Abstract
While design-led approaches are increasingly recognised as catalysts for sustainability transitions, existing tools often fall short in translating comprehensive sustainability frameworks into actionable strategies grounded in real-world business contexts. This study addresses this gap by exploring how design-led sustainable innovation can be operationalised within the manufacturing sector, with a particular focus on Taiwan—a region facing escalating pressures from climate change and global sustainability targets. Drawing on semi-structured interviews and an online survey, this study develops the Design for Sustainability Toolkit—a practical tool designed to help companies integrate sustainability across strategic and operational levels. The study identifies eight innovation strategies that offer a clear roadmap for embedding sustainability in practice. The toolkit comprises multiple components, including strategy cards, user personas, scenario templates, and distribution channel cards, which guide users from material-level interventions to broader systemic change. To validate its usability, the toolkit was tested in a real-world setting through the YODEX Industry–Academia Cooperation Programme, involving corporate representatives and students in co-creative problem-solving. The toolkit effectively supports structured ideation and reflection in workshop-based environments. This research contributes both actionable strategies and offers practical value for businesses and design educators alike.
Keywords
Design-led Sustainable Innovation; Design for Sustainability; Card-based Toolkit; Industry– Academia Cooperation
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/iasdr.2025.699
Citation
Huang, L., Lei, S.T., Ouyang, C.,and Sher, C.(2025) Design for Sustainability: A Toolkit for Accelerating Sustainable Innovation, in Chang, C.-Y., and Hsu, Y. (eds.), IASDR 2025: Design Next, 02-05 December, Taiwan. https://doi.org/10.21606/iasdr.2025.699
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Conference Track
Track 8 - Circular/Sustainable Design
Design for Sustainability: A Toolkit for Accelerating Sustainable Innovation
While design-led approaches are increasingly recognised as catalysts for sustainability transitions, existing tools often fall short in translating comprehensive sustainability frameworks into actionable strategies grounded in real-world business contexts. This study addresses this gap by exploring how design-led sustainable innovation can be operationalised within the manufacturing sector, with a particular focus on Taiwan—a region facing escalating pressures from climate change and global sustainability targets. Drawing on semi-structured interviews and an online survey, this study develops the Design for Sustainability Toolkit—a practical tool designed to help companies integrate sustainability across strategic and operational levels. The study identifies eight innovation strategies that offer a clear roadmap for embedding sustainability in practice. The toolkit comprises multiple components, including strategy cards, user personas, scenario templates, and distribution channel cards, which guide users from material-level interventions to broader systemic change. To validate its usability, the toolkit was tested in a real-world setting through the YODEX Industry–Academia Cooperation Programme, involving corporate representatives and students in co-creative problem-solving. The toolkit effectively supports structured ideation and reflection in workshop-based environments. This research contributes both actionable strategies and offers practical value for businesses and design educators alike.