Improved Products Through Design-for-Environment Tools [Archive.org URL]

In the past, product development teams were often insulated from other disciplines within the company. Too often, products were developed without adequate input from marketing about customer needs, from manufacturing about realistic and cost-effective production, from the environmental group about potential negative impacts, or from other functions about their unique perspectives on key product attributes. The negative impacts of this insulation included product-introduction delays, lack of vital attributes in the final products, and ongoing friction between the product development group and other functions.

Over the past few years, cross-functional communication has increased dramatically. Leading companies have incorporated consideration of key stakeholder issues into the product development process from the outset. As a result, these companies have reduced redesign and rework, shortened time to market, and lessened the chance of product recall.

Within this context, the discipline known as “Design for Environment” (DfE) has evolved very recently as a successful way of integrating environmental, health, and safety (EHS) concerns early and effectively into the product development process – alongside other key design parameters.

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