How can you design affordable and accessible green products?

"Green" products, similar to organic produce, are nearly always a substitute for an existing product and with a higher price. So, your new, green product should ... 1) meet an existing market need (there has to be demand for the product AND a demand for a product with the green credential). 2) The targeted consumers of the new (and probably more expensive) product should have low price sensitivity; and 3) You should understand whether there are existing or potential substitutes that would be a cheaper or easier substitution than your new product.

Many businesses think defining the problem and solution is the first step towards designing affordable and accessible green products. But you need to lay down the groundwork even before that. - Start with evaluating your sustainability goals and how they reflect on each of your products. - Then devise a problem statement by defining the areas you need to improve. - Once you define the problem, configure a solution based on different parameters like cost, feasibility, user experience and acceptance. In short, ensure that your problem statement is relevant to your organisation, and work backwards to find a solution by exploring all the options at your disposal.

The key to designing green products that are effective is defining the problem the product is attempting to solve. Once this is established, it is important to find low emission materials that have a low environmental impact to build your product. This gives your product a competitive edge as it provides the user with a better alternative.

Without a doubt, in the design process of green products, determining the issue and developing a concise solution are crucial. It provides the framework for an intentional strategy that addresses actual environmental problems rather than just producing a product.

Designing affordable and accessible green products involves a multifaceted approach. Prioritize simplicity in design to reduce production costs and make products user-friendly. Opt for sustainable materials that are cost-effective and easily sourced. Streamline manufacturing processes to minimize energy consumption and waste. Consider the product's life cycle, aiming for recyclability and durability. Collaborate with local communities and suppliers to reduce transportation-related environmental costs. Implement cost-effective green certifications to enhance product credibility. Actively engage with consumers to understand their needs, preferences, and affordability constraints, ensuring that the green product aligns with their values.

Start with thorough research on market trends and how your competitors are designing their products. Find the strengths, flaws, features, benefits, costs and functionality of their products. Replicate the positive aspects of their design and eliminate the flaws. You can also study well-established MNCs in the space to set a benchmark for yourself, and then design a product that’s more eco friendly, carbon negative and plastic negative. Build a prototype, test it out and see what fronts on can improve on.

Some additional elements to consider when researching and benchmarking: - a comprehensive life cycle assessment - compliance to regulatory requirements - transparency in the supply chain - embrace circular economy principles - explore potential of innovative technologies

Conduct thorough research and benchmarking of analogous green products to gain insights into strengths, weaknesses, features, benefits, costs, and prices. Analyse customer feedback, track market trends, adhere to sustainability standards, and consider best practices for valuable inspiration. This step is crucial for refining your green product idea, ensuring it aligns with market demands, and optimizing its overall sustainability impact.

Journey of green design starts with empathy & understanding the user needs & desires. Next ideation phase is done - Brainstorm sessions, mind maps,& even playful doodles - whatever lets imagination run wild! As ideas pour in, we filter them through triple sieve of sustainability, affordability, & accessibility. Only the concepts that pass through all three make it to the next stage I.e. to get hands-on product experience. These aren't just sketches on paper; they're tangible representations, like mockups, basic models, or even role-playing scenarios. This prototyping phase is where the hand of action meets the heart of empathy. We put these prototypes in the hands of real users, gather their feedback, and iterate based on their experiences.

In the ideation and prototyping phase, explore diverse concepts using tools like brainstorming, sketching, and 3D modeling. Test ideas by creating prototypes using low-cost and recycled materials, assessing functionality, usability, and desirability. This iterative process helps refine your green product, ensuring it meets sustainability goals and user expectations.

While well-intentioned, many early-stage startups building green products fail because they aim to 'perfect' the envisioned product before releasing it to paying customers. The key to successfully designing an affordable and accessible product is to launch it as quickly as possible and iron out the kinks along the way. For software services, a great approach is to find early 'beta' customers who use the product at a reduced rate (never free!) in exchange for candid and ongoing feedback. This way, you can fail fast, iterate rapidly, and expedite the process towards a user-friendly design that aligns with both ESG goals and market demands.

Create content and narratives around the work you are doing. Communicate your value proposition to your customers and find the ones who are proactively engaging with your product digitally. Involve them in the feedback loop and make them a part of the iterations you are making.

Have a think about the 5 stages of your marketing funnel (awareness, consideration, conversion, loyalty and advocacy), and which part of the funnel you should be focusing on - top of the funnel (ToFu), middle of the funnel (MoFu), or bottom of the funnel (BoFu). You can figure out which to target if you use analytics such as Google Analytics to understand the demographics and conversion rates. Market and competitor research is also helpful to differentiate your marcomms from competitors.

Especially cities and communes are very interested in using green products, as they are forced by the guidelines to use them but are often short in money. Write several contacts of the cities, maybe one is free and interested enough, or provide them a little trial package.

Designing products based on circular economy principles is an effective way to enhance sustainability by minimising waste, maximising resource efficiency, and promoting a closed-loop system. By embracing circular economy principles, you not only contribute to environmental sustainability but also foster a more resilient and efficient business model. Circular economy practices align with the idea of "closing the loop" and creating a more regenerative approach to production and consumption as well as opening up different funding and revenue models.

Designing affordable and accessible green products involves a thoughtful and holistic approach that considers both environmental sustainability and inclusivity in terms of cost and accessibility.