1. course System Design for Sustainability
Subject 5. Methods and tools for System Design for Sustainability
learning resource 5.2
Sustainability-orienting system design
tools
carlo vezzoli
politecnico di milano . INDACO dpt. . DIS . faculty of design . Italy
Learning Network on Sustainability
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / INDACO dept. / DIS / Faculty of Design / Italy

2. CONTENTS
. System design orientation towards sustainability
. Sustainability Design-Orienting (SDO) toolkit
. Sustainability Interaction story-spot
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / INDACO dept. / DIS / Faculty of Design / Italy

3. [… NOT ALL SYSTEM INNOVATION ARE ECO-EFFICENT
AND SOCIALLY EQUITABLE AND COHESIVE!]
(OBJECTIVE) ORIENTATE SUYSTEM DESIGN
TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS
… in addition to system design tools
> CRITERIA AND GUIDELINES ARE NEEDED
> METHODS AND TOOLS ARE NEEDED to orientate
design towards sustainable system stakeholder
interactions
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / INDACO dept. / DIS / Faculty of Design / Italy

4. SUSTAINABILITY ORIENTING
SYSTEM DESIGN TOOLS:
MAIN AIMS:
.define priorities
. orientate
. check/visualize
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / INDACO dept. / DIS / Faculty of Design / Italy

5. SUATAINABILITY SUSTAINABILITY ORIENTING DESIGN/DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
EFFECTIVENESS METHOD/TOOLS PRODUCT, SERVICE, SYSTEM
+ priorities evaluat. (existing) A strategic analysis
system concept
concept orientation B stakeholders interactions concept
system concept product concept service concept
evaluation/visualisation
(priorities) C
system concept
system design
evaluation/visualisation A’ stakeholders interactions design
system design orientation B’
system design
product design service design
evaluation/visualisation C’’
system design
system engin.
evaluation/visualisation A’’
stakeholders interactions engineering
_
system engineering evaluation
B’’ product service
system engineering engineering engineering
evaluation/visualisation C’’
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / INDACO dept. / DIS / Faculty of Design / Italy

6. MSDS SUSTAINABILITY ORIENTING
SYSTEM DESIGN TOOLS:
1. Sustainability Design-Orienting toolkit (SDO)
2. sustainability interaction story-spot
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / INDACO dept. / DIS / Faculty of Design / Italy

7. 1. SUSTAINABILITY DESIGN-ORIENTING (SDO) TOOL
SCOPE
orientate system design process
towards sustainable solutions
(environmental, socio-ethical,
economic)
WHAT IS:
a modular software toolkit supporting the following
processes:
- A: priorities sustainability criteria/guidelines (existing
system qualitative analysis)
- B: identify sustainable existing options (best practices
analysis)
- C: generate sustainability-focused idea
- D: check/visualise sustainability
improvement/worsening of developed concept/s
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / INDACO dept. / DIS / Faculty of Design / Italy

8. SDO STRUCTURE:
SUSTAINABILITY DIMENSIONS<CRITERIA<GUIDELINES
sustainability dimensions criteria guidelines (2 levels)
principles distinguished areas designer-BRIDGE-analyst addressing potential
improvement
 guideline
(e.g. on-site
future generation criteria 1 production/assembly)
(e.g. transportation
 guideline
environmental reduction)
(e.g. use local resources)
environmental …
preservation
criteria 2 …
(e.g. system life optim.)
social equity … criteria 3-6 …
and cohesion
socio-ethical … criteria 1-6 …
economic
prosperity
economic … criteria 1-6 …
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / INDACO dept. / DIS / Faculty of Design / Italy

9. ENVIRONMENTAL CRITERIA (GUIDELINES)
to suggest system eco-efficent
(stakeholder innovative interactions)
. system life optimisation
. transportation/distribution reduction
. resources reduction
. waste minimisation/valorisation
. conservation/biocompatibility
. toxic reduction
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / INDACO dept. / DIS / Faculty of Design / Italy

10. SOCIO-ETHIC CRITERIA (GUIDELINES)
to suggest system social equity and cohesion
(stakeholder innovative interactions)
. improve employment/working conditions
. increase equity and justice in relation to
stakeholders
. enable responsible/sustainable consumption
. favour/integrate the weak and marginalized
. improve social cohesion
. empower/enhance local resources
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / INDACO dept. / DIS / Faculty of Design / Italy

11. 0. LOGIN [if requested]
to start type:
username and password
and click on OK
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / INDACO dept. / DIS / Faculty of Design / Italy

12. 0. LOAD/NEW PROJECT select a
language
type projct name to be loaded (if
existing) or created (if new)
click on OK
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / INDACO dept. / DIS / Faculty of Design / Italy

13. 0. STARTING DATA (MENÙ)
other fields
could be filled
select the
sustainability
dimension to
work on and
click (e.g.
environmen.)
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / INDACO dept. / DIS / Faculty of Design / Italy

14. A. ENVIRONMENTAL/SUSTAINABILITY PRIORITIES DEF.
select the visualise one by one the
criteria define priorities evaluation checklists
(for each critera)
cliclk on set
priotities
write
answers
(one for
each
checklist of
each
critera)
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / INDACO dept. / DIS / Faculty of Design / Italy

15. B. BEST PRACTICE ANALYSIS TO IDENTIFY EXISTING
SUSTAINABLE OPTIONS visualise one by one the
select the define the evaluation checklists
criteria imrovement (for each critera)
cliclk on set
priotities
write
answers
(one for
each
checklist of
each
critera)
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / INDACO dept. / DIS / Faculty of Design / Italy

16. C. GENERATE “SUSTAINABLE IDEAS” BY
BRAINSTORMING
cliclk on the
sustainability dimension
(e.g. environmental)
cliclk on
orientate
concept
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / INDACO dept. / DIS / Faculty of Design / Italy

17. . GENERATE “SUSTAINABLE IDEAS” BY BRAINSTORMING
select one of the idea table
read the guidelinees at
starting form those with
the system level (one
higher prioriitiies
for each critaeria)
(one for each criteria)
click on the
button and
type emerged
ideas
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / INDACO dept. / DIS / Faculty of Design / Italy

18. . GENERATE “SUSTAINABLE IDEAS” BY BRAINSTORMING
select one of the idea table read the guidelinees at
the system level (one
(one for each criteria) for each critaeria)
click on the
button and
type emerged
ideas
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / INDACO dept. / DIS / Faculty of Design / Italy

19. D. SUSTAINABILITY CHECK OF IN PROGRESS SYSTEM
CONCEPT
cliclk on sustainability dimension
(e.g. environmental)
cliclk on
check
concept
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / INDACO dept. / DIS / Faculty of Design / Italy

20. D. CHECK IN PROGRESS SYSTEM CONCEPT
visualise one by one the
select the define evaluation checklists
criteria improvement (for each critera)
Radar env.
write
answers
(for each
checklist of
each
criteria)
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / INDACO dept. / DIS / Faculty of Design / Italy

21. D. VISUALISE IN PROGRESS SYSTEM CONCEPT
priority of existing system
(e.g. Medium)
concept improvement
(e.g. +)
type text
synthethising
improvement
for each IMPROVEMENT…
criterion
(sust.
dimension)
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / INDACO dept. / DIS / Faculty of Design / Italy

22. D. VISUALISE IN PROGRESS SYSTEM CONCEPT
priority of existing system
(e.g. no priority)
concept improvement
(e.g. +)
per other
sustanibility
dimension,
e.g. socio-
ethical
type text
synthethising
improvement
for each IMPROVEMENT…
criterion
(sust.
dimension)
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / INDACO dept. / DIS / Faculty of Design / Italy

23. SDO
integration in the design process STRATEGIC ANALYSIS
ANALYSIS OF THE PROJECT PROMOTERS
per each sustainability dimension ANALYSIS OF THE REFERENCE CONTEXT
increasing the detail level ANALYSIS OF THE REFERENCE STRUCTURE
ANALYSIS OF BEST PRACTICES
A: priorities sustain. DEFINITION OF SUSTAINABILITY DESIGN PRIORITIES
criteria/guidelines
[tool: checklist/existing EXPLORING OPPORTUNITIES
IDEAS GENERATION ORIENTED TO SUSTAINABILITY
system]
DEVELEPMENT OF THE SUSTAINABILITY DESIGN
ORIENTING SCENARIO - VISIONS/CLUSTERS/IDEAS
B: analysis of sustainab.
best practices
SYSTEM CONCEPT DESIGN
[tool: checklist/case VISIONS, CLUSTERS AND IDEAS SELECTION
study; radars] SYSTEM CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
ENV, SOCIO-ET. & ECON. CHECK/VISUALISATION
C: sustainability-focused
idea generation SYSTEM DESIGN (AND ENGIN.)
[tool: idea tables + SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT (EXECUTIVE LEVEL)
guidelines] ENV, SOCIO-ET. & ECON. CHECK/VISUALISATION
D:sustainab. improv.
check/visualisat. COMMUNICATION
MULTIMEDIA REPORTING: OVERALL QUALITIES
[tool: checklist/concept;
MULTIMEDIA REPORTING: STAINABILITY QUALITIES
radars] di Milano / INDACO dept. / DIS / Faculty of Design / Italy
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico

24. 1. SUSTAINABILITY DESIGN-ORIENTING (SDO)
TOOL AVAILABILITY:
. downloadable from the tool section of
www.lens.polimi.it for local installation
. usable on-line at www.sdo-lens.polimi.it
. open source and copy left
. languages: english, italian, portughese, chinese,
spanish
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / INDACO dept. / DIS / Faculty of Design / Italy

25. 2. INTERACTION (SUSTAINABILITY) STORY-SPOT
SCOPE:
visualise (only) key interaction in relation to a
specific aim, i.e. how the concept help achieve a
given sustainability criteria
WHAT IS:
a clipping from an interaction story-board. It covers
less and focuses better than a storyboard
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / INDACO dept. / DIS / Faculty of Design / Italy

26. 2. INTERACTION (SUSTAINABILITY) STORY-SPOT
WHAT IT CONSISTS OF:
it is a graphical representation containing:
> the sequence of slides accompanied with short texts,
representing (in time) the key interactions of the solution
> differentiated colors to identify each stakeholder (e.g.
provider and client)
> notes to highlight main achieved sustainability criteria
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / INDACO dept. / DIS / Faculty of Design / Italy

27. 2. SUSTAINABILITY INTERACTION STORY-SPOT
GREEN COLOR:
CLIENT
RED COLOR:
PROVIDER
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / INDACO dept. / DIS / Faculty of Design / Italy

28. 2. SUSTAINABILITY INTERACTION STORY-SPOT
IMAGE
BACKGROUND
COLOR
SHORT TEXT
STAKEHOLDER
IDENTIFICATION
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / INDACO dept. / DIS / Faculty of Design / Italy

29. 2. SUSTAINABILITY INTERACTION STORY-SPOT
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / INDACO dept. / DIS / Faculty of Design / Italy

30. 2. SUSTAINABILITY INTERACTION STORY-SPOT
TOOL AVAILABILITY:
open source library of images (places)
www.lens.polimi.it /tool
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / INDACO dept. / DIS / Faculty of Design / Italy

31. 2. SUSTAINABILITY INTERACTION STORY-SPOT
TOOL AVAILABILITY:
open source library of images (people)
www.lens.polimi.it / tool
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / INDACO dept. / DIS / Faculty of Design / Italy

32. 2. SUSTAINABILITY INTERACTION STORY-SPOT
TOOL AVAILABILITY:
Combine images to develop the visualszation:
CONTEXT PEOPLE
IMAGES IMAGES
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / INDACO dept. / DIS / Faculty of Design / Italy

33. 2. SUSTAINABILITY INTERACTION STORY-SPOT
integration in the design process STRATEGIC ANALYSIS
ANALYSIS OF THE PROJECT PROMOTERS
per each sustainability dimension ANALYSIS OF THE REFERENCE CONTEXT
increasing the detail level ANALYSIS OF THE REFERENCE STRUCTURE
ANALYSIS OF BEST PRACTICES
DEFINITION OF SUSTAINABILITY DESIGN PRIORITIES
EXPLORING OPPORTUNITIES
IDEAS GENERATION ORIENTED TO SUSTAINABILITY
DEVELEPMENT OF THE SUSTAINABILITY DESIGN
ORIENTING SCENARIO - VISIONS/CLUSTERS/IDEAS
visualise (only) key
SYSTEM CONCEPT DESIGN
interactions VISIONS, CLUSTERS AND IDEAS SELECTION
underlining the SYSTEM CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
achieved ENV, SOCIO-ET. & ECON. CHECK/VISUALISATION
sustainability criteria
SYSTEM DESIGN (AND ENGIN.)
SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT (EXECUTIVE LEVEL)
ENV, SOCIO-ET. & ECON. CHECK/VISUALISATION
COMMUNICATION
MULTIMEDIA REPORTING: OVERALL QUALITIES
Carlo Vezzoli MULTIMEDIA REPORTING: STAINABILITY QUALITIES
Politecnico di Milano / INDACO dept. / DIS / Faculty of Design / Italy