Living Design: The effective use of design for sustainability in maker enterprises

可持续性关注的是环境和地点的特殊性；它从地方层面开始。然而，小规模的地方企业一般没有必要的资金在可持续性和环境管理方面提供专门的作用和专门知识。这个问题可以由具有这些领域专门知识的大学研究人员与小型企业密切合作来克服，以创造在地方和区域一级都可行的互利、实际和经济上可行的解决办法。该研究项目将在地方/区域层面开展基于实践的研究，与微型企业（小于10名员工）合作，为当地“制造”企业（小型制造-家具，照明，陶瓷等）的可持续性设计实施制定实用指南和在线资源。《指南》及其互动资源将为设计师和本地企业提供实用的资源，并为这些企业提供上传范例、分享见解、添加相关信息和提供反馈的基础，从而提供一个持续改进的模式，为企业和学者提供宝贵的资源，以建立一个有效、实用的指南和具有实际价值的资源。这项研究将汇集PI（可持续性设计）和Co-I（未来设计）的大量专业知识，以及来自当地/区域企业和相关利益相关者（商会、商业团体、供应商等）的第一手信息和见解。通过这种方式，该项目将受益于学术界和商界之间的知识交流，将为实际影响奠定基础，从而将有利于研究地区（坎布里亚郡）的竞争力和经济未来。研究结果、见解、经验教训和方法可以加以调整，以适应其他地区企业的需要。研究方法将首先结合可持续性设计和设计未来的理论信息和原则，以及从研究区域的实地研究中收集的信息。这为设计实践提供了依据。基于这些发现，特定于环境的设计标准的发展将导致最初的设计概念。根据项目总监、项目主管和项目评审的实际经验、专业知识和设计技能，初步设计概念将成为与当地企业和相关利益相关者开展讲习班或探索性对话的基础。设计标准将被完善，概念将被修改，新的方向将被确定。一组进一步的设计概念将导致一系列的设计原型，这将形成与企业进一步对话的基础，其结果将形成指南的基础（例如，小型制造商企业的可持续性设计：10步指南）和相关的互动资源。[这将与目前可用的其他指南有很大不同，例如可持续发展研究所的欧盟中小企业成功参与最佳实践指南，该指南“主要针对大型组织中从事采购/供应链或合同管理工作的个人”。指南和互动网站将成为小型创客企业的实用资源和大学研究人员的宝贵研究工具，以不断提高可持续设计中特定情境研究的实际影响和可行性。研究结果将广泛传播。主要调查结果和材料将列入专门的网站。将有一系列期刊论文、一本书、会议论文和实践讲习班、原型展览和专业期刊、杂志和电子杂志上的短篇文章。

Sustainability is concerned with the particularities of context and place; it begins at the local level. However, small-scale local enterprises generally do not have the wherewithal to provide dedicated roles and expertise in sustainability and environmental stewardship. This problem can be overcome by university researchers, with expertise in these areas, working closely with small enterprises to create mutually beneficial, practical and economically viable solutions that are feasible at the local and regional levels.This research project will carry out practice-based research at the local/regional level, working with micro-enterprises (<10 employees) to develop a practical Guide and online line resources for the implementation of design for sustainability in local 'making' businesses (small-scale manufacturing - furniture, lighting, ceramics, etc.). The Guide and its interactive resources will be a practical resource for designers and local enterprises and will provide a basis for these enterprises to upload examples, share their insights, add relevant information and offer feedback - thus offering a continuous improvement model that will be a valuable resource for businesses and for academics to build an effective, practical Guide and resources that are of real-world value.This research will bring together the considerable expert knowledge of the PI (design for sustainability) and the Co-I (design futures) with first-hand information and insights from local/regional enterprises and associated stakeholders (chambers of commerce, business groups, suppliers etc.). In this way, the project will benefit from knowledge exchange between academia and business, will lay the groundwork for practical impact and thus will be beneficial to the competitiveness and economy future of the study region (Cumbria). The research findings, insights, lessons learned and approach can then be adapted to suit the needs of enterprises in other regions.The research approach will begin by combining theoretical information and principles in design for sustainability and design futures with information gathered from field research in the study region. This provides a basis for design practice. Based on findings, the development of context-specific design criteria will lead to initial design concepts. Drawing on the practical experience, expertise and design skills of the PI, Co-I and RAs, initial design concepts will form a basis for workshops or exploratory dialogues with local enterprises and associated stakeholders. Design criteria will be refined, concepts will be modified and new directions identified. A further set of design concepts will lead to a series of design prototypes, which will form the basis of further dialogues with enterprises, the results of which will form the basis of the Guide (e.g. Design for Sustainability in Small Maker Enterprises: A 10 Step Guide) and associated, interactive resources. [This will be quite different from other guides currently available, such as the EUs Best Practice Guidance for Successful SME Engagement from the Institute of Sustainability which is "aimed primarily at individuals working in procurement/supply chain or contract management roles within large organisations".]The Guide and interactive website will be a practical resource for small maker enterprises and a valuable research tool for university researchers to continuously improve the practical impact and viability of context-specific research in design for sustainability.The research findings will be widely disseminated. Key findings and materials will be included on the dedicated website. There will be a series of journal papers, a book, conference papers and practical workshops, exhibitions of prototypes and shorter articles in professional journals, magazines and e-zines.