In a laboratory at Campus Valla, an interdisciplinary research group is investigating what happens in designers’ brains when they work.
"We can’t see what you’re thinking. But we can see which areas of the brain are activated when you solve a problem," says Carine Signoret, docent in cognitive psychology and listening comprehension at the Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, and part of the research group.
Significant impact
The lab is small, but has everything needed to investigate electrical activity in the brain (EEG). Tomohiko Sakao, research leader and professor of industrial environmental technology, explains why the study is needed:
"Design consists of a number of different decisions. And to some extent, the person who designs a service or product has free rein. If you can change only a small part of that process, it can have an incredible impact on the environment," says Tomohiko Sakao.
In the background lies a frustration that humanity today has knowledge about the threat to the climate and its link to overconsumption:
But the global trend is going in the wrong direction.
"Over the past 50 years, we have tripled the extraction of natural resources from the Earth’s crust. This is directly related to increased emissions of carbon dioxide. Over the past 20 years, we have doubled our carbon dioxide emissions from refining these resources."
The design process becomes crucial
At the same time, the lifespan of most everyday gadgets has become shorter. The things we use wear out, break down, or become technically obsolete at an ever-increasing pace.
And then they can end up in the recycling system. Instead of being reused.
"This is where the design process becomes crucial. We can’t afford to see used products as a pile of materials. We have to start taking them back to the factory, fixing them, changing parts and upgrading them."
He is convinced that science must tackle sustainability issues from several different angles.
"We have done different types of studies. For example, letting participants think aloud in the design process, transcribing this and analysing the content. You can also conduct interviews and surveys and get results that way."
Tried the method
But Tomohiko Sakao is not completely satisfied:
"There’s a risk of results being distorted by those who analyse the content, even though there are methods to avoid this. And a lot of interview studies have already been carried out. New methods are a step forward."
The research group, which also includes postdoctoral fellow Abhijna Neramballi, has published a study that is a so-called proof of concept. They have tested the method with EEG measurements in the lab at Campus Valla, and now have enough results for an extended study, with design and sustainability students as participants.
An advantage of EEG is that the method itself is proven and that researchers can build on many available insights in neuroscience.
"This allows us to trust what we see in the images. We can already see signs of differences as to which parts of the brain are activated when the participants have different levels of knowledge but solve a design task together."
Influence
Despite new legislation, recommendations and ISO standards, the effect will be delayed, according to Tomohiko Sakao. And he comes back to the fact that designers who make decisions about products and services have a great influence.
"Of course, the manufacturer sets their requirements and chooses the materials to reduce costs. In addition, there is legislation. All this puts pressure on designers. But then there are further decisions and choices in the design process. It’s about how a product is constructed. Can it be opened and repaired? Can you change the components, and so on. These are the types of decisions we want to address in our research. In the end, it can lead to better knowledge and guidelines for participation in the entire manufacturing process," says Tomohiko Sakao.
