Towards Regenerative Product And Service Design: Framing Mindsets And Opportunities For Designers

Abstract

It is no longer enough for businesses to strive to reduce their environmental impact. Recent literature argues that business models, and the product and service offerings that are part of them, must aim to improve planetary and societal wellbeing through regeneration. However, how to approach business model experimentation, and in particular the creation of product and service offerings, with a regenerative mindset is still underexplored. This paper therefore explores how designers can move towards creating regenerative products and services. It is based on an analysis of available scientific literature, but also grey literature, product and service examples and other initiatives. The analysis resulted in an initial framework for designers of regenerative products and services. First, seven foundations for regenerative products and services are presented. For each foundation, key shifts for designers are discussed to highlight what it takes to move from a degenerative mindset to a regenerative mindset. In addition, three opportunities for product and service designers are outlined; designing products, services and product-based systems that restore nature, harmonise with nature, and enable humans to co-evolve with nature. Design strategies are devised for each opportunity, drawing inspiration from existing examples. The initial framework presented in this paper can be a starting point for exploring regenerative product and service design as part of regenerative business model experimentation.