Tool details
Then What?
Rethinking a linear use of a product or service to transform it into a truly circular one.
Tool category:
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When to use
When you have a product or service (idea) you want to develop further.
Why you should
To ensure that your product is staying in a useful state for as long as possible and adds value at every stage.
What you get
A map illustrating the use cycle of your product or service.
Steps to take
Start by asking yourself: how long is the intended use phase initially for the product or service? And could this be extended?
Then, ask yourself “what’s next?” What happens after its first use cycle? Read more in "Further reading"
Do this for multiple cycles. What are the journeys for the different parts of your product or service after use? It is likely that your product will break down into its core elements/components the further you go into cycles of use.
Before finalising, consider the practical challenges during the disposal, collection, and recovery stages. (For example, a particular product or product component might be made of recyclable material, but not be recycled in reality.)
For components that do not have a circular pathway, how could they be redesigned?
Further reading
Questions to ask yourself (referring to step 2):
- Does it return to the biosphere? (e.g. packaging that biodegrades)
- Does it get reused or repurposed by a new user? (e.g. a cell phone that someone else uses after you in a new market or a wine bottle becoming a decorative item)
- Does it get repaired or refurbished? (e.g. a pair of boots that gets repaired)
- Does it get remanufactured? (e.g. a phone case that gets remade instead of throwing away the whole smartphone)
- Does it get recycled? (e.g. metal that gets melted down and reused)
Note that the product can be exchanged with a service to explore how a customer acts after the service relationship is began.