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Prof. Els Du Bois
CAPTURE—Plastics to Resource, Department of Product Development, Antwerp University, Belgium

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Research Keywords & Expertise

0 Product Development
0 Design from Recycling
0 Design for a circular economy
0 Circular plastics usage
0 Sustainable user experience

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Article
Published: 27 July 2021 in Proceedings of the Design Society
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Notwithstanding the positive environmental impact of recycled plastics, they are only scarcely used in new designs due to unfamiliarity and lack of material identities. This research aims to touch upon the sensorial attributes that characterise the sustainable perception of recycled plastics. Understanding this would allow to respond to the new trend of sustainable living by offering recycled materials that are successfully perceived as sustainable, and that could support the identity building of each specific recycled plastic material. Three research activities were executed to explore (i) the designerly understanding of sustainable perceived plastics; (ii) the consumer understanding of sensorial material attributes that influence the sustainable perception; (iii) the understanding of these attributes towards recycled plastic materials. Five variables were found that interfere with the perception of the participants: A weaker colour intensity, the use of colourless colours, a rougher texture, a speckled structure and the usage of a matte gloss can give a sustainable look towards a sustainable plastic material. Further research should detail these variables, its limitations and try to make defined guidelines to avoid greenwashing.

ACS Style

Els Du Bois; Lore Veelaert; Emiel Tormans; Ingrid Moons. HOW SHOULD PLASTIC RECYCLATES LOOK LIKE TO BE PERCEIVED AS SUSTAINABLE: A FIRST EXPLORATION. Proceedings of the Design Society 2021, 1, 1765 -1774.

AMA Style

Els Du Bois, Lore Veelaert, Emiel Tormans, Ingrid Moons. HOW SHOULD PLASTIC RECYCLATES LOOK LIKE TO BE PERCEIVED AS SUSTAINABLE: A FIRST EXPLORATION. Proceedings of the Design Society. 2021; 1 ():1765-1774.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Els Du Bois; Lore Veelaert; Emiel Tormans; Ingrid Moons. 2021. "HOW SHOULD PLASTIC RECYCLATES LOOK LIKE TO BE PERCEIVED AS SUSTAINABLE: A FIRST EXPLORATION." Proceedings of the Design Society 1, no. : 1765-1774.

Journal article
Published: 17 April 2021 in Chemosphere
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A first test of the field capabilities of a novel in situ sampling technique combining active and passive sampling (APS) was conducted in the sea. The proof-of-concept device uses a pump to draw water into a diffusion cell where dissolved target substances are accumulated onto sorbents which are selective for different classes of contaminants (i.e., metal cations, polar and non-polar organic compounds), simultaneously. A controlled laminar flow established in the diffusion cell enables measurements of contaminant concentrations that are fully independent from the hydrodynamic conditions in the bulk solution. APS measurements were consistent with those obtained using conventional passive sampling techniques such as organic diffusive gradients in thin films (o-DGT) and silicone rubber (SR) samplers (generally < 40% difference), taking into account the prevailing hydrodynamic conditions. The use of performance reference compounds (PRC) for hydrophobic contaminants provided additional information. Field measurements of metal ions in seawater showed large variability due to issues related to the device configuration. An improved field set-up deployed in supplementary freshwater mesocosm experiments provided metal speciation data that was consistent with passive sampling measurements (DGT), taking into account the hydrodynamic conditions. Overall, the results indicate that the APS technique provides a promising approach for the determination of a wide range of contaminants simultaneously, and independently from the hydrodynamic conditions in the bulk solution.

ACS Style

Elvio D. Amato; Fabienne Pfeiffer; Nicolas Estoppey; Dragan Subotic; Laure Herweyers; Tom Breugelmans; Maarten Weyn; Els Du Bois; Freddy Dardenne; Adrian Covaci; Raewyn M. Town; Ronny Blust. Field application of a novel active-passive sampling technique for the simultaneous measurement of a wide range of contaminants in water. Chemosphere 2021, 279, 130598 .

AMA Style

Elvio D. Amato, Fabienne Pfeiffer, Nicolas Estoppey, Dragan Subotic, Laure Herweyers, Tom Breugelmans, Maarten Weyn, Els Du Bois, Freddy Dardenne, Adrian Covaci, Raewyn M. Town, Ronny Blust. Field application of a novel active-passive sampling technique for the simultaneous measurement of a wide range of contaminants in water. Chemosphere. 2021; 279 ():130598.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Elvio D. Amato; Fabienne Pfeiffer; Nicolas Estoppey; Dragan Subotic; Laure Herweyers; Tom Breugelmans; Maarten Weyn; Els Du Bois; Freddy Dardenne; Adrian Covaci; Raewyn M. Town; Ronny Blust. 2021. "Field application of a novel active-passive sampling technique for the simultaneous measurement of a wide range of contaminants in water." Chemosphere 279, no. : 130598.

Journal article
Published: 18 February 2021 in Sustainability
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While taking care of the population’s health, hospitals generate mountains of waste, which in turn causes a hazard to the environment of the population. The operating room is responsible for a disproportionately big amount of hospital waste. This research aims to investigate waste creation in the operating room in order to identify design opportunities to support waste reduction according to the circular economy. Eight observations and five expert interviews were conducted in a large sized hospital. The hospital’s waste infrastructure, management, and sterilization department were mapped out. Findings are that washable towels and operation instruments are reused; paper, cardboard, and specific fabric are being recycled; and (non-)hazardous medical waste is being incinerated. Observation results and literature findings are largely comparable, stating that covering sheets of the operation bed, sterile clothing, sterile packaging, and department-specific products are as well the most used and discarded. The research also identified two waste hotspots: the logistical packaging (tertiary, secondary, and primary) of products and incorrect sorting between hazardous and non-hazardous medical waste. Design opportunities include optimization of recycling and increased use of reusables. Reuse is the preferred method, more specifically by exploring the possibilities of reuse of textiles, consumables, and packaging.

ACS Style

Charlotte Harding; Joren Van Loon; Ingrid Moons; Gunter De Win; Els Du Bois. Design Opportunities to Reduce Waste in Operating Rooms. Sustainability 2021, 13, 2207 .

AMA Style

Charlotte Harding, Joren Van Loon, Ingrid Moons, Gunter De Win, Els Du Bois. Design Opportunities to Reduce Waste in Operating Rooms. Sustainability. 2021; 13 (4):2207.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Charlotte Harding; Joren Van Loon; Ingrid Moons; Gunter De Win; Els Du Bois. 2021. "Design Opportunities to Reduce Waste in Operating Rooms." Sustainability 13, no. 4: 2207.

Journal article
Published: 13 March 2020 in Sustainability
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Microfibers released by synthetic clothes have a significant negative effect on the environment. Several solutions have been proposed and evaluated for their effectiveness, but studies have failed to address the human-centered aspects of these products. In this research, the possibilities and needs from a consumer perspective for a new filtering system for domestic washing machines were examined. First, a quantitative (questionnaire) and a qualitative (interviews and observations) exploration were done to understand the desired requirements from a user perspective. Next, the acceptance of various existing solutions for microfiber catching was investigated. To verify these requirements, a new concept was designed and evaluated with a questionnaire. The results were analyzed using descriptive statistics. It can be concluded that the problem of microfibers is not well known, and the impact of people’s washing behavior is underestimated. Since microfibers are almost invisible, the effectiveness needed to be proven. Effectiveness is seen as the most important characteristic of a product that captures microfibers, followed by durability. Both factors ensure long-term usage. However, changing washing habits is not evident, and usage should be straightforward and user-friendly to save time, especially considering the new cleaning actions, which should be clear and unambiguous.

ACS Style

Laure Herweyers; Camilla Catarci Carteny; Linda Scheelen; Regan Watts; Els Du Bois. Consumers’ Perceptions and Attitudes toward Products Preventing Microfiber Pollution in Aquatic Environments as a Result of the Domestic Washing of Synthetic Clothes. Sustainability 2020, 12, 2244 .

AMA Style

Laure Herweyers, Camilla Catarci Carteny, Linda Scheelen, Regan Watts, Els Du Bois. Consumers’ Perceptions and Attitudes toward Products Preventing Microfiber Pollution in Aquatic Environments as a Result of the Domestic Washing of Synthetic Clothes. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (6):2244.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Laure Herweyers; Camilla Catarci Carteny; Linda Scheelen; Regan Watts; Els Du Bois. 2020. "Consumers’ Perceptions and Attitudes toward Products Preventing Microfiber Pollution in Aquatic Environments as a Result of the Domestic Washing of Synthetic Clothes." Sustainability 12, no. 6: 2244.

Journal article
Published: 04 March 2020 in Sustainability
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As designing with recycled materials is becoming indispensable in the context of a circular economy, we argue that understanding how recycled plastics are perceived by stakeholders involved in the front end of the design process, is essential to achieve successful application in practice, beyond the current concept of surrogates according to industry. Based on existing frameworks, 34 experiential scales with semantic opposites were used to evaluate samples of three exemplary recycled plastics by two main industrial stakeholders: 30 material engineers and 30 designers. We describe four analyses: (i) defining experiential material characteristics, (ii) significant differences between the materials, (iii) level of agreement of respondents, and (iv) similarities and differences between designers and engineers. We conclude that the three materials have different perceptual profiles or identities that can initiate future idea generation for high-quality applications. The study illustrates the potential of this evaluation method. We propose that designers can facilitate the valorization and adoption of these undervalued recycled materials, first by industry and ultimately by consumers as well.

ACS Style

Lore Veelaert; Els Du Bois; Ingrid Moons; Patrick De Pelsmacker; Sara Hubo; Kim Ragaert. The Identity of Recycled Plastics: A Vocabulary of Perception. Sustainability 2020, 12, 1953 .

AMA Style

Lore Veelaert, Els Du Bois, Ingrid Moons, Patrick De Pelsmacker, Sara Hubo, Kim Ragaert. The Identity of Recycled Plastics: A Vocabulary of Perception. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (5):1953.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Lore Veelaert; Els Du Bois; Ingrid Moons; Patrick De Pelsmacker; Sara Hubo; Kim Ragaert. 2020. "The Identity of Recycled Plastics: A Vocabulary of Perception." Sustainability 12, no. 5: 1953.

Review article
Published: 03 February 2020 in Materials & Design
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Driven by the competitive market that product designers face today, a growing interest emerges in exploring experiential material qualities to enhance product experience. The maturing of the research area calls for standardization to evolve to more streamlined and systematic approaches to conduct characterization experiments. To this aim, we conducted a literature review on 64 cases of experiential characterization studies in the materials and design domain. In this paper, we summarize the current state of the art, formulate an overview to facilitate systematic studies to explore experiential qualities of materials, and identify gaps or opportunities for further research. The presented learnings shed light on the following aspects used in materials experience studies: (i) variables, (ii) stimuli, (iii) interaction modalities, (iv) experimental set-up, (v) methods employed in the conducted studies, and (vi) respondents. Two important gaps were identified with regard to the physical material representations in an abstract form as a critical element for multimodal material characterization experiments, and to an integration of extensive user aspects beyond demographic variables to facilitate consumer segmentation. Additional future research suggestions were formulated, concerning within-material-class comparisons, complementary methods and experimental set-up, and the temporality of materials experience.

ACS Style

Lore Veelaert; Els Du Bois; Ingrid Moons; Elvin Karana. Experiential characterization of materials in product design: A literature review. Materials & Design 2020, 190, 108543 .

AMA Style

Lore Veelaert, Els Du Bois, Ingrid Moons, Elvin Karana. Experiential characterization of materials in product design: A literature review. Materials & Design. 2020; 190 ():108543.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Lore Veelaert; Els Du Bois; Ingrid Moons; Elvin Karana. 2020. "Experiential characterization of materials in product design: A literature review." Materials & Design 190, no. : 108543.

Conference paper
Published: 26 July 2019 in Proceedings of the Design Society: International Conference on Engineering Design
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Plastics are ubiquitous in our daily life due to their versatile characteristics, however, these excellent characteristics also contributed to the emergence of a gigantic garbage of floating plastics in our ocean, called the plastic soup. Within this research project we investigated the opportunities by design to cope with this wicked problem. The hypothesis is that picking small opportunities in a wicked problem can have a large impact on the related ecosystem. In addition, we also wanted to investigate how design students would deal with the problem to create larger awareness of the designers' impact and responsibility. Although there is no ideal answer to a systemic problem such as the plastic soup, intervening on systems is possible. As the characteristics of a product directly influence the way the entire value chain works, designers have a large responsibility / opportunity to influence the system. An experiment was executed with 69 design students to explore the opportunities. The resulting design concepts were discussed by experts, reasoning towards relationships, needs to elaborate the design practices, and ecodesign education in a circular economy.

ACS Style

Els Du Bois; Dirk Van Gogh; Lore Veelaert; Karine Van Doorsselaer. Design Against the Plastic Soup - The Effect of Small Product Designs in Sustainable Design Education. Proceedings of the Design Society: International Conference on Engineering Design 2019, 1, 3201 -3210.

AMA Style

Els Du Bois, Dirk Van Gogh, Lore Veelaert, Karine Van Doorsselaer. Design Against the Plastic Soup - The Effect of Small Product Designs in Sustainable Design Education. Proceedings of the Design Society: International Conference on Engineering Design. 2019; 1 (1):3201-3210.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Els Du Bois; Dirk Van Gogh; Lore Veelaert; Karine Van Doorsselaer. 2019. "Design Against the Plastic Soup - The Effect of Small Product Designs in Sustainable Design Education." Proceedings of the Design Society: International Conference on Engineering Design 1, no. 1: 3201-3210.

Conference paper
Published: 26 July 2019 in Proceedings of the Design Society: International Conference on Engineering Design
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Materials experience in design involves the meanings that materials convey to users through its expressive characteristics. Such meaning evoking patterns are influenced by parameters such as context, product (e.g.shape) and user. Consequently, there is a need to standardise experiential material characterisation and large-scale data collection, by means of a meaning-less or ‘neutral’ demonstrator to objectively compare materials.This paper explores the conception of this neutrality and proposes two opposing strategies: neutrality through complexity or through simplicity. In a pre-study with 20 designers, six associative pairs are selected as neutrality criteria, and shaped in 240 forms by 20 (non) designers in a main workshop. Following the simplicity strategy, these forms are averaged out in three steps by a team of five designers, based on a consensus on of delicate-rugged, aggressive-calm, futuristic-calm, masculine-feminine, traditional-modern, and toylike-professional, resulting in a selection of four averaged neutral forms.Finally, future research will focus on complexity to increase interactivity, so that consumers might be triggered in extensive material exploration.

ACS Style

Lore Veelaert; Ingrid Moons; Sarah Rohaert; Els Du Bois. A Neutral Form for Experiential Material Characterisation. Proceedings of the Design Society: International Conference on Engineering Design 2019, 1, 1743 -1752.

AMA Style

Lore Veelaert, Ingrid Moons, Sarah Rohaert, Els Du Bois. A Neutral Form for Experiential Material Characterisation. Proceedings of the Design Society: International Conference on Engineering Design. 2019; 1 (1):1743-1752.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Lore Veelaert; Ingrid Moons; Sarah Rohaert; Els Du Bois. 2019. "A Neutral Form for Experiential Material Characterisation." Proceedings of the Design Society: International Conference on Engineering Design 1, no. 1: 1743-1752.

Journal article
Published: 29 April 2019 in Waste Management
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Each ton of organic household waste that is collected, transported and composted incurs costs (€75/ton gate fee). Reducing the mass and volume of kitchen waste (KW) at the point of collection can diminish transport requirements and associated costs, while also leading to an overall reduction in gate fees for final processing. To this end, the objective of this research was to deliver a proof of concept for the so-called "urban pre-composter"; a bioreactor for the decentralized, high-rate pre-treatment of KW, that aims at mass and volume reduction at the point of collection. Results show considerable reductions in mass (33%), volume (62%) and organic solids (32%) of real KW, while provision of structure material and separate collection of leachate was found to be unnecessary. The temperature profile, C/N ratio (12) and VS/TS ratio (0.69) indicated that a mature compost can be produced in 68 days (after pre-composting and main composting). An economic Monte Carlo simulation yielded that the urban pre-composter concept is not more expensive than the current approach, provided its cost per unit is €8,000-€14,500 over a 10-year period (OPEX and CAPEX, in 80% of the cases). The urban pre-composter is therefore a promising system for the efficient pre-treatment of organic household waste in an urban context.

ACS Style

Myrsini Sakarika; Marc Spiller; Robin Baetens; Gil Donies; Jolan Vanderstuyf; Kathleen Vinck; Karl C. Vrancken; Gregory Van Barel; Els Du Bois; Siegfried E. Vlaeminck. Proof of concept of high-rate decentralized pre-composting of kitchen waste: Optimizing design and operationof a novel drum reactor. Waste Management 2019, 91, 20 -32.

AMA Style

Myrsini Sakarika, Marc Spiller, Robin Baetens, Gil Donies, Jolan Vanderstuyf, Kathleen Vinck, Karl C. Vrancken, Gregory Van Barel, Els Du Bois, Siegfried E. Vlaeminck. Proof of concept of high-rate decentralized pre-composting of kitchen waste: Optimizing design and operationof a novel drum reactor. Waste Management. 2019; 91 ():20-32.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Myrsini Sakarika; Marc Spiller; Robin Baetens; Gil Donies; Jolan Vanderstuyf; Kathleen Vinck; Karl C. Vrancken; Gregory Van Barel; Els Du Bois; Siegfried E. Vlaeminck. 2019. "Proof of concept of high-rate decentralized pre-composting of kitchen waste: Optimizing design and operationof a novel drum reactor." Waste Management 91, no. : 20-32.

Journal article
Published: 28 January 2019 in Waste Management & Research: The Journal for a Sustainable Circular Economy
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This research project focuses on the problem of organic (or food waste) waste recycling in Flanders, Belgium. Here, the total amount of organic waste produced annually by restaurants is estimated at 166,000 tonnes. Despite being in the evolution towards a circular economy, more than 61% of the restaurants do not collect organic waste separately from residual waste. Within the research, this problem was explored from a human-centred perspective by analysing existing food-waste collection and processing equipment, and by observing the kitchen workflow and interior design of different urban located restaurants. The aim of the research was to identify design opportunities to integrate and optimize the collecting and recycling of food waste in restaurants. In sum, it was possible to distinguish different elements, variables and constraints across the various restaurants related to the disposal and handling of food waste in the kitchen and in the clearing area during the shift. The paper concludes with design requirements for the optimization of food-waste recycling systems, which are related to the cost of the system, the effort that is needed, the lack of space, potential bad odour, hygiene matters, integration in the workflow, organization of the workspace and use of additional resources and energy.

ACS Style

Kathleen Vinck; Linda Scheelen; Els Du Bois. Design opportunities for organic waste recycling in urban restaurants. Waste Management & Research: The Journal for a Sustainable Circular Economy 2019, 37, 40 -50.

AMA Style

Kathleen Vinck, Linda Scheelen, Els Du Bois. Design opportunities for organic waste recycling in urban restaurants. Waste Management & Research: The Journal for a Sustainable Circular Economy. 2019; 37 (1_suppl):40-50.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Kathleen Vinck; Linda Scheelen; Els Du Bois. 2019. "Design opportunities for organic waste recycling in urban restaurants." Waste Management & Research: The Journal for a Sustainable Circular Economy 37, no. 1_suppl: 40-50.

Article
Published: 08 November 2017 in Polymer Engineering & Science
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This paper presents a detailed case study on the effective upcycling of a post‐industrial plastic waste stream to a renewed compound, fit for re‐use in a new application. The material investigated was a PET‐contaminated recycled PP, destined for a high‐impact, medium‐stiffness application. After two research trials and one large‐scale industrial trial, an upcycling formulation was determined to bring the recyclate to the required level of the new application, thus closing this specific material loop within the case company. The used methodology adheres to the Design from Recycling principle, in which industrially available (mechanically) recycled polymer materials are matched to potential new products. The design strategy starts from either the properties of an available recycled polymer (and then defines the product) or from the functional boundary conditions of the product (and then selects the material and/or an optional material upcycling step). The Design from Recycling principles can elegantly be combined with those of Design for Recycling, within the framework of a Circular Economy. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 58:528–534, 2018. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers

ACS Style

Kim Ragaert; Sara Hubo; Laurens Delva; Lore Veelaert; Els Du Bois. Upcycling of contaminated post-industrial polypropylene waste: A design from recycling case study. Polymer Engineering & Science 2017, 58, 528 -534.

AMA Style

Kim Ragaert, Sara Hubo, Laurens Delva, Lore Veelaert, Els Du Bois. Upcycling of contaminated post-industrial polypropylene waste: A design from recycling case study. Polymer Engineering & Science. 2017; 58 (4):528-534.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Kim Ragaert; Sara Hubo; Laurens Delva; Lore Veelaert; Els Du Bois. 2017. "Upcycling of contaminated post-industrial polypropylene waste: A design from recycling case study." Polymer Engineering & Science 58, no. 4: 528-534.

Articles
Published: 25 August 2013 in CoDesign
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This article presents an approach to aggregation of stakeholders' feedback-through-demonstration as of the earliest phase of software development. We demonstrate operational software concepts to a multiplicity of stakeholders, using a novel methodology for modular abstract prototyping (MAP). MAP combines generic and specific modules according to stakeholder focus, i.e. according to their viewpoints, demands, skills and presentation modality. A module captures and demonstrates a specific part or aspect of the functional and behavioural application content. As a result, generic plus specific modules implement the complete demonstration of the software concept as a real-life process. Multiple module configurations can be generated to demonstrate the software concept to the various stakeholder groups in multiple sessions. This article presents the theory and implementation principle of MAP, and illustrates this with an application example on a software tool for smart energy saving. Focus group assessments confirmed a significantly improved convergence among stakeholders and developers at the early stages of development. However, the current MAP is still labour intensive and further automation is desirable. Considering today's pervasive and intense conceptual design and product innovation processes dynamics, MAP is to become a first step towards fully interactive modifiable medium-fidelity abstract prototyping.

ACS Style

Els Du Bois; Bart H.M. Gerritsen. Demonstration of software concepts to multiple stakeholders using modular abstract prototyping. CoDesign 2013, 9, 137 -159.

AMA Style

Els Du Bois, Bart H.M. Gerritsen. Demonstration of software concepts to multiple stakeholders using modular abstract prototyping. CoDesign. 2013; 9 (3):137-159.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Els Du Bois; Bart H.M. Gerritsen. 2013. "Demonstration of software concepts to multiple stakeholders using modular abstract prototyping." CoDesign 9, no. 3: 137-159.

Conference paper
Published: 12 August 2012 in Volume 4: 36th Mechanisms and Robotics Conference, Parts A and B
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Various manifestations of products, prototypes and tools are commonly used in design research to discover and describe novel phenomena, or to test specific research theories, or to explore intrinsic data that cannot be accessed and validated otherwise. However, as research means, the above physical artifacts are over-detailed and inflexible, in particular when phenomena associated with design creativity and product ideation are investigated. To support design inclusive research in the context of conceptualization and early testing of complex, knowledge-intensive software tools, the authors propose modular abstract prototyping. The original goal of abstract prototyping was to demonstrate the real life processes established by new artifact-service combinations, as well as the interactions of humans with them in various application scenarios. A modular abstract prototype relies on a comprehensive information structure. The demonstration contents of the modules are defined by a stakeholder and purpose oriented logical dissecting of this information structure, and implemented as digitally recorded, multi-media enabled narrations and enactments. This paper discusses the technical aspects of developing modular abstract prototypes, and their use as flexible and evolving research means. A complex application example is presented in which modular abstract prototyping was used in focus group sessions to assess the conceptualization of a trade-off forecasting software tool by various stakeholders. This tool is being developed for forecasting energy saving and financial benefits that can be achieved by ubiquitous augmentation. The stakeholders have formulated positive opinion about the level of immersion and the articulation of informing that can be achieved by using modular abstract prototypes. Future research focuses on the development of a web-hosted engine for real-time interactive abstract prototyping in participatory research sessions.

ACS Style

Imre Horváth; Els Du Bois. Using Modular Abstract Prototypes as Evolving Research Means in Design Inclusive Research. Volume 4: 36th Mechanisms and Robotics Conference, Parts A and B 2012, 475 -486.

AMA Style

Imre Horváth, Els Du Bois. Using Modular Abstract Prototypes as Evolving Research Means in Design Inclusive Research. Volume 4: 36th Mechanisms and Robotics Conference, Parts A and B. 2012; ():475-486.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Imre Horváth; Els Du Bois. 2012. "Using Modular Abstract Prototypes as Evolving Research Means in Design Inclusive Research." Volume 4: 36th Mechanisms and Robotics Conference, Parts A and B , no. : 475-486.

Book chapter
Published: 01 January 2012 in Design for Innovative Value Towards a Sustainable Society
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ACS Style

Els Du Bois; Imre Horvath. An easy-to-use methodological proposal for considering ubiquitous controllers in energy use optimization. Design for Innovative Value Towards a Sustainable Society 2012, 344 -349.

AMA Style

Els Du Bois, Imre Horvath. An easy-to-use methodological proposal for considering ubiquitous controllers in energy use optimization. Design for Innovative Value Towards a Sustainable Society. 2012; ():344-349.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Els Du Bois; Imre Horvath. 2012. "An easy-to-use methodological proposal for considering ubiquitous controllers in energy use optimization." Design for Innovative Value Towards a Sustainable Society , no. : 344-349.

Dissertation
Published: 30 August 2021
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This PhD researches the domain of industrial design engineering starting from the strong technological evolutions and changing economic, social and ecological needs. Our current products are not only build from hardware components, but are a complex mix of hardware, software and services (in different proportions). This complexity is needed to be able to respond to our continuously evolving needs. In this PhD research, we focus on the software that is part of our products, because we do not only use Facebook and email on our mobile phone, but also our car and washing machine need software to operate. During the design of these software parts, it is complex to test and discuss the design with all stakeholders at different moments. Nevertheless these discussions enable to optimize the software before programming starts. This PhD research focusses on the development of a methodology to support designers in the development of interactive software, involving all stakeholders (different types of users, customers, suppliers, experts …). The methodology is based on the principles of hardware consumer product development and supports the designers in the critical early phases of the development process. During this process, the aim is to collect as many opinions, ideas and suggestions from all different stakeholders about the different prototypes. These prototypes (starting from an abstract prototype towards a testable) are used in each phase of the design process to discuss and co-develop the software in order to achieve products that qualitatively better fulfill the stakeholders needs.

ACS Style

Els Du Bois. A designerly methodology for software development. 2021, 1 .

AMA Style

Els Du Bois. A designerly methodology for software development. . 2021; ():1.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Els Du Bois. 2021. "A designerly methodology for software development." , no. : 1.