Short answer
Shift focus from 'making things sustainable' to 'designing systems that are inherently sustainable'.
- Field
- Sustainability
- Source
- INCOSE International Symposium (2024)
- Method
- Conceptual analysis and theoretical framework development
- Evidence
- Strong effect
Reframing sustainability as an engineered outcome of a well-designed system, rather than a standalone development goal, can lead to more effective and achievable outcomes. This sustainability research insight is drawn from a 2024 study published in INCOSE International Symposium. Using Conceptual analysis and theoretical framework development, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Shift focus from 'making things sustainable' to 'designing systems that are inherently sustainable'.
Sustainability as a Systemic Byproduct, Not a Development Goal
Reframing sustainability as an engineered outcome of a well-designed system, rather than a standalone development goal, can lead to more effective and achievable outcomes.
INCOSE International Symposium · 2024
Key Findings
- 01Sustainability can be viewed as an engineered byproduct of a well-structured system.
- 02Systems Theory provides a framework for understanding and achieving sustainability.
- 03Addressing system pathologies (violations of system propositions) can enhance sustainability.
Application
Design takeaway
Shift focus from 'making things sustainable' to 'designing systems that are inherently sustainable'.
How to apply
When initiating a design project, consider the entire system within which the product or service will operate, and how its design choices will influence the system's overall sustainability.
Project actions
- 01Consider the life cycle of your design within a broader system context.
- 02Analyze how your design choices might create or resolve 'system pathologies' related to sustainability.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Provides a novel and potentially more effective framework for achieving sustainability.
- +Encourages holistic thinking about design and its impacts.
Limitations
It can be challenging to fully map and understand all the systemic interactions relevant to sustainability for a given design.
Reliability & validity
The theoretical nature of the paper means direct reliability and validity testing is not applicable in the traditional sense. Its validity rests on the logical coherence of Systems Theory and its application to sustainability.
Think critically
To what extent can sustainability truly be an 'engineered byproduct' when human behavior and external factors are so influential?
Design Principles
"Design for systemic sustainability: Ensure that the fundamental structure and operation of a system inherently lead to sustainable outcomes."
This perspective shift encourages designers and engineers to embed sustainability into the fundamental design of systems and processes. By treating sustainability as a consequence of robust system design, it becomes an inherent feature rather than an add-on, leading to more integrated and impactful solutions.
What This Means for Your Design
Instead of trying to make a product 'green' as an extra step, think about how the whole system it's part of can be designed from the start to be naturally sustainable.
How to use in your project
- 1.Frame your design problem not just as creating a product, but as designing a system that produces sustainable outputs.
- 2.Use Systems Theory concepts to analyze the potential sustainability impacts of your design choices.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
This design project adopts a systems perspective, viewing sustainability not as a development goal but as an engineered byproduct of a well-designed system. By applying principles of Systems Theory, the aim is to identify and resolve system pathologies that hinder sustainable outcomes, ensuring that the design inherently contributes to a more sustainable system.
Source
INCOSE International Symposium
Sustainability Mindshift: Incorporating the Systems Perspective
journal · 2024
View sourceQuestions About This Research
- What does the research say about sustainability as a systemic byproduct, not a development goal?
- Shift focus from 'making things sustainable' to 'designing systems that are inherently sustainable'. Evidence: INCOSE International Symposium (2024).
- Why does "Sustainability as a Systemic Byproduct, Not a Development Goal" matter for design?
- This perspective shift encourages designers and engineers to embed sustainability into the fundamental design of systems and processes. By treating sustainability as a consequence of robust system design, it becomes an inherent feature rather than an add-on, leading to more integrated and impactful solutions.
- How can designers apply this research?
- Shift focus from 'making things sustainable' to 'designing systems that are inherently sustainable'.
- What were the main findings?
- Sustainability can be viewed as an engineered byproduct of a well-structured system.. Systems Theory provides a framework for understanding and achieving sustainability.. Addressing system pathologies (violations of system propositions) can enhance sustainability.
- What research method was used?
- Conceptual analysis and theoretical framework development.
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2024 journal from INCOSE International Symposium.
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- When initiating a design project, consider the entire system within which the product or service will operate, and how its design choices will influence the system's overall sustainability.
- What are the limitations?
- The paper is theoretical and does not provide empirical data on the effectiveness of this 'Mindshift' in practice.