User acceptance and behaviour

The design of successful circular products and services requires a clear insight into the needs, acceptance, experiences and behaviour of end users.

Users in a circular economy

Characteristic of the circular economy are innovative earning models. In these, the emphasis shifts from the possession of products to the use of products as a service. Think, for example, of leasing bicycles, household appliances or electronics. Such product service systems offer benefits to both companies and end users. For the end user, these access & performance models offer more choice, flexibility and ease of use. For companies, new opportunities arise for long-term customer loyalty, a wider range of support services and for new market segments.

Acceptance and behaviour

The design of successful circular products and services therefore requires insight into the acceptance and behaviour of end users. Which factors are decisive for the consumer to accept a circular concept? In what context is the product used? How does the ideal customer journey proceed, from the selection process to disposal of a product? And what role does user behaviour play in this?

At Partners for Innovation, we help to answer these questions. We do user research and and jointly create practical solutions. Based on the gained insights, we are able to develop and validate new circular concepts and value propositions which can immediately be implemented in your business operation.

Some examples:

The European Funded INCREACE-project is set up to increase the share of recycled plastics in added value products like electronics. One of the objectives of the project is to empower people and communities to play their role in the circular plastics transition. End users play a crucial role in this transition at both the start of the product lifecycle through purchase and at the end of the useful life of a product through collection. Partners for Innovation takes the lead in this part of the project.

Let it go. What do people do with electronic products at the end of their lifespan? We have such a close relationship with few consumer goods as with our smartphones. If we want to bring the circular economy closer, we will also have to deal with old mobile phones differently. With ten design principles, we want to help designers of circular products to let users say goodbye to their old mobile phone. Read the summary of the thesis Let it Go by Flora Poppelaars.