Design and Development of Sustainable Product Service Systems Based on Design-Centric Complexity

Peng Zhang, Shaohua Jing, Zifeng Nie, Boyuan Zhao and Runhua Tan
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Peng Zhang: School of Mechanical Engineering, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300401, China
Shaohua Jing: School of Mechanical Engineering, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300401, China
Zifeng Nie: School of Mechanical Engineering, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300401, China
Boyuan Zhao: School of Mechanical Engineering, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300401, China
Runhua Tan: School of Mechanical Engineering, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300401, China

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 2, 1-27

Abstract: Product-service system (PSS) complexity is rapidly increasing in order to meet complex user requirements. Increased complexity leads to PSSs failing to meet sustainability requirements in their initial design. To enhance PSS sustainability and support social benefits, this paper proposes a sustainable PSS development framework based on design-centric complexity (DCC) theory. In the early design stage of a PSS, DCC theory is used to analyze the complexity of the system. Determination of the types of complexity in the system and the corresponding problems is then performed. By combining the sub-field model of TRIZ, the problems can be converted and solved, and the functional periodicity may be established to reduce system complexity. By using this development framework, the conflicts and potential problems of design attributes can be reduced and the possibility of achieving PSSs functional requirements (FRs) can be enhanced. This will maintain the long-term operation stability for the system and enhance the sustainability of the PSS. Finally, the feasibility of the development framework is verified here through the case analysis of a bicycle sharing service and management system.

Keywords: product-service system; sustainability; design-centric complexity; TRIZ (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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