Exploring student perceptions of product-service systems

Abstract

It is important that Product Design students understand the scope of sustainable design. The purpose of this study is to pilot the introduction of Product-Service System (PSS) Design to undergraduate students in Industrial Product Design. The study aims to test students' perceptions of how the Product Design field is evolving to embrace sustainable approaches address the needs of less-privileged communities. This chapter highlights how the transformation from product design to PSS Design is understood by students and how it can count towards sustainability and be preferred over product design. The advantages of a PSS over the design of products alone can be backed by the concept of sustainability when contextual issues such as cultural and economic factors are being considered. PSS was received to be an appropriate solution by providing job creation in communities, reducing consumerism, and, at the same time, being perceived to challenge the concept of ownership of products and services.