Short answer

Design systems that make resource cycles visible and interactive, encouraging users to confront and engage with the full lifecycle of materials, including waste, to drive deeper understanding and behavioral change.

Field: Sustainability
Source: The Evolving Scholar (2021)
Method: Comparative case study with mixed-methods analysis.
Evidence: Strong effect

Designing systems that involve users in the cyclical processing of human waste can lead to profound shifts in perspective and behavior regarding resource use and ecological interconnectedness. This sustainability research insight is drawn from a 2021 study published in The Evolving Scholar. Using Comparative case study with mixed-methods analysis., researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Design systems that make resource cycles visible and interactive, encouraging users to confront and engage with the full lifecycle of materials, including waste, to drive deeper understanding and behavioral change.

Study

SustainabilityHigh ImpactStrong effect

Eco-sanitation systems foster transformative learning through reflexive engagement with human waste.

Designing systems that involve users in the cyclical processing of human waste can lead to profound shifts in perspective and behavior regarding resource use and ecological interconnectedness.

The Evolving Scholar · 2021

Key Findings

01Eco-sanitation communities facilitate transformative learning by creating a 'reflexive conduit' through oscillation between immersion and detachment.
02Balancing unsettling repositioning (disrupting routines) with supportive involvement (group debates, experimentation) enhances community acceptance and individual satisfaction.
03Engaging with human waste cycles fosters better-attuned relations with nonhuman others and diversifies perspectives on resource use.

Application

Design takeaway

How to apply

When designing products or systems that generate waste, consider how to make the waste stream visible and potentially interactive for the user, fostering a sense of responsibility and connection to the resource cycle.

Project actions

01Consider how your design project can make users more aware of the resources they consume and the waste they produce.
02Explore ways to involve users directly in a resource cycle, even if it involves traditionally 'unpleasant' materials, to foster deeper engagement.

Method & Evidence

AimHow can eco-sanitation interventions, by engaging users in the reflexive processing of human waste, foster transformative learning and promote more sustainable practices?

MethodComparative case study with mixed-methods analysis.

ProcedureThe study analyzed three eco-sanitation communities in Brussels, Berlin, and Hong Kong using a combined SWOT and Ideas-Arrangement-Effects (I-A-T) framework. Data was collected through qualitative and quantitative means to assess enablers, barriers, and transformative potential.

ContextUrban eco-sanitation communities.

Variables

IV["Design of eco-sanitation systems involving user engagement with human waste."]

DV["Transformative learning (changes in perspective, behavior, and understanding of sustainability).","Community acceptance and individual satisfaction."]

CV["Specific socio-cultural contexts of the communities studied.","Existing infrastructure and policies related to sanitation."]

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

+Comparative analysis across different geographical contexts.
+Integration of theoretical frameworks (SWOT, I-A-T) with practical case studies.

Limitations

It can be challenging to design systems that effectively balance user comfort and engagement with the processing of waste materials.

Reliability & validity

The study's validity is supported by its comparative approach and mixed-methods data collection. Reliability could be enhanced by standardizing data collection across all cases more rigorously.

Think critically

To what extent can the 'unsettling repositioning' of engaging with waste be ethically implemented in design without causing undue distress or alienation?

Design Principles

"Embrace the full lifecycle of resources, including waste streams, as opportunities for user engagement and transformative learning."

This research highlights how engaging with the 'unpleasant' aspects of resource cycles, like human waste, can be a powerful catalyst for behavioral change and foster a deeper understanding of sustainability. Designers can leverage this by creating opportunities for users to experience and interact with these cycles, moving beyond abstract concepts to tangible, personal connections.

What This Means for Your Design

Designing toilets that recycle waste can make people think differently about resources and become more environmentally friendly.

How to use in your project

1.Use this research to justify designing a system that makes resource cycles visible and interactive for users, explaining how it can lead to transformative learning and sustainable practices.

Add to My Project

Quick Cite

Paragraph starter

This research by Wernli (2021) demonstrates that designing systems which involve users in the reflexive processing of human waste, such as eco-sanitation interventions, can foster transformative learning and promote more sustainable practices. By creating opportunities for direct engagement and critical reflection, designers can leverage these 'unpleasant' resource cycles as powerful catalysts for behavioral change and a deeper understanding of ecological interconnectedness.

Source

The Evolving Scholar

Designing reflexive spaces with human waste: Cases of regenera-tive metabolism in Brussels, Berlin, and Hong Kong

journal · 2021

View source

Questions About This Research

What does the research say about eco-sanitation systems foster transformative learning through reflexive engagement with human waste?: Design systems that make resource cycles visible and interactive, encouraging users to confront and engage with the full lifecycle of materials, including waste, to drive deeper understanding and behavioral change. Evidence: The Evolving Scholar (2021).
Why does "Eco-sanitation systems foster transformative learning through reflexive engagement with human waste." matter for design?: This research highlights how engaging with the 'unpleasant' aspects of resource cycles, like human waste, can be a powerful catalyst for behavioral change and foster a deeper understanding of sustainability. Designers can leverage this by creating opportunities for users to experience and interact with these cycles, moving beyond abstract concepts to tangible, personal connections.
How can designers apply this research?: Design systems that make resource cycles visible and interactive, encouraging users to confront and engage with the full lifecycle of materials, including waste, to drive deeper understanding and behavioral change.
What were the main findings?: Eco-sanitation communities facilitate transformative learning by creating a 'reflexive conduit' through oscillation between immersion and detachment.. Balancing unsettling repositioning (disrupting routines) with supportive involvement (group debates, experimentation) enhances community acceptance and individual satisfaction.. Engaging with human waste cycles fosters better-attuned relations with nonhuman others and diversifies perspectives on resource use.
What research method was used?: Comparative case study with mixed-methods analysis..
How strong is the evidence?: Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2021 journal from The Evolving Scholar.
What should I do differently in my next project?: When designing products or systems that generate waste, consider how to make the waste stream visible and potentially interactive for the user, fostering a sense of responsibility and connection to the resource cycle.
What are the limitations?: The study focuses on specific eco-toilet communities, and findings may not be universally applicable to all sanitation interventions or cultural contexts.