Single-use Plastic: Using Design Thinking to Address the Issue in Japan

Single-use plastic, such as disposable plastic bags, straws, and cutlery, is a significant contributor to plastic pollution in Japan. These items are used for a short period of time and then discarded, often ending up in the ocean where they harm marine life and disrupt the ecosystem. In this post, I will explore how design thinking can be used to address the issue of single-use plastic in Japan.

Empathize

Empathizing with users is the process of understanding their needs, wants, and pain points in order to develop solutions that truly meet their needs. In the context of designing a solution for plastic pollution, empathizing would involve understanding the needs and pain points of individuals and businesses who use single-use plastic, as well as the marine ecosystem and the fishing and tourism industries that are affected by plastic pollution.

To gain a deep understanding of these needs and pain points, research can be conducted through a variety of methods such as surveys, interviews, and observation. Surveys can be used to gather quantitative data on attitudes and behaviors related to plastic use. Interviews can be used to gather qualitative data on the reasons behind those attitudes and behaviors. Observation can be used to gain insight into how people interact with plastic in their daily lives.

By understanding the needs and pain points of the users, we can develop solutions that are tailored to meet those needs and address those pain points, increasing the likelihood that the solution will be adopted and used effectively.

Define

The second step in design thinking is to define the problem or opportunity that has been identified through the research in the empathize step. This step is critical because it allows us to create a clear and specific problem statement that will guide the rest of the design process.

In this case, based on the research conducted, the problem that was identified was "How can we reduce the use of single-use plastic in Japan and protect the marine ecosystem and the fishing and tourism industries?" This problem statement is specific and clearly defined, which allows us to understand the scope of the problem and develop solutions that address it directly.

It's important to note that the problem statement should be specific enough to guide the design process but also open-ended enough to allow for a wide range of potential solutions. Additionally, it should be user-centered, meaning it should be focused on the needs and pain points of the users.

Once the problem is defined, we can move on to the next steps in the design thinking process, which include ideation, prototyping, and testing, to develop and test potential solutions.

Ideate

In the ideation step, we generate a wide range of ideas to solve the problem that was defined in the previous step. This step is typically done through brainstorming sessions, in which we are encouraged to generate as many ideas as possible, regardless of how realistic or feasible they may be. The goal is to generate a wide range of potential solutions in order to have a variety of options to choose from when moving on to the next steps.

In this case, the we looked at a variety of potential solutions including new technologies such as bioplastics, redesigning existing systems, and creating new incentives. One idea that stood out was the integration of biodegradable plastics in single-use packaging. Biodegradable plastics can break down into natural substances over time, reducing the harm caused to marine life and the environment. This solution still meets the needs of businesses and consumers as it still provides the convenience of single-use packaging but with a reduced environmental impact.

Another idea that was generated was to create a system of rewards or incentives for individuals and businesses that reduce their use of single-use plastic. This could be implemented through a loyalty program, where individuals and businesses that reduce their use of plastic can earn rewards or discounts. This would encourage people and businesses to make changes in their behavior and reduce their use of single-use plastic.

It's important to note that, at this stage, there is no need to evaluate the feasibility or effectiveness of the ideas, the goal is just to generate as many potential solutions as possible. Next, we will evaluate the ideas and select the most promising ones to prototype and test.

Prototype

In the prototype step, we take the best ideas generated in the ideation step and turn them into physical or digital models that can be tested and used to get feedback. A prototype is a simplified version of the final solution that is used to test the concept, design and usability.

In this case, we created a prototype of biodegradable plastic packaging and a mobile app that rewards users for reducing their use of single-use plastic. The biodegradable plastic packaging prototype allowed us test and evaluate the design, materials and the production process in a real-world environment. This prototype helped the us to understand the feasibility of the packaging, and what kind of changes need to be made to improve it.

The mobile app prototype, on the other hand, allowed us to test the user interface, the rewards system and the user experience. The prototype helped us understand if the app is easy to use, if the rewards system is motivating and if the app meets the needs of the target users.

It's important to note that prototypes can be created at different levels of detail depending on the stage of the project, and the resources available, in the early stages the prototypes can be low-fidelity (sketches or wireframes) while in later stages they can be high-fidelity (functional prototypes)

The prototype step is critical in the design thinking process because it allows us to test the concepts in real-world environments and get feedback from users, this feedback is then used to improve the prototypes before moving on to the next step.

Test

During the testing phase, the prototypes developed in the previous step are evaluated by the intended end-users. Feedback is collected to assess how effectively the prototypes meet the users' needs and identify any areas for improvement.

In this case, the prototypes of the biodegradable plastic packaging and the mobile app were tested with businesses and consumers. The feedback that was gathered helps us understand the potential of the prototypes to reduce harm to marine life and encourage users to reduce their use of single-use plastic.

The testing can be done in various ways, it can be done through usability testing, where the prototype is used by a group of users and we observe and record their interactions, or through A/B testing, where the prototype is compared with a control group to measure its effectiveness.

Based on the feedback gathered during the testing, the we can make adjustments to the prototypes and test them again until they are satisfied with the solution. Once the solution meets the needs of the users and addresses the problem statement, it can be considered for implementation.

It's important to note that testing is an iterative process, it's done multiple times until the solution is refined and meets the requirements. This step allows us to validate the assumptions made during the previous steps and make necessary adjustments to the solution before it's implemented.

In conclusion, Design thinking is a powerful tool that can be used to solve complex problems and create innovative solutions. Applying design thinking to tackle the problem of single-use plastic in Japan has the potential to result in a system that effectively reduces its usage.