The Priority Given to Sustainability by Industrial Designers within an Industry 4.0 Paradigm

Blair Kuys, Christoph Koch and Gianni Renda
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Blair Kuys: Centre for Design Innovation, School of Design and Architecture, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne 3122, Australia
Christoph Koch: Centre for Design Innovation, School of Design and Architecture, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne 3122, Australia
Gianni Renda: Centre for Design Innovation, School of Design and Architecture, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne 3122, Australia

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 14, issue 1, 1-17

Abstract: Industrial design is intrinsically linked to manufacturing; however, what is required of industrial design to adapt to new changes brought on by Industry 4.0 in manufacturing is unknown. Current literature gives little insight into how industrial designers need to evolve to the current developments in manufacturing to remain value drivers in an Industry 4.0 paradigm. There is minimal research describing the link between industrial design, Industry 4.0 and the effect this will have on sustainability. We conducted an extensive survey of 190 respondents from 53 countries to establish the present state of industrial design practice globally and to better understand the priority sustainability is given by practicing industrial designers. Qualitative data showed a desire for improved sustainable processes; however, quantitative data contradicted this, showing “sustainability” as one of the lowest ranked areas of importance in design practice for industrial designers. While sustainability—especially in manufacturing—demands more prominent change as industrial design adapts to an Industry 4.0 manufacturing paradigm, it seems that junior industrial designers do not currently see this as a priority.

Keywords: industrial design; Industry 4.0; sustainability; manufacturing; priority; value; sustainable (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 complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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