Short answer
When designing for circularity, consider the entire ecosystem of stakeholders and their interactions, not just individual products or business models.
- Field
- Sustainability
- Source
- Sustainability (2020)
- Method
- Development and testing of a novel tool based on literature review and practical examples.
- Sample
- 136 participants
- Evidence
- Moderate effect
A structured card-based tool, the Circularity Deck, aids organizations in analyzing, ideating, and developing circular innovation ecosystems by categorizing principles based on intended outcomes and innovation perspectives. This sustainability research insight is drawn from a 2020 study published in Sustainability. Using Development and testing of a novel tool based on literature review and practical examples. with 136 participants, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: When designing for circularity, consider the entire ecosystem of stakeholders and their interactions, not just individual products or business models.
The Circularity Deck: A Tool for Cultivating Circular Innovation Ecosystems
A structured card-based tool, the Circularity Deck, aids organizations in analyzing, ideating, and developing circular innovation ecosystems by categorizing principles based on intended outcomes and innovation perspectives.
Sustainability · 2020
Key Findings
- 01The Circularity Deck provides a novel analysis of the circular economy innovation landscape from an ecosystem perspective.
- 02The tool was found to be easy to use and perceived as useful by participants in workshops.
Application
Design takeaway
When designing for circularity, consider the entire ecosystem of stakeholders and their interactions, not just individual products or business models.
How to apply
Introduce the Circularity Deck in cross-functional team workshops to brainstorm and strategize for circular innovation within your organization's network.
Project actions
- 01When exploring sustainability, consider how different companies or departments can collaborate.
- 02Use frameworks like the Circularity Deck to organize your ideas for a more sustainable design project.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Provides a novel ecosystem perspective on circular innovation.
- +Empirically tested for usability and perceived usefulness.
Limitations
The Circularity Deck is a conceptual tool; its practical implementation requires active engagement and commitment from all participating organizations.
Reliability & validity
The study's validity is supported by its literature-based foundation and empirical testing in workshops. Reliability could be further enhanced by longitudinal studies tracking the implementation of ideas generated using the deck.
Think critically
To what extent can a standardized tool like the Circularity Deck truly capture the nuanced dynamics of diverse organizational ecosystems, and what adaptations might be necessary for different contexts?
Design Principles
"Foster collaborative innovation within ecosystems to achieve systemic circularity."
Implementing circular economy principles often requires systemic change beyond individual products or business models. This tool provides a practical framework for fostering collaborative innovation among multiple organizations to achieve collective circularity goals.
What This Means for Your Design
This research created a set of cards, called the Circularity Deck, that helps businesses work together to make their products and processes more sustainable by reducing waste and reusing materials.
How to use in your project
- 1.Reference the Circularity Deck as a tool for ideation and analysis in your design project's development section, particularly when addressing sustainability goals.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
The Circularity Deck, developed by Konietzko et al. (2020), offers a structured approach to fostering circular innovation ecosystems. By categorizing circular strategies and innovation perspectives, it provides a framework for analyzing current practices and ideating collaborative solutions to enhance resource efficiency and minimize waste across multiple organizations.
Source
Sustainability
A Tool to Analyze, Ideate and Develop Circular Innovation Ecosystems
journal · 2020
View sourceQuestions About This Research
- What does the research say about the circularity deck: a tool for cultivating circular innovation ecosystems?
- When designing for circularity, consider the entire ecosystem of stakeholders and their interactions, not just individual products or business models. Evidence: Sustainability (2020).
- Why does "The Circularity Deck: A Tool for Cultivating Circular Innovation Ecosystems" matter for design?
- Implementing circular economy principles often requires systemic change beyond individual products or business models. This tool provides a practical framework for fostering collaborative innovation among multiple organizations to achieve collective circularity goals.
- How can designers apply this research?
- When designing for circularity, consider the entire ecosystem of stakeholders and their interactions, not just individual products or business models.
- What were the main findings?
- The Circularity Deck provides a novel analysis of the circular economy innovation landscape from an ecosystem perspective.. The tool was found to be easy to use and perceived as useful by participants in workshops.
- What research method was used?
- Development and testing of a novel tool based on literature review and practical examples. with 136 participants.
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2020 journal from Sustainability.
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- Introduce the Circularity Deck in cross-functional team workshops to brainstorm and strategize for circular innovation within your organization's network.
- What are the limitations?
- The tool's effectiveness may vary depending on the specific industry, organizational culture, and the maturity of circular economy adoption within the ecosystem.