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Recent research highlights that the important role users play in the transition to a circular economy is often overlooked. While the current narrative emphasises how to design products fit for circular (re-)production flows, or how to design circular business models, it often fails to address how such solutions can be designed to be attractive to people. As long as products and services are designed in a way that makes people prefer linear options over circular ones, the transition will not gain momentum. To further the understanding of how a user perspective can be valuable for circular design, this paper introduces the Use2Use Design Toolkit and presents initial experiences from using its five tools in design work. The tools were developed between 2016 and 2019 and subsequently applied in 30 workshops with professionals and students. Insights from the workshops suggest that the participants generally found the tools fun, instructive and inspirational. The tools enabled them to discuss circular processes from a user’s point of view and to identify challenges and design opportunities. The toolkit was considered especially relevant and meaningful by product and service designers who needed support to explore circular solutions from a user perspective.
Oskar Rexfelt; Anneli Selvefors. The Use2Use Design Toolkit—Tools for User-Centred Circular Design. Sustainability 2021, 13, 5397 .
AMA StyleOskar Rexfelt, Anneli Selvefors. The Use2Use Design Toolkit—Tools for User-Centred Circular Design. Sustainability. 2021; 13 (10):5397.
Chicago/Turabian StyleOskar Rexfelt; Anneli Selvefors. 2021. "The Use2Use Design Toolkit—Tools for User-Centred Circular Design." Sustainability 13, no. 10: 5397.
This paper introduces the Use2Use design toolkit—a set of tools that can be used to design for circular consumption. In contrast to other available circular design tools, the toolkit emphasises the importance of applying a user perspective when exploring opportunities for product circularity. It aids designers and other agents to explore user needs, identify consumption-related design challenges, and design products and services that can create enabling preconditions that make it possible, more convenient, and preferable for people to circulate products from use to use. The process to develop the tool is initially presented followed by a description of the toolkit and its five tools. The paper concludes with a discussion regarding how the proposed toolkit compares to other circular design tools and what implications it has for design practice and future research.
Oskar Rexfelt; Anneli Selvefors. A Toolkit for Designing Products and Services Fit for Circular Consumption. Sustainable Production, Life Cycle Engineering and Management 2020, 33 -48.
AMA StyleOskar Rexfelt, Anneli Selvefors. A Toolkit for Designing Products and Services Fit for Circular Consumption. Sustainable Production, Life Cycle Engineering and Management. 2020; ():33-48.
Chicago/Turabian StyleOskar Rexfelt; Anneli Selvefors. 2020. "A Toolkit for Designing Products and Services Fit for Circular Consumption." Sustainable Production, Life Cycle Engineering and Management , no. : 33-48.
In order to transform the economy into one that is circular, that recovers most materials through reuse, remanufacturing and recycling, these activities need to grow significantly. Waste management has substantially incorporated recycling as an end-of-life treatment but has still largely failed to incorporate remanufacturing and reuse as possible material recovery routes. This article aims to provide useful information to establish centers for urban remanufacture (CUREs), by analyzing fifteen existing initiatives that facilitate reuse and remanufacture by providing access to secondary materials or manufacturing tools. The study consists of a review of selected initiatives complemented with targeted interviews to fill in missing information. Most initiatives provided access to secondary materials (13 of 15 initiatives), and almost all used different manufacturing tools (14 of 15 initiatives). Besides their regular opening hours, initiatives were mainly engaged in capacity building activities, which were done through predefined or improvised workshops. Most initiatives relied on external support to finance their operations (9 of 15 initiatives). However, one of the self-financed initiatives is the oldest initiative in the study, operating since 1998. Based on the results and tacit knowledge collected in this study, a framework is suggested to serve as a guide for establishing future CUREs.
Isabel Ordóñez; Oskar Rexfelt; Shea Hagy; Luisa Unkrig. Designing Away Waste: A Comparative Analysis of Urban Reuse and Remanufacture Initiatives. Recycling 2019, 4, 15 .
AMA StyleIsabel Ordóñez, Oskar Rexfelt, Shea Hagy, Luisa Unkrig. Designing Away Waste: A Comparative Analysis of Urban Reuse and Remanufacture Initiatives. Recycling. 2019; 4 (2):15.
Chicago/Turabian StyleIsabel Ordóñez; Oskar Rexfelt; Shea Hagy; Luisa Unkrig. 2019. "Designing Away Waste: A Comparative Analysis of Urban Reuse and Remanufacture Initiatives." Recycling 4, no. 2: 15.
The discussion regarding product circularity is often framed from a production and business model perspective. In this paper, people's consumption processes are taken as a new point of departure and a re-framing of product circularity from a user perspective is proposed to complement the current narrative. This user-centred perspective emphasises the importance of product exchange, which underscores that products can be transferred in tight loops from one user to another, i.e. from Use to Use. It also highlights a number of challenges and practicalities that circular paths of consumption may entail for people in everyday life, and thus points to new opportunities for designing products and services that can create enabling preconditions that make it possible, more convenient, and more preferable for people to circulate products. These design opportunities can be categorised into four design strategies that can support the development of products and services fit for circular consumption processes. How the proposed reframing compares to the current narrative is discussed and recommendations for future research are proposed.
Anneli Selvefors; Oskar Rexfelt; Sara Renström; Helena Strömberg. Use to use – A user perspective on product circularity. Journal of Cleaner Production 2019, 223, 1014 -1028.
AMA StyleAnneli Selvefors, Oskar Rexfelt, Sara Renström, Helena Strömberg. Use to use – A user perspective on product circularity. Journal of Cleaner Production. 2019; 223 ():1014-1028.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAnneli Selvefors; Oskar Rexfelt; Sara Renström; Helena Strömberg. 2019. "Use to use – A user perspective on product circularity." Journal of Cleaner Production 223, no. : 1014-1028.
Based on Rogers’ diffusion of innovations theory and an in-depth analysis of two case studies regarding travel mode shift, the paper examines how to support people’s adoption of new travel behaviour. A key element for encouraging adoption is enabling people to trial behaviour in order for them to embark on the travel behaviour change process. The analysis indicates that trials could be used as a strategic tool, but need to be carefully designed to help the participants through the different stages of the behaviour change process. Fundamental elements need to be considered, including recruitment principles, duration of the trial, and the type of support offered. The after trial set-up stands out as especially important to consider, as it affects the conditions for the changed behaviour to be maintained by the participants after the end of the trial.
Helena Strömberg; Oskar Rexfelt; I.C. Marianne Karlsson; Jana Sochor. Trying on change – Trialability as a change moderator for sustainable travel behaviour. Travel Behaviour and Society 2016, 4, 60 -68.
AMA StyleHelena Strömberg, Oskar Rexfelt, I.C. Marianne Karlsson, Jana Sochor. Trying on change – Trialability as a change moderator for sustainable travel behaviour. Travel Behaviour and Society. 2016; 4 ():60-68.
Chicago/Turabian StyleHelena Strömberg; Oskar Rexfelt; I.C. Marianne Karlsson; Jana Sochor. 2016. "Trying on change – Trialability as a change moderator for sustainable travel behaviour." Travel Behaviour and Society 4, no. : 60-68.
Helena Strömberg; I.C. Marianne Karlsson; Oskar Rexfelt. Eco-driving: Drivers’ understanding of the concept and implications for future interventions. Transport Policy 2015, 39, 48 -54.
AMA StyleHelena Strömberg, I.C. Marianne Karlsson, Oskar Rexfelt. Eco-driving: Drivers’ understanding of the concept and implications for future interventions. Transport Policy. 2015; 39 ():48-54.
Chicago/Turabian StyleHelena Strömberg; I.C. Marianne Karlsson; Oskar Rexfelt. 2015. "Eco-driving: Drivers’ understanding of the concept and implications for future interventions." Transport Policy 39, no. : 48-54.
Oskar Rexfelt; T. Schelenz; Marianne Karlsson; A. Suescun. Evaluating the effects of bus design on passenger flow: Is agent-based simulation a feasible approach? Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies 2014, 38, 16 -27.
AMA StyleOskar Rexfelt, T. Schelenz, Marianne Karlsson, A. Suescun. Evaluating the effects of bus design on passenger flow: Is agent-based simulation a feasible approach? Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies. 2014; 38 ():16-27.
Chicago/Turabian StyleOskar Rexfelt; T. Schelenz; Marianne Karlsson; A. Suescun. 2014. "Evaluating the effects of bus design on passenger flow: Is agent-based simulation a feasible approach?" Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies 38, no. : 16-27.
This paper outlines the results of a project aiming to develop and apply methods for service co-creation with customers, focusing on the early phases of service development. The project is collaboration between a manufacturing firm in the automotive industry, one of their B2B-customers (a transportation firm), as well as a university, all in Sweden. The research team selected and developed methods and work practices for problem analysis, idea generation, development and evaluation of services. Thus doing, methodological influence was taken from the area of engineering design. The proposed approaches were applied in a service development experiment mainly based on workshops. The experiment was followed up by an analysis of the resulting output, an interview series, and an evaluation by peers in focus groups. The goal of this article is to answer the following research questions: (1) What is the industrial applicability of co-creating services using a structured approach, e.g. what are the benefits and challenges? (2) What do the different actors contribute with using this approach, and what possible factors influence the nature and quality of the actors’ contributions? (3) Based on the answers to the questions above, what aspects should be considered to support situated planning and execution of future service co-creation projects? A central conclusion is that a structured approach is industrially applicable, but it is also evident that there is no completely universal recipe for service innovation. Addressing these insights, the paper also contributes with guidelines to support the situation-adapted set-up of future service co-creation projects.
Oskar Rexfelt; Lars Almefelt; Daniel Zackrisson; Teres Hallman; Johan Malmqvist; Marianne Karlsson. A proposal for a structured approach for cross-company teamwork: a case study of involving the customer in service innovation. Research in Engineering Design 2011, 22, 153 -171.
AMA StyleOskar Rexfelt, Lars Almefelt, Daniel Zackrisson, Teres Hallman, Johan Malmqvist, Marianne Karlsson. A proposal for a structured approach for cross-company teamwork: a case study of involving the customer in service innovation. Research in Engineering Design. 2011; 22 (3):153-171.
Chicago/Turabian StyleOskar Rexfelt; Lars Almefelt; Daniel Zackrisson; Teres Hallman; Johan Malmqvist; Marianne Karlsson. 2011. "A proposal for a structured approach for cross-company teamwork: a case study of involving the customer in service innovation." Research in Engineering Design 22, no. 3: 153-171.
Purpose – Product-service systems (PSS) could potentially benefit consumers, but empirical studies of business-to-consumer PSS solutions have been scarce. The purpose of this paper is to identify conditions for consumer acceptance, and propose a methodology for PSS development. Design/methodology/approach – Factors influencing consumer acceptance of PSS are investigated through focus groups and individual interviews, and elaborated in relation to theory from user acceptance and innovation adoption literature. Procedures for conceptual development of PSS are then proposed, based on methodology adapted from user-centred design. Findings – The two factors “impact on everyday life”, and “uncertainties” in anticipating such consequences were repeatedly brought up by participants. PSS affect consumers through practical implications for the activities they engage in. This goes beyond the service encounter, is highly complex and case specific why development processes should include iterative studies with consumers. Research limitations/implications – The studies use hypothetical PSS offers. Validation and refinement of the proposed methodology would require application in commercial development projects. Practical implications – The proposed methodology is expected to support requirements elicitation, and facilitate early stages of PSS development. Originality/value – This paper presents empirical findings regarding consumer acceptance, and provides a detailed analysis of factors that are central to PSS acceptance. It also introduces methodology for description and analysis of the complex consequences a solution may have from a consumer perspective.
Oskar Rexfelt; Viktor Hiort Af Ornäs. Consumer acceptance of product‐service systems. Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management 2009, 20, 674 -699.
AMA StyleOskar Rexfelt, Viktor Hiort Af Ornäs. Consumer acceptance of product‐service systems. Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management. 2009; 20 (5):674-699.
Chicago/Turabian StyleOskar Rexfelt; Viktor Hiort Af Ornäs. 2009. "Consumer acceptance of product‐service systems." Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management 20, no. 5: 674-699.
Oskar Rexfelt; Elsa Rosenblad. The progress of user requirements through a software development project. International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics 2006, 36, 73 -81.
AMA StyleOskar Rexfelt, Elsa Rosenblad. The progress of user requirements through a software development project. International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics. 2006; 36 (1):73-81.
Chicago/Turabian StyleOskar Rexfelt; Elsa Rosenblad. 2006. "The progress of user requirements through a software development project." International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics 36, no. 1: 73-81.