Strategy-based design for environment

Designers are usually not able to fulfil the task of designing 'environmentally friendly' products because this goal is far too unspecific for product development, especially in combination with costs and quality goals. Clear targets have to be set and suitable methods and instruments to achieve these targets have to be developed in order to be able to meet the general goal of an environmentally friendly product. This paper presents a method on how goals can be set and realised in a new product design. The method is based on so-called "DFE-strategies" which help to guide the DFE process in a certain direction. It presents recommendations for what environmental aspects should be considered during product design. Based on this recommendation, the best individual DFE strategy (or strategies) for a given product can be selected or ranked. These then have to be realised in product design by using synthesis supports such as rules databases, checklists, specific methods and analysis support, such as a comparative, qualitative assessment.