Circularity for sustainable innovation
Author: Valentine PERRIN, École des Pontd ParisTech (d.school)
The areas of research and development proposed by the Ecole des Ponts Innovation and Design Department are based on design approaches that meet different educational and professional goals linked to societal issues. Indeed, design is a discipline rich in interaction, creativity and agility, which makes it possible to identify methodological processes and toolboxes that can be applied in companies to the range of people involved in innovation.
The activities developed at d.school Paris are originally founded on the user-centered design approach, which, through the design thinking process, makes it possible to integrate social desirability into the technical and economic trade-offs within companies. Drawing on its 12 years of experience, the d.school has been working for several months on a fundamental project to anchor innovations in sustainability by questioning the role of the conceptor (engineer/designer) in a context of ecological transition.
Indeed, the evolution of design models that were developed some fifty years ago requires a review and a pivot to meet the challenges and transformations of our ecosystems. Various levers are being explored through what we call sustainable design to move towards more sober and efficient models of production and consumption, leading by extension to sustainable innovations. In this context, design has a significant responsibility, in fact it can play a role in helping businesses and consumers to change social practices by combining rationality and sensitivity.
In this approach, we are no longer just looking at the user, but also at ecosystems and all the interactions linked to them. This enrichment of the design thinking approach is built on various key concepts such as the circular and regenerative economy, eco-design and biomimicry topropose a global and systemic approach to design. In this regard, the co-construction work carried out with members of the Circular community during the « sustainable design thinking pilot » on 7 and 8th of September has enabled the d.school Paris of École des Ponts ParisTech to iterate on the proposal and to reinforce the approach thanks to the multicultural expertises in a perspective of offering in 2024 courses to students at the Ecole des Ponts as well as training modules for professionals involved in innovation in a wide range of sectors. To meet the major challenges that are/ will be facing, the team firmly believe in the contribution of collective intelligence to built a common bright future.
