For the transition toward a circular economy, it is essential that products are returned for reuse, refurbishing or recycling. In order to address the lack of literature on the topic from a user perspective, this paper explores how users can be stimulated to return used smartphones. Taking a Research through Design approach, we developed a novel set of "design for divestment" principles. Divestment is the process users experience when separating from a product. After introducing a conceptual model of divestment based on an extension of the Consumer Decision Process model by Blackwell, Engel, and Miniard, we describe seven empirical studies (i.e., design projects) into smartphone divestment. The studies explore factors that influence a successful divestment process. We report on a highly complex process with interrelated factors changing over time. While it is impossible to define a blueprint for an ideal divestment process, several patterns emerged such as the need to emotionally support users, to give them confidence regarding data security, and to provide information at the right moment. These unique insights contribute to consumer research (i.e., circular consumption); and by translating the insights to ten design principles for divestment, a novel contribution is made to the field of design research.@en

In a circular economy, the collection of devices is essential to enable reuse, refurbishment, remanufacturing and/or recycling at a system level. Yet, even though collection programmes are in place, users often store their mobile phones after use. This dissertation provides a better understanding of closing the loop from a user perspective in both access-based consumption and ownership-based consumption. It studies how to potentially enhance collection rates. The research first results in a conceptual model conceptualizing the user behaviour regarding the return of mobile phones in these two consumption modes. As the return of phones is contractual in access-based consumption, influencing factors and design interventions were identified to improve the user acceptance and support practitioners in the development of access services. To increase the collection rates in ownership-based consumption (i.e., where the return is voluntary), the lack of attention for the last phase of the consumption cycle – called divestment – is addressed. This dissertation explores the new research field of design for divestment. It defines the concept of divestment in design, structures this phase in six stages, offers design insights on smartphone divestment experiences, and proposes design for divestment principles. @en

This report is a graduation thesis for the master Integrated Product Design at the Delft University of Technology. Carried out in collaboration with Philips Design in the Netherlands. The project is about how to engage consumers in the transition from a linear towards a circular economy in which we make more efficient use of materials and resources.

One of Philips’ objectives for 2020 (Philips.com, 2016) is that 15% of the turnover should come from solutions that meet Circular Economy principles. This was 8% in 2015 (Philips.be, 2016) which is a big change for a company.

Senseo has a large installed base. This is due to the huge success of the product since its launch in 2001. In 2012 a Senseo could be found in 60% of Dutch, and 27% of French households (Expatica.com, 2012). Besides, Senseo is the best sold product in the coffee business of Philips, mainly because its ease of use (Senseo.nl, 2018). Because of the high volumes and high distribution in the Netherlands and surrounding countries, an opportunity is found for creating much circular impact with the Senseo.

However, companies cannot shift to a circular economy alone: consumers are crucial in the success of the circular economy. Because even if a product is designed to circulate in a closed loop, its potential will only be realized if the consumer participates. Therefore, the goal of the project is to activate consumers to engage in the circular economy with a case study in Senseo coffee machines.

Senseo users can show circular behavior by taking good care of the product and by repairing it when it is malfunctioning, for extending the product’s lifetime. At the end-of-life of the product, the user can contribute by disposing the product at proper recycling points in order for the materials to be reused.

The outcome of the project is by integrating connectivity in the product (the internet of things, IoT), circular behavior among consumers can be stimulated and circular impact can be achieved.

Two main findings of the analysis are:
1. Need for support at the point of malfunctioning
2. After-sales data gaps

Connectivity (IoT) can contribute to these findings as follows. Connectivity can improve support because it facilitates easy access. The support stimulates circular behavior because users that receive support are encouraged and more likely to solve the problem instead of replacing it. By registering the product, users data can be gathered. This enables a virtuous circle because with the gathered data the support can be based on customer segmentation (e.g. demographics) and users can receive more customized support.

This corresponds to the Utopian vision that by means of a connected service, the Senseo has an unlimited lifetime and any of its parts can be replaced. Of course this is an ideal situation from an environmental perspective which cannot be achieved in the short term. By creating a roadmap, steps are proposed that contribute to getting closer to achieving this vision.

This report provides an analysis of the consumer experience at the end-of-use phase of a product. The study in this report focussed on the consumer-product relationship: how this plays a role in the process of product detachment, and what this means for products at the end-of-use, with a specific attention for products in a circular economy.
This end-of-use phase has been analysed with the goal of creating a design tool that enables industrial design students to design for the end-of-use consumer experience.

A theoretical framework of detachment is developed that shows the process of consumers when wanting to detach themselves from their possession. This framework is based on the works of Roster (2001) and Türe (2014). The detachment process consists of two parts: (1) dispossession, which is the mental process of distancing yourself from the product, and (2) separation, which is the physical act of removing the product from your life.
During the dispossession process, the consumer evaluates the product on what it is still worth to him and shows a dispossession behaviour to enable himself for physical separation.

To be able to design for the end-of-use experience, designers need to comprehend the detachment process, the consequences of the dispossession behaviours and need to be able to apply this knowledge into designing an end-of-use experience.

The developed design tool enables design students to analyse the detachment process with the use of consumer-product lifecycle, and recognize where opportunities lie for an end-of-use experience by reflecting on the lifecycle and defining a design goal, concluding the analysis. The tool will be used in a workshop context, where the students are introduced to the concept of detachment and the consumer experiences at the end-of-use. They are supported to find opportunities for which they could design a new end-of-use experience that stimulates their consumer to keep their product in the circular loop.

Mobile phones are one of the most ubiquitous devices in our lives. The ever-growing demand for mobile phones and rapid upgrade patterns, gives mobile phones an unsustainable linear character, with a big contribution to e-waste. This study is about stimulating consumers to return their mobile phones to extend its life or fulfill another purpose through refurbishment and recycling processes. This project is conducted for the case of KPN’s return program and aims towards a beneficial exchange between KPN and consumer. Beneficial transactions of resources, already take place for millions of years in nature, where designers can learn and derive inspirations from. Therefore, these are explored and used as an inspiration throughout this project. Simultaneously an analysis of the mobile phone ecosystem is done to understand how and why retailers and consumers behave in the current context. An in-depth study with consumers resulted in insights on the impact of factors on current take-back programs. Next, to financial incentives, family friendly practice and charitable/circular motives are identified as incentives during the end-of-use stage. Users need to be informed well on the importance of the return of phones, the ease of the method and their privacy. Also, the perceived value of payback should exceed the perceived financial, functional and sentimental value in old phones and the perception of effort. This requires the elimination of negative factors and enhanced benefits for both KPN and consumer in their cooperation. The insights enabled the generation of relevant elements in nature and a translation onto the case. Based on the insights the design goal is formulated: a satisfactory disposal phase that ensures an alternative and long-term payback method for both KPN and users, that enables the involvement of other users for the spread of circular behaviour. As a result, KPN Bewust is developed: a return system that promotes the spread of information and circular behaviour through its return service. In this system, returning an old phone and involving others, is the by-effect of purchasing the next contract with or without a phone with discounts, which reduces the perceived effort. Persuading friends and family to return their phones, is rewarded with mutual benefits. These generous offers will give KPN a competitive advantage compared to traditional take-back programs, with more longterm and satisfied clients in return. Through the KPN Bewust profile, an overview of the generated discounts, and contacts shows how the advantages of a returned phone can outweigh the advantages of keeping them. This experience will increase the likelihood of repetition and the spread of return behaviour.

Value creation in a circular economy is based on products being returned after use. In the case of smartphones, most are never returned and tend to be kept in drawers. Smartphone access services (e.g., leasing or upgrade) have been experimented with in the Netherlands but have been largely unsuccessful. This study explores the reasons why consumers rejected these access-based smartphone services and is one of the very few to address this topic. The findings are compared with the case of car access services, which are socially better accepted, to identify potential areas for improvement. The qualitative study consists of in-depth interviews with consumers (n = 18) who either adopted and used a smartphone or car access service, or had considered a new smartphone or car but did not choose access-based consumption. The findings of this small-scale study suggest that the main reasons for the rejection of smartphone access services are a lack of awareness, misunderstanding of terms and conditions, and unsatisfactory compensation for their sacrifice of not owning. Smartphone access providers could thus clearly communicate customers’ rights and responsibilities, offer an excellent service experience (especially during repair) by taking over the burdens of ownership, and stimulate the societal logic shift from ownership to access.@en

The aim of this project was to design an end-of-use experience in a circular economy for the Apple iPhone. The main challenge was to find out what the obstacles were at the end-of-use. During this research it became clear that many consumers don’t do anything with their old phone when they buy a new one. These old iPhones are left forgotten in drawers. For a circular economy to work, consumers need to bring back their old phones to the store. In this way, valuable material won’t go to waste. To understand the user’s perspective, in dept interviews have been performed. It showed from these interviews that many users keep an old phone as a spare phone for when their current phone dies. But that after some time, these spare phones get “replaced” by other old phones. In this way the drawer with old phones is being created. After a while, these phones are left forgotten. The users often don’t know what data is on these phones. They don’t know what to do with it but can’t take distance from it. After the consumer research, the design goal of this research was created: “Users should be able to comfortably and efficiently back-up their data and then delete their personal information, while feeling reassured and confident. The interaction should become a trustworthy and standard operation”. The focus of the project was backing-up data from the iPhone, so that the users could feel reassured and confident about deleting data from their old phones, because they had stored their data somewhere save. This resulted in the final design of this project: BackUps. BackUps is an app where all old iPhones a user has had, are stored. The iPhones stored in BackUps are looking the same as they were when they were in use. To have this overview of old phones, the user might become less attached to the physical device, because they now see that all data has been stored in the BackUps. The data stored is stored in the iCloud. An implementation plan is also given. When users return their phone to the store, they will get storage as an incentive. This storage can be used for the data of their old phones.

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Recent experience has clearly shown that mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets are difficult to get back from customers to close loops through current end-of-pipe collection solutions. This paper explores the potential of a shift in business logic away from ownership as its central concept, to use or value (through e.g. leasing or pay-per-use). In other words, a shift towards alternatives to the classic sales offer (where product ownership is transferred to the customer in one transaction). An appealing advantage of these alternatives is that a company retains control over its devices, facilitating resource recovery. Consequently, these concepts seem particularly interesting from a circular economy perspective as they could have the capacity of decoupling economic value creation from material input. To make the opportunities of such a transformation more conceptual, the paper aligns terminology and taxonomy of commercial offers for mobile devices and provides an overview of what defines alternative commercial offers.@en