Positive impact
- Is this future useful, environmentally and socially responsible?
- Does it adress fundamental needs or societal issues?
- What are the possible uses of technologies in this future?
2023-06-29
The simple future and its toolbox
When designers channel their creativity toward industry, they often find themselves actors within the consumer society. While we aim to avoid cluttering the world with unnecessary innovations, we frequently encounter clients in industries focused on producing and selling new objects, products, and services — with economic growth as the primary goal.
Novelty is often seen as essential for survival and success (especially economic success), and most companies foster an ideal of linear, boundless progress.
- Linear in that we assume that what comes next will be "better" than what came before.
- Infinite in that we assume an endless ability to produce “new” objects.
However, today, the physical limits of our natural resources are apparent to all. The model of endless growth is increasingly questioned and no longer represents a desirable future. Our world is visibly suffering from our overconsumption of resources. Across nearly every industry, the ecological transition is underway, beginning, or in progress.
The 4 Markers of the Simple Future
Our agency relies on a framework of four markers to evaluate the relevance of projects:
Circularity
- Does this future allow reuse?
- Does it embed sustainable sourcing as a core principle?
- Does it contribute to a functionality-based economy?
- Does it produce less waste?
Simplicity
- Is this future guided by common sense?
- Is it suited to real needs and new uses, promoting a mindset of sustainability?
Desirability
- Is this an inspiring future?
- Does it offer a high-quality experience?
- Does it help embed new practices over time?
The future must be responsible, both environmentally and socially, addressing fundamental needs and societal challenges. It should also promote an ambitious vision of the future, representing a significant shift in how we live — while remaining economically viable. Simplicity should be at the heart of the future, meeting real needs in a streamlined, sustainable way. Lastly, the future should be inspiring, evoking emotion and providing a high-quality experience to ensure its desirability.
Systemic Analysis
To guide our clients and partners toward a simple future, we have developed an analytical tool to assess value propositions against these four markers. We have adapted the Eco-design circle tool to fit our approach. By combining the life cycle and usage cycle, we can consider the impacts related to product use and the role of the user. No longer just a passive consumer, the user is viewed as an active participant in the solution.
Tackling Root Causes
Ecological awareness is gaining ground. Faced with the evidence of the impact (and destruction) of human activities, various initiatives have emerged to solve pressing issues, particularly plastic pollution.
The data is clear: the amount of plastic waste is enormous, making it essential to tackle this challenge by creating circular production models (@fabunit).
But these efforts alone are insufficient. By addressing the life and usage cycle of a product or service upfront, we aim to create solutions with positive impacts and minimize any harmful effects down the line. By moving through different loops of circularity (functionality, reuse, repurposing, recycling), the resources needed to create usable value can be optimized and kept in circulation for as long as possible.
Our ultimate goal is clear: to eliminate the need for “new” resources (extracted from fossil reserves) and eliminate all pollution across the product life cycle. While achieving this may be unattainable, there is substantial room for improvement.
Rethinking our approach to design and innovation is essential to building a simple future. Systemic analysis helps us evaluate value propositions by considering the entire life and usage cycle. By tackling root causes, promoting durability, and optimizing resources, we can create products and services with a positive impact.
We aim to shape a future where innovation and sustainability go hand in hand. This is a challenge that inspires us, requires commitment, and we are confident in our collective ability to meet it.
