Design for sustainable use using principles of behaviour change

Abstract

This chapter briefly sketches and visualizes how Design for Sustainable Behaviour (DfSB) has developed into an interdisciplinary research field within the past 10 years. Research within this field has resulted in an ever growing database of case studies that investigate an increasing number of behaviours and practice. These case studies differ considerably in terms of case study setup, user centred methods applied, target problems addressed, design methodology used, proposed solutions and tests whether the solutions have led to (sustainable) behaviour change. Few, if any cases follow a complete design process, including problem finding, user research, analysis, ideation, conceptualization and testing. In this chapter, one major (on spatial heating using woodstoves) and two smaller (on dishwashing and sustainable sleeping) projects illustrate how using Principles of Behaviour Change – an approach developed at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) – can inform such a complete process. Though the case studies may inspire how to do a design project aimed at developing interventions to create sustainable behaviour, existing insights by no means provide a final answer how to approach these and similar research questions. The chapter concludes with some insights into how the field could develop further.