Learn as a designer to implement circular economy to your work and sell it to your customers.

Develop a holistic product-service-system,
discover and close gaps in the loops.
To design products and services in a circular way, a holistic circular concept needs to be in place at the very beginning of the development. How can loops be closed, what operational requirements are needed, which partners can supply solutions and how can they benefit? This method helps ideate and develop solutions for all loops and the initial (product) design.

Create a common understanding of the objectives of
an organisation and the circular maturity.
Is sustainability integrated in the company’s strategy? How?
Get a first idea of maturity and circular potential.
Executing this pre-task will ensure that a workshop has a smooth entry and framing for everyone. There’s one task for the team lead and another one for all participants.

Having a very clear idea helps to communicate it.
Describe your idea and point out how the organisation, the user and the environment benefit from your concept.

This canvas can also be a starting point for the storyline of a pitch or presentation, in this case also think of the “WHY and HOW are you solving WHAT problem”.

Defining the design brief is an important gate in the design process. Challenges are translated in opportunities, the scope and objectives of the project are defined.
Contrary to “standard” design briefs, here environmental and user needs are equally valued and treated. Whereas in current business models those needs and objectives are often considered as contradictory or even opponent, in circular approaches they can be combined and even support each other.

Asking the right question is the first step towards change!
The two canvases reveal needs and questions around each phase of the life cycle and indicate many possibilities to increase positive impact and circularity.

Asking the right question is the first step towards change!
The canvas reveals needs for each phase of the life cycle. By asking crucial questions you can reveal and create many possibilities to increase positive impact and circularity.

Understand the negative impact and potential for improvement by assessing the current solution and identifying opportunities.
This tool can be used in different ways: to assess a benchmark or the current product or services or to compare ideas and concepts against a current solution.

Understand the negative impact and potential for improvement by assessing the current solution and identifying opportunities.
This tool can be used in different ways: to assess a benchmark or the current product or services or to compare ideas and concepts against a current solution.

To improve eco-innovation and ecodesign performance organisations need a clear understanding of both their current and potential innovation and design capability as well as suitable strategies and practices.
Based on expertise and experience, the audit covers different ecodesign/circular design aspects. It focuses on small and mid size organisations (SMEs) and aims to establish a basis for ramping up the circular product, service and business model innovation.

Is the business model sustainable economically? The Circular Economy requires new paradigms of doing business but once old patterns are overcome, new opportunities for prosperous business models that are beneficial for all are manifold. Use them!

Where are we now, where do we want to be?
This exercise aims to reflect the companys’ current vision and mission for the future.

An examination of (environmental) megatrends and sustainability goals reveals actions and steps that need to be taken and potential to spur competitive advantages.