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Smart Product-Service Design for Sustainability

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Products and Services".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2025 | Viewed by 17307

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
School of Economics and Management, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, China
Interests: product development and improvement; decision analysis based on big data; information management and decision support system; business intelligence, e-commerce and behavior decisions

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Guest Editor
School of Management and Economics, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China
Interests: decision analysis based on big data; information management and business intelligence; risk evaluation and management
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Faculty of Management and Economics, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650093, China
Interests: product development and improvement; decision analysis based on big data; preference and behavior analysis for users

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Owing to the fierce competition in modern manufacturing and service, smart production and service which enable manufacturers to gradually meet more and more personalized needs of users are critical to achieve sustainable success in the connected era. New information technologies, such as machine learning, artificial intelligence, big data, etc., bring numerous opportunities for continuous improvements and innovations.  Meanwhile, many challenges emerge in the specific studies, such as product design based on user needs, user preference mining, customer requirements analysis, feature analysis, performance analysis and optimization, quality evaluation and improvement, and user satisfaction analysis. Therefore, this Special Issue aims to publish original, significant, and visionary works on the abovementioned aspects. Rigorous quantitative methods and real-world practice in smart production and service systems are welcome.

Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

  • Data-driven sustainable smart product–service system design;
  • Data-driven sustainable smart product development;
  • User preference analysis based on online reviews;
  • Customer requirements analysis for smart product and/or service based on online reviews;
  • Feature analysis for smart product and/or service based on online reviews;
  • Multiple-attribute decision making in sustainable smart product;
  • Sustainability performance evaluation for smart product–service system;
  • Performance analysis and optimization for smart product–service system;
  • Sustainable practices in smart product–service system;
  • Sustainable product design based on user needs;
  • Product and service quality evaluation and improvement for sustainability;
  • User satisfaction analysis for smart products and services from online reviews.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Dun Liu
Prof. Dr. Decui Liang
Dr. Yinfeng Du
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • smart product–service systems
  • sustainability
  • online reviews
  • data-driven
  • customer needs analysis
  • feature analysis
  • performance analysis
  • quality evaluation and improvement
  • multiple-attribute decision making

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Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

25 pages, 3232 KiB  
Article
Research on Function Optimization of Electric Vehicle Charging Stations Based on User Demand Analysis: An Empirical Study Using the Kano Model and AHP Method
by Xiaoxue Liu
Sustainability 2024, 16(23), 10783; https://doi.org/10.3390/su162310783 - 9 Dec 2024
Viewed by 957
Abstract
With the widespread adoption of electric vehicles (EVs), the demand for reliable and user-friendly charging infrastructure has increased significantly. However, user dissatisfaction with public EV charging stations has also intensified, and the level of satisfaction with charging stations directly influences the development of [...] Read more.
With the widespread adoption of electric vehicles (EVs), the demand for reliable and user-friendly charging infrastructure has increased significantly. However, user dissatisfaction with public EV charging stations has also intensified, and the level of satisfaction with charging stations directly influences the development of the EV market. This study aimed to identify and prioritize user needs for EV charging stations to improve their design and functionality, ultimately enhancing user satisfaction and effectively promoting the sustainable development of the EV market. Using the KJ method, this study identified 23 key user needs and categorized them into must-be, one-dimensional, attractive, and indifferent requirements using the Kano model. The analytic hierarchy process (AHP) was subsequently applied to rank these requirements by their importance. The results indicate that, in the optimization of charging station functionality, the most critical user requirements include C1 charging gun stability (0.3176), C2 system stability (0.2822), C7 safety performance (0.0885), C15 payment convenience (0.0648), and C8 accurate feedback on charging station status (0.0501). This study provides valuable insights for designers and developers, offering a user-centered approach to optimizing public EV charging stations and improving the overall charging experience. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Product-Service Design for Sustainability)
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18 pages, 1848 KiB  
Article
Personal Data Management in Smart Product-Service Systems: Preliminary Design Strategies to Avoid User Manipulation in Democratic Processes
by Alessandra C. Canfield Petrecca, Carlo Vezzoli and Fabrizio Ceschin
Sustainability 2024, 16(22), 10110; https://doi.org/10.3390/su162210110 - 20 Nov 2024
Viewed by 631
Abstract
The use of digital technologies in Product Service Systems (PSSs) has increased in recent years. More and more smart devices are used in these models, collecting significant amounts of data to provide personalized and responsive products and services. However, data extraction has been [...] Read more.
The use of digital technologies in Product Service Systems (PSSs) has increased in recent years. More and more smart devices are used in these models, collecting significant amounts of data to provide personalized and responsive products and services. However, data extraction has been causing disruptions in the social sphere, manipulating users, threatening democratic processes, and harming the social dimension of sustainability. To mitigate these problems associated with user data, some solutions on the market claim to take a more ethical approach. This article presents the preliminary results of a study aiming to understand what features in these solutions may favour the resilience of democratic processes and reduction in user manipulation due to personal data extraction and personalized activity. It also examines how designers can use them to develop smart PSSs that incorporate these elements and features in their process. Based on a literature review, three key elements relevant to personal data and democracy were assessed and applied to analyze 30 cases. The results provided a preliminary list of 46 features and 15 strategies for designers to embed these elements in the design of smart PSSs, as well as a conceptual framework. The study concludes with recommendations for future research. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Product-Service Design for Sustainability)
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28 pages, 5382 KiB  
Article
A Product’s Kansei Appearance Design Method Based on Conditional-Controlled AI Image Generation
by Yuanjian Du, Xiaoxue Liu, Mobing Cai and Kyungjin Park
Sustainability 2024, 16(20), 8837; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16208837 - 12 Oct 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1103
Abstract
Accurately grasping users’ Kansei needs and rapidly transforming them into product design solutions are key factors in enhancing product competitiveness and sustainability. This paper proposes a product appearance design method based on Kansei engineering and AI image generation technology, integrating other approaches, with [...] Read more.
Accurately grasping users’ Kansei needs and rapidly transforming them into product design solutions are key factors in enhancing product competitiveness and sustainability. This paper proposes a product appearance design method based on Kansei engineering and AI image generation technology, integrating other approaches, with household indoor hydroponics as the research subject. First, the web crawler is used to obtain product image samples and user online reviews, and factor analysis (FA) is applied to quickly extract users’ Kansei needs. Second, product morphology is used to deconstruct and encode product appearances. Partial least squares regression (PLSR) is then employed to map and quantify the relationships between Kansei needs and design elements, yielding optimal design solutions and one-dimensional sketches. These sketches are subsequently used as controlled conditions in Stable Diffusion (SD), combined with a team-trained Lora model, to generate two-dimensional colored sketches in batches. Finally, evaluations verify that the generated design solutions are satisfactory and meet users’ Kansei needs. The results indicate that the proposed product appearance design method not only holds significant implications for the sustainable development of Kansei engineering in product design but also greatly enhances the efficiency of the design process, providing new insights into integrating new technologies and scientific research methods in the field of product design. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Product-Service Design for Sustainability)
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31 pages, 3016 KiB  
Article
Positive Strategies for Enhancing Elderly Interaction Experience in Smart Healthcare through Optimized Design Methods: An INPD-Based Research Approach
by Jiacheng Luo, Ru Zhang, Junping Xu and Younghwan Pan
Sustainability 2024, 16(20), 8770; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16208770 - 11 Oct 2024
Viewed by 1596
Abstract
The breakthrough in artificial intelligence technology and the development of smart healthcare models have significantly improved modern healthcare services. However, the elderly population still faces numerous challenges. Therefore, the aim of this study is to enhance the interactive experience of elderly users and [...] Read more.
The breakthrough in artificial intelligence technology and the development of smart healthcare models have significantly improved modern healthcare services. However, the elderly population still faces numerous challenges. Therefore, the aim of this study is to enhance the interactive experience of elderly users and to propose effective design strategies through optimized design methods. Based on the INPD research methodology, the design process is divided into four stages. First, in the SET phase, product opportunity gaps are identified, followed by in-depth interviews and surveys to gather user needs. Second, the AHP method is used to establish a hierarchical model and judgment matrix to determine the subjective weights of each need, while the EWM method, based on survey data, determines the objective weights of each need. To ensure the scientific nature of the overall weight, a combined weighting approach is used, followed by a final prioritization of needs. Third, after translating user needs into design requirements, three design schemes are produced, and the TOPSIS method is used to calculate the weights and evaluate the optimal scheme. Fourth, the product opportunities are implemented and tested. The research results indicate that the proposed optimization design method is effective and not only reduces the barriers and challenges elderly users face when interacting with intelligent products but also enhances their overall experience. Moreover, it provides a practical approach to the sustainable development of smart healthcare. As an essential component of future healthcare services, the sustainability of smart healthcare will depend on a deep understanding of user needs and continuous optimization. The design strategy proposed in this study offers practical application value, improving elderly users’ satisfaction while also providing insights that may be useful for other smart services. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Product-Service Design for Sustainability)
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33 pages, 12382 KiB  
Article
Sustainable Innovative Design of Elderly-Friendly Smart Medical Products: An Integrated Model
by An-Jin Shie, En-Min Xu, Zhen-Zhen Ye, Qing-Feng Meng and Yenchun Jim Wu
Sustainability 2024, 16(17), 7580; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16177580 - 2 Sep 2024
Viewed by 2079
Abstract
Under the promotion of combined medical and elderly care (CMEC) policies, the market demand for elder-friendly smart medical products as convenient intelligent healthcare devices is growing. However, most studies on elderly-friendly smart medical products focus on functional enhancement and cost control, and there [...] Read more.
Under the promotion of combined medical and elderly care (CMEC) policies, the market demand for elder-friendly smart medical products as convenient intelligent healthcare devices is growing. However, most studies on elderly-friendly smart medical products focus on functional enhancement and cost control, and there is a lack of research on the sustainable innovative design of elder-friendly smart medical products from the perspective of elderly emotional needs. Therefore, this paper proposes an integrated framework based on the fuzzy Kano model, Kansei engineering, and theory of inventive problem solving (TRIZ) for mapping the complex and dynamic emotional needs of the elderly to product design parameters to produce innovative solutions, ensuring the sustainability of the design process and the innovativeness of the design solutions of elder-friendly smart medical devices. We verified the effectiveness and applicability of this integrated framework through a case study involving sustainable innovation design of a smart blood pressure device. The results of this study are of considerable theoretical and practical significance for promoting the development of the market for elder-friendly smart medical products under the policy of CMEC, meeting the needs of the elderly for healthcare devices and improving their quality of life. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Product-Service Design for Sustainability)
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28 pages, 67710 KiB  
Article
Aesthetic Design and Evaluation of Public Facilities in Railway Stations under the Background of Sustainable Development: A Case of an Information Counter at Xiong’an Railway Station
by Xuan-Hui Xie, Hongyang Zhu, Yunpeng Xu, Huiran Yan, Shilin Guo and Qiang Liu
Sustainability 2024, 16(12), 5021; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16125021 - 12 Jun 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1968
Abstract
Sustainable development is an important trend for railway stations, and public facilities are essential parts of railway stations. With the sustainable development of railway station construction, the aesthetic design of public facilities is a problem that needs to be solved in the field [...] Read more.
Sustainable development is an important trend for railway stations, and public facilities are essential parts of railway stations. With the sustainable development of railway station construction, the aesthetic design of public facilities is a problem that needs to be solved in the field of industrial design. In this context, this study proposed an aesthetic design and evaluation method for public facilities in railway stations. This method is constructed by combining the Kansei image and AHP (analytic hierarchy process)–FCE (fuzzy comprehensive evaluation) model, and takes the information counter at Xiong’an railway station as an example to illustrate the method. JACKTM is applied to evaluate the ergonomics of the design scheme. The results are as follows. (1) Ecological culture is an important source of Kansei images for aesthetic designs in the context of sustainable development. Kansei words, such as understated, delicate, dynamic, and others, which reflect original simplicity and original nature, are typical semantic features. Simple and smooth shapes are typical form features. (2) An aesthetic design is a system of various elements; the core content of an aesthetic design is to reflect the original aesthetic feeling. On this basis, the elements of simple, harmonious, humanized, and natural constitute the aesthetic design principle. This method is suitable for the aesthetic design and evaluation of public facilities in railway stations, which could provide valuable guidance for the aesthetic design of public facilities in railway stations under the background of sustainable development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Product-Service Design for Sustainability)
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18 pages, 1281 KiB  
Article
Online Review Analysis from a Customer Behavior Observation Perspective for Product Development
by Yeong Un Lee, Seung Hyun Chung and Joon Young Park
Sustainability 2024, 16(9), 3550; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16093550 - 24 Apr 2024
Viewed by 1786
Abstract
Observing customers is one of the methods to uncover their needs. By closely observing how customers use products, we can indirectly experience their interactions and gain a deep understanding of their feelings and preferences. Through this process, companies can design new products that [...] Read more.
Observing customers is one of the methods to uncover their needs. By closely observing how customers use products, we can indirectly experience their interactions and gain a deep understanding of their feelings and preferences. Through this process, companies can design new products that have the potential to succeed on the market. However, traditional methods of customer observation are time-consuming and labor-intensive. In this study, we propose a method that leverages the analysis of online customer reviews as a substitute for direct customer observations. By correlating a customer journey map (CJM) with online reviews, this research establishes a verb-centric analysis that produces a CJM based on online review data. Various text analysis techniques were utilized in this process. When applying online retail site review data, our method of customer observation required one week. This proved to be more efficient in comparison with traditional customer observation methods, which typically need at least one month to complete. Additionally, we observed that the customer behavior-based VOC (voice of customer) identified during the CJM mapping process offers broad insights that are distinct from traditional product feature-centric review analyses. This behavior VOC can be effectively utilized for product improvement, new product development, and product marketing. To verify the usefulness of the behavior VOC, we asked product development experts to evaluate the quantitative analysis results of the same reviews. The experts evaluated the CJM as useful for product conceptualization and selecting technology priorities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Product-Service Design for Sustainability)
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21 pages, 3084 KiB  
Article
Construction of Product Appearance Kansei Evaluation Model Based on Online Reviews and FAHP: A Case Study of Household Portable Air Conditioners
by Yuanjian Du, Meng Zhang, Mobing Cai and Kyungjin Park
Sustainability 2024, 16(8), 3132; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16083132 - 9 Apr 2024
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1915
Abstract
Meeting the personalized needs of users is the key to achieving the sustainable success of a product. It depends not only on the product’s functionality but also on satisfying users’ emotional needs for the product’s appearance. Therefore, researchers have been conducting research focusing [...] Read more.
Meeting the personalized needs of users is the key to achieving the sustainable success of a product. It depends not only on the product’s functionality but also on satisfying users’ emotional needs for the product’s appearance. Therefore, researchers have been conducting research focusing on Kansei engineering theory to determine users’ emotional needs effectively. The initial process involves accurately extracting and filtering emotional data and Kansei words from consumers. Thus, we propose an evaluation model to efficiently obtain, screen, and sort these Kansei words based on Kansei engineering, using household portable air conditioners as research subjects. By integrating techniques for online user comment mining methods, users’ Kansei terms related to the product’s appearance can be gathered efficiently. These terms are then combined with image samples and filtered to determine a final set of 16 Kansei word pairs. Subsequently, the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (FAHP) is utilized to prioritize these terms, and the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation (FCE) method is used to validate the results and determine the applicability of the evaluation model. The results showed that Kansei words could be quickly and objectively acquired using existing text mining techniques on online reviews. Moreover, the weights of different Kansei terms of the product’s appearance in the consumer’s perception are accurately produced through the FAHP. This evaluation model marks a significant advancement in accurately obtaining users’ emotional data in Kansei engineering. It offers valuable guidance for designing products that meet users’ personalized needs, enhancing design efficiency and reducing resource wastage at the early stages of designing, and improving the sustainability development of Kansei engineering. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Product-Service Design for Sustainability)
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12 pages, 1227 KiB  
Article
User Interface Characteristics Influencing Medical Self-Service Terminals Behavioral Intention and Acceptance by Chinese Elderly: An Empirical Examination Based on an Extended UTAUT Model
by Qun Wu, Lan Huang and Jiecong Zong
Sustainability 2023, 15(19), 14252; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151914252 - 27 Sep 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2182
Abstract
Medical self-service terminals (MSTs) offer potential advantages for optimizing workflows and enhancing patient experience in hospitals, particularly for the elderly. Despite this, the uptake of MSTs among older adults in China remains a challenge. This research aims to identify the key factors influencing [...] Read more.
Medical self-service terminals (MSTs) offer potential advantages for optimizing workflows and enhancing patient experience in hospitals, particularly for the elderly. Despite this, the uptake of MSTs among older adults in China remains a challenge. This research aims to identify the key factors influencing behavioral intention (BI) to adopt MSTs in this age group, with a particular emphasis on user interface (UI) attributes. We extend the Unified Technology Acceptance and Use Theory (UTAUT) model to include these UI elements. Our empirical analysis examines seven variables, which include three critical UI attributes and four core UTAUT elements. The results highlight the importance of performance expectancy (β = 0.40, p < 0.001), effort expectancy (β = 0.50, p < 0.001), and social influence (β = 0.25, p < 0.05) in shaping BI. Importantly, the design of the user interface shows a strong positive correlation with both performance expectancy (β = 0.89, p < 0.001) and effort expectancy (β = 0.81, p < 0.001). These findings illuminate the complex relationship between objective UI features and subjective UTAUT factors. Our study enriches the understanding of how UI design affects the willingness and acceptance of MSTs, especially among China’s elderly population, emphasizing the need to incorporate their viewpoints for successful technology integration in healthcare. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Product-Service Design for Sustainability)
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