improve.
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François A.
Brain agitator
When technology is hybridized with public participation methodologies, an effective form of project governance and commitment is created. The key is to use techniques in the service of an objective: how to collect and translate everyone's realities, into a common tool that can be shared and project us dynamically. This is particularly the case with CLDs (causal loop diagrams) and SFDs (stock flow diagrams), which can then be used to create a dynamic scenario-based projection model based on everyone's contributions.
The fourth step is to iterate the system solution of your design problem and solution. This means testing and refining your design solution based on the feedback and data you collect from the system analysis and stakeholder engagement. You should also monitor and measure the impacts and outcomes of your design solution on the system, as well as adapt and improve your design solution according to the changing conditions and contexts of the system. By iterating the system solution, you can ensure your design solution is effective, efficient, and resilient.
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Magali Cicujano
Consultant
Iterating the system solution is a fundamental step in the design process. By embracing an iterative approach, designers can refine and optimize their solutions to achieve effectiveness, efficiency, and resilience. The iterative process empowers us to test, refine, and adapt our solutions based on feedback and data, ensuring alignment with stakeholder needs and expectations. By monitoring impacts and outcomes, we can measure our solution's effectiveness and identify improvement areas. Through adaptation and improvement, we can create design solutions that are not only effective but also adaptable to the ever-changing dynamics of the system.
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Philippe Schicker
Experienced Energy Consultant | Former Data Science for Social Good Fellow | Looking for Climate Tech Position | M.S. Management & Data Analytics at Carnegie Mellon University
Iterating the design solution is an ongoing process that ensures adaptability and continuous improvement. Regularly monitoring and measuring impacts and outcomes helps in making data-driven decisions and addressing changing conditions. It's a fundamental step to maintain the effectiveness and efficiency of your sustainable design solution.
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Marc Fiammante
Retired IBM Fellow. Scientific advisor to Oktal-SE. PhD student with Paris brain institute (ICM) / Sorbonne Université to improve infant HIE detection
Follow the work done in ISO standard committee 39 Sustainability, IT and data centres, a group is working on Digital Services Eco Design to create a set requirements and give recommendations on how an organization can eco design a digital service considering the full life cycle, based on the work published by AFNOR which I contributed to. https://www.iso.org/committee/654019.html . AFNOR work freely available here https://www.boutique.afnor.org/en-gb/standard/afnor-spec-2201//fa203506/323315
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Ashkan F.
Marketing Manager and Business Growth Consultant | Driving Growth, Innovative Solutions || MSc Behavioral Science | MBA
In my experience, shifting the perspective from profit maximization to outcome optimization for all stakeholders is a fundamental principle in achieving holistic and systems-based sustainable design solutions. It entails seeking a balance point that not only maximizes the positive outcomes but also minimizes negative repercussions and spill-over effects. Engaging all stakeholders, while recognizing that reaching a consensus may not always be feasible, allows for a co-creative toward mutually accepted solutions. While it may not be possible to involve every stakeholder, the more diverse voices we can engage within an ecosystem, the more likely we are to arrive at holistic and widely accepted solutions, ultimately driving sustainable change.