The document provides guidance for a design exercise focused on developing sustainable systems for specific contexts in Africa. Students will design systems related to eating, clothing care, etc. for contexts in Cape Town, Gaborone, Kampala, and Nairobi. The design process involves strategic analysis, exploring opportunities, and system concept design. Key steps include generating ideas, developing concepts, and assessing concepts' environmental, socio-ethical and economic impacts. The goal is for students to create an animatic presenting their finalized system concept.

1. course System Design for Sustainability
Subject 7. Design exercise
learning resource 7.1
DESIGN EXERCISE PRESENTATION
carlo vezzoli
politecnico di milano . DESIGN dept. . DIS . School of Design . Italy
Learning Network on Sustainability
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / DESIGN dept. / DIS / School of Design / Italy

2. CONTENTS
. design brief/theme
. main steps and actors involved
. (MSDS) phases/processes, tools and schedule
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / DESIGN dept. / DIS / School of Design / Italy

3. THEME (DESIGN BRIEF):
design for a given THEME (household function) of a
given african CONTEXT (HEIS LeNSes partners living
region) based on a Locally-Based Sustainable
Energy System, i.e. coherent with the promising
models of Sustainable Product-Service Systems
(S.PSS) and renewable Distributed Energy (rDEn)
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / DESIGN dept. / DIS / School of Design / Italy

4. each group of students will design a suatainable
system for a specific context and theme:
CONTEXTS THEMES
(in africa) (huosehold functions)
Cape Town eating
(South Africa)
Gaborone eating
(Botswana)
Kampala eating
(Uganda)
Nairobi clothing care
(Kenya)
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / DESIGN dept. / DIS / School of Design / Italy

5. LeNSes PARTNERS INVOLVED IN THE COURSE
SYSTEM DESIGN FOR SUSTAINABILITY
(not yet financed project by the EU edulink)
Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Cape
Town, South Africa: prof. Mugendi M’Rithaa, and
prof. Rael Futerman
Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
prof. Venny Nakazibwe
University of Botswana; Gaborone, Botswana
prof. Richie Maolosi and prof. Shorn Molokwane
University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
prof. Lilac Osanjo
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / DESIGN dept. / DIS / School of Design / Italy

6. Multipolar and open network for curricula and lifelong
learning capacity development focused on locally-
based Sustainable Energy System design/engineering, based on promising
models of Product-Service Systems (PSS) and Distributed Energy (DE).
Brunel EU edulink
Brunel University, School of Engineering & TU Delft approved
Design, United Kingdom Delft University of Technology, the Netherlands
project to be
Polimi started
Politecnico di Milano, DESIGN
Department, Italy (coordinator)
MAK
Makerere University, Uganda
+ Local company (associate)
UONBI
University of Nairobi, Kenya
UOB + Local company (associate)
University of Botswana
+ Local company (associate)
CPUT
Cape Peninsula University of Technology, South Africa
+ Local company (associate)
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / DESIGN dept. / DIS / School of Design / Italy

7. REMOTE ROLE OF LOCAL PROFESSORS:
0. LOCAL university’s PROFESSORS collect info/data/images
about own context and theme (household function)
1. YOU design a draft sustainable system concepts > with
POLITECNICO’S PROFESSORS supervision
2. LOCAL PROFESSORS provide critics and additional info on
concepts (YOU made on their context)
3. YOU finalize system concepts > with POLITECNICO’S
PROFESSORS supervision: YOU WILL DEVELOP AN
ANIMATIC
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / DESIGN dept. / DIS / School of Design / Italy

8. DESIGN EXERCISE:
(MSDS) PHASES/PROCESSES, TOOLS AND SCHEDULE
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / DESIGN dept. / DIS / School of Design / Italy

9. MSDS: PHASES/PROCESSES MODULAR METHOD
STRATEGIC ANALYSIS
ANALYSIS OF THE PROJECT PROMOTERS
ANALYSIS OF THE REFERENCE CONTEXT
ANALYSIS OF THE REFERENCE STRUCTURE
ANALYSIS OF BEST PRACTICES
SUSTAINABILITY ANALYSIS AND PRIORITIES DEFIN.
1. enabling to start up
EXPLORING OPPORTUNITIES the process at any PHASE
SUSTAINABILITY-ORIENTED IDEAS GENERATION
DEVELEPMENT OF THE SUSTAINABILITY DESIGN
ORIENTING SCENARIO - VISIONS/CLUSTERS/IDEAS 2. enabling to use a
selected set of
SYSTEM CONCEPT DESIGN
VISIONS, CLUSTERS AND IDEAS SELECTION PROCESSES and TOOLS
SYSTEM CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT/FORMALIZATION
ENV, SOCIO-ET. & ECON. CHECK/VISUALISATION
3. Enabling to work on
SYSTEM DESIGN (AND ENGIN.) one, two or all the
SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT (EXECUTIVE LEVEL) sustainability
ENV, SOCIO-ET. & ECON. CHECK/VISUALISATION
DIMENSIONS
COMMUNICATION
MULTIMEDIA REPORTING: OVERALL QUALITIES
MULTIMEDIA Carlo Vezzoli STAINABILITY QUALITIES
REPORTING:
Politecnico di Milano / DESIGN dept. / DIS / School of Design / Italy

10. MSDS: PHASES/PROCESSES PROCESSES IN EXERCISE
STRATEGIC ANALYSIS
ANALYSIS OF THE PROJECT PROMOTERS PROCESSES ALREADY
ANALYSIS OF THE REFERENCE CONTEXT
CARRIED OUT FOR THE
ANALYSIS OF THE REFERENCE STRUCTURE
ANALYSIS OF BEST PRACTICES DESIGN EXERCISE
SUSTAINABILITY ANALYSIS AND PRIORITIES DEFIN.
EXPLORING OPPORTUNITIES
SUSTAINABILITY-ORIENTED IDEAS GENERATION
DEVELEPMENT OF THE SUSTAINABILITY DESIGN
ORIENTING SCENARIO - VISIONS/CLUSTERS/IDEAS
SYSTEM CONCEPT DESIGN
VISIONS, CLUSTERS AND IDEAS SELECTION PROCESSES TO BE
SYSTEM CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT/FORMALIZATION DEVELOPED BY YOU IN
ENV, SOCIO-ET. & ECON. CHECK/VISUALISATION
THE DESIGN EXERCISE
SYSTEM DESIGN (AND ENGIN.)
SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT (EXECUTIVE LEVEL)
ENV, SOCIO-ET. & ECON. CHECK/VISUALISATION
COMMUNICATION
MULTIMEDIA REPORTING: OVERALL QUALITIES
MULTIMEDIA Carlo Vezzoli STAINABILITY QUALITIES
REPORTING:
Politecnico di Milano / DESIGN dept. / DIS / School of Design / Italy

11. MSDS: PHASES/PROCESSES EXPLORING OPPORTUNITIES
STRATEGIC ANALYSIS
A. CONTEXT OF INTERVENTION/PROJECT PROMOTERS
ANALYSIS OF THE REFERENCE CONTEXT
ANALYSIS OF THE REFERENCE STRUCTURE
ANALYSIS OF BEST PRACTICES
SUSTAINABILITY ANALYSIS AND PRIORITIES DEFIN.
EXPLORING OPPORTUNITIES SUSTAINABILITY-ORIENTED
SUSTAINABILITY-ORIENTED IDEAS GENERATION IDEAS GENERATINON
DEVELEPMENT OF THE SUSTAINABILITY DESIGN
ORIENTING SCENARIO - VISIONS/CLUSTERS/IDEAS . generate a set of potentially
sustainable system ideas
SYSTEM CONCEPT DESIGN
VISIONS, CLUSTERS AND IDEAS SELECTION
SYSTEM CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT/FORMALIZATION
ENV, SOCIO-ET. & ECON. CHECK/VISUALISATION
SYSTEM DESIGN (AND ENGIN.)
SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT (EXECUTIVE LEVEL)
ENV, SOCIO-ET. & ECON. CHECK/VISUALISATION
COMMUNICATION
MULTIMEDIA REPORTING: OVERALL QUALITIES
MULTIMEDIA Carlo Vezzoli STAINABILITY QUALITIES
REPORTING:
Politecnico di Milano / DESIGN dept. / DIS / School of Design / Italy

12. . GENERATE “ENVIRONMENTAL/SUST. IDEAS” BY BRAINSTORMING
. tool: SUSTAINABILITY DESIGN-ORIENTING / ORIENTATE CONCEPT
for each criterion, an idea table with
guidelinees at system level
(work on those with highest prioritities)
for
environm.
sustainability
dimension
typed
emerged
system ideas
(for each
criterion)
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / DESIGN dept. / DIS / School of Design / Italy

13. . GENERATE “SOCIOETHICAL/SUSTAIN. IDEAS” BY BRAINSTORMING
. tool: SUSTAINABILITY DESIGN-ORIENTING / ORIENTATE CONCEPT
for each criterion, an idea table with
guidelinees at system level
(work on those with highest prioritities)
for socio-
ethical
sustainability
dimension
type
emerged
system
ideas
(for each
criterion)
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / DESIGN dept. / DIS / School of Design / Italy

14. . MOST PROMISING IDEAS SHIFT IN SYSTEM INNOV. POLARITIES
DIAGRAMM (BRAINSTORMING)
. tool: PPT FORMAT
IDEA 1 XXX
IDEA 2 XXX
IDEA 3 XXX
IDEA 4 XXX
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / DESIGN dept. / DIS / School of Design / Italy

15. . TYPE TEXT DESCRIBING THE FIRST CONCEPT DRAFT
bla, bla, bla, bla, bla, bla, bla, bla, bla,
bla, bla, bla, bla, bla, bla, ……….
[less then 200 words]
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / DESIGN dept. / DIS / School of Design / Italy

16. MSDS: PHASES/PROCESSES SYSTEM CONCEPT DESIGN
STRATEGIC ANALYSIS
A. CONTEXT OF INTERVENTION/PROJECT PROMOTERS
ANALYSIS OF THE REFERENCE CONTEXT
ANALYSIS OF THE REFERENCE STRUCTURE
ANALYSIS OF BEST PRACTICES
SUSTAINABILITY ANALYSIS AND PRIORITIES DEFIN.
EXPLORING OPPORTUNITIES SYSTEM CONCEPT
SUSTAINABILITY-ORIENTED IDEAS GENERATION DEVELOPMENT AND
DEVELEPMENT OF THE SUSTAINABILITY DESIGN
ORIENTING SCENARIO - VISIONS/CLUSTERS/IDEAS FORMALIZATION
designing/visualization of:
SYSTEM CONCEPT DESIGN . the system’s actors that
VISIONS, CLUSTERS AND IDEAS SELECTION
SYSTEM CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT/FORMALIZATION
produces and delivers the
ENV, SOCIO-ET. & ECON. CHECK/VISUALISATION offer
. the interaction between
SYSTEM DESIGN (AND ENGIN.) user/client and the offer
SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT (EXECUTIVE LEVEL) system
ENV, SOCIO-ET. & ECON. CHECK/VISUALISATION
. the set of products and
services that make up the
COMMUNICATION
offer and the functions it fulfils
MULTIMEDIA REPORTING: OVERALL QUALITIES
MULTIMEDIA Carlo Vezzoli STAINABILITY QUALITIES
REPORTING:
Politecnico di Milano / DESIGN dept. / DIS / School of Design / Italy

17. . DRAFT SYSTEM CONCEPT OF STAKEHOLDER CONFIGURATION
. tool: STAKEHOLDER SYSTEM MAP
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / DESIGN dept. / DIS / School of Design / Italy

18. . DRAFT CONCEPT NARRATION OF INTERACTIONS
. tool: INTERACTION TABLE (2 rows: 1 for user; 2: for providers)
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / DESIGN dept. / DIS / School of Design / Italy

19. . DRAFT OFFER ARTICULATION
. tool: SATISFACTION OFFERING DIAGRAMM
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / DESIGN dept. / DIS / School of Design / Italy

20. MSDS: PHASES/PROCESSES SYSTEM CONCEPT DESIGN
STRATEGIC ANALYSIS
A. CONTEXT OF INTERVENTION/PROJECT PROMOTERS
ANALYSIS OF THE REFERENCE CONTEXT
ANALYSIS OF THE REFERENCE STRUCTURE
ANALYSIS OF BEST PRACTICES
SUSTAINABILITY ANALYSIS AND PRIORITIES DEFIN.
EXPLORING OPPORTUNITIES ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIO-
SUSTAINABILITY-ORIENTED IDEAS GENERATION ETHICAL & ECONOMIC
DEVELEPMENT OF THE SUSTAINABILITY DESIGN
ORIENTING SCENARIO - VISIONS/CLUSTERS/IDEAS CHECK/VISUALIZATION
. assess the potential
SYSTEM CONCEPT DESIGN improvements that the
VISIONS, CLUSTERS AND IDEAS SELECTION
SYSTEM CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT/FORMALIZATION
system concepts could
ENV, SOCIO-ET. & ECON. CHECK/VISUALISATION generate from an
environmental, socio-ethical
SYSTEM DESIGN (AND ENGIN.) and economic point of view
SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT (EXECUTIVE LEVEL)
ENV, SOCIO-ET. & ECON. CHECK/VISUALISATION
COMMUNICATION
MULTIMEDIA REPORTING: OVERALL QUALITIES
MULTIMEDIA Carlo Vezzoli STAINABILITY QUALITIES
REPORTING:
Politecnico di Milano / DESIGN dept. / DIS / School of Design / Italy

21. . CHECK IN PROGRESS CONCEPT ENVIRONMENTAL/SUSTAINABILITY
. tool: SUSTAINABILITY DESIGN-ORIENTING / CHECK CONCEPT
improvemnts levels qualitative sustainability assessment of concept
definition per aech improvements (report for each criterion) as
criterion: -, =, +, ++ compared with the existing system (checklists)
for
environmen.
sustainability
dimension
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / DESIGN dept. / DIS / School of Design / Italy

22. . VISUALISE CONCEPT ENVIRONMENTAL/SUSTAINABILITY POTENT.
. tool: SUSTAINAB. DESIGN-ORIENTING / ENVIRONMENTAL RADAR
visualisation of existing
visualisation concept system priorities
improvement
(for each criterion)
(for each criterion)
for
environmen.
sustainability
dimension
text
synthethising
improvement
(for each
IMPROVEMENT…
criterion)
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / DESIGN dept. / DIS / School of Design / Italy

23. . VISUALISE CONCEPT SOCIOETHICAL SUATAINABILITY
. tool: SUSTAINABILITY DESIGN-ORIENTING / ENVIRONM. RADAR
concept improvement level
visualisation
(e.g. +) (for each criterion)
text
synthethising
improvement
(for each
criterion)
IMPROVEMENT…
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / DESIGN dept. / DIS / School of Design / Italy

24. MSDS: PHASES/PROCESSES SYSTEM CONCEPT DESIGN
STRATEGIC ANALYSIS
A. CONTEXT OF INTERVENTION/PROJECT PROMOTERS
ANALYSIS OF THE REFERENCE CONTEXT
ANALYSIS OF THE REFERENCE STRUCTURE
ANALYSIS OF BEST PRACTICES
SUSTAINABILITY ANALYSIS AND PRIORITIES DEFIN.
EXPLORING OPPORTUNITIES SYSTEM CONCEPT
SUSTAINABILITY-ORIENTED IDEAS GENERATION DEVELOPMENT AND
DEVELEPMENT OF THE SUSTAINABILITY DESIGN
ORIENTING SCENARIO - VISIONS/CLUSTERS/IDEAS FORMALIZATION (DETAILED)
designing/visualization of:
SYSTEM CONCEPT DESIGN . the system’s actors that
VISIONS, CLUSTERS AND IDEAS SELECTION
SYSTEM CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT/FORMALIZATION
produces and delivers the
ENV, SOCIO-ET. & ECON. CHECK/VISUALISATION offer
. the interaction between
SYSTEM DESIGN (AND ENGIN.) user/client and the offer
SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT (EXECUTIVE LEVEL) system
ENV, SOCIO-ET. & ECON. CHECK/VISUALISATION
. the set of products and
services that make up the
COMMUNICATION
offer and the functions it fulfils
MULTIMEDIA REPORTING: OVERALL QUALITIES
MULTIMEDIA Carlo Vezzoli STAINABILITY QUALITIES
REPORTING:
Politecnico di Milano / DESIGN dept. / DIS / School of Design / Italy

25. . FINALISE CONCEPT STAKEHOLDERS CONFIGURATION
. tool: SYSTEM MAP
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / DESIGN dept. / DIS / School of Design / Italy

26. . FINALISE CONCEPT NARRATION OF INTERACTIONS
. tool: INTERACTION TABLE(n rows: 1 for user; n-1: for providers)
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / DESIGN dept. / DIS / School of Design / Italy

27. . ABSTRACT (ONE ROW) CONCEPT NARRATION
. tool: INTERACTION STORY BOARD
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / DESIGN dept. / DIS / School of Design / Italy

28. . FINALISED OFFER ARTICULATION OF CONCEPT
. tool: SATISFACTION OFFERING DIAGRAMM
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / DESIGN dept. / DIS / School of Design / Italy

29. . FINALISED TEXT DESCRIBING THE CONCEPT
bla, bla, bla, bla, bla, bla, bla, bla, bla,
bla, bla, bla, bla, bla, bla, ……….
[less then 200 words]
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / DESIGN dept. / DIS / School of Design / Italy

30. . SKETCH/RENDERING PRODUCTS, SUPPORT-PRODUCT CONCEPTS
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / DESIGN dept. / DIS / School of Design / Italy

31. MSDS: PHASES/PROCESSES SYSTEM CONCEPT DESIGN
STRATEGIC ANALYSIS
A. CONTEXT OF INTERVENTION/PROJECT PROMOTERS
ANALYSIS OF THE REFERENCE CONTEXT
ANALYSIS OF THE REFERENCE STRUCTURE
ANALYSIS OF BEST PRACTICES
SUSTAINABILITY ANALYSIS AND PRIORITIES DEFIN.
EXPLORING OPPORTUNITIES ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIO-
SUSTAINABILITY-ORIENTED IDEAS GENERATION ETHICAL & ECONOMIC
DEVELEPMENT OF THE SUSTAINABILITY DESIGN
ORIENTING SCENARIO - VISIONS/CLUSTERS/IDEAS CHECK/VISUALIZATION
(UPDATE)
SYSTEM CONCEPT DESIGN
VISIONS, CLUSTERS AND IDEAS SELECTION . UPDATE the assessment of
SYSTEM CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT/FORMALIZATION the potential improvements
ENV, SOCIO-ET. & ECON. CHECK/VISUALISATION
that the system concepts
SYSTEM DESIGN (AND ENGIN.)
could generate from an
SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT (EXECUTIVE LEVEL)
environmental, socio-ethical
ENV, SOCIO-ET. & ECON. CHECK/VISUALISATION and economic point of view
COMMUNICATION
MULTIMEDIA REPORTING: OVERALL QUALITIES
MULTIMEDIA Carlo Vezzoli STAINABILITY QUALITIES
REPORTING:
Politecnico di Milano / DESIGN dept. / DIS / School of Design / Italy

32. . (up-date) VISUALISE CONCEPT ENVIRONMENTAL SUATAINABILITY
. tool: SUSTAINABILITY DESIGN-ORIENTING / ENVIRONM. RADAR
concept improvement level existing system priority
visualisation visualisation
(e.g. +) (for each criterion) (e.g. Medium) (for each criterion)
text
synthethising
improvement
(for each
criterion)
IMPROVEMENT…
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / DESIGN dept. / DIS / School of Design / Italy

33. MSDS: PHASES/PROCESSES SYSTEM CONCEPT DESIGN
STRATEGIC ANALYSIS
A. CONTEXT OF INTERVENTION/PROJECT PROMOTERS
ANALYSIS OF THE REFERENCE CONTEXT
ANALYSIS OF THE REFERENCE STRUCTURE
ANALYSIS OF BEST PRACTICES
SUSTAINABILITY ANALYSIS AND PRIORITIES DEFIN.
EXPLORING OPPORTUNITIES MULTIMEDIA REPORTING:
SUSTAINABILITY-ORIENTED IDEAS GENERATION OVERALL QUALITIES +
DEVELEPMENT OF THE SUSTAINABILITY DESIGN
ORIENTING SCENARIO - VISIONS/CLUSTERS/IDEAS STAINABILITY QUALITIES
. PPT-based Animatic
SYSTEM CONCEPT DESIGN
VISIONS, CLUSTERS AND IDEAS SELECTION
SYSTEM CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT/FORMALIZATION
ENV, SOCIO-ET. & ECON. CHECK/VISUALISATION
SYSTEM DESIGN (AND ENGIN.)
SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT (EXECUTIVE LEVEL)
ENV, SOCIO-ET. & ECON. CHECK/VISUALISATION
COMMUNICATION
MULTIMEDIA REPORTING: OVERALL QUALITIES
MULTIMEDIA Carlo Vezzoli STAINABILITY QUALITIES
REPORTING:
Politecnico di Milano / DESIGN dept. / DIS / School of Design / Italy

34. . ANIMATE WITH AUDIO CONCEPT DESCRIPTION
. tool: ANIMATIC (1,5 min PPT-based audio animatic)
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / DESIGN dept. / DIS / School of Design / Italy

35. PLENARY PRESENTATION
(june the 18th, 9.30-13.15, CT57)
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / DESIGN dept. / DIS / School of Design / Italy