The International Association of Societies of Design Research (IASDR), celebrated its 10th year with the 2023 congress, focusing on the impact and evolution of design research. This biennial event, renowned for showcasing a range of perspectives on current and prospective design paths, invited peer-reviewed research paper submissions. The 2023 congress theme, "Life-Changing Design," emphasized the profound shifts in global daily life due to the pandemic. In this post-pandemic era, humanity is at a crossroads between restoration and change, deciding what is worth being saved and what we can and should forget. The congress posed critical questions about design's role in these transformative times and its capacity for self-reinvention. Held at the Politecnico di Milano in Milan, Italy, from October 9-13, the congress fostered discussions around this pivotal theme.

Dr. Yoon Jung Choi presented at the IASDR Congress on Tuesday October 10, 2023.
Dr. Yoon Jung Choi presented at the IASDR Congress on Tuesday October 10, 2023.

A significant contribution to the congress was made by Dr. Yoon Jung Choi, who presented a study on the end-of-life decisions of consumers regarding their products. The research explores the reasons behind consumers' reluctance to discard products and their motivations for maintaining and sharing them responsibly. Her study, which incorporates care practice theory into the design process, suggests ways to enhance sustainable design and resource longevity. The research involved analyzing 257 products and conducting interviews with ten families who have gone through moving, to understand their attachment to possessions and the reasons for retaining items no longer in use. The study identified two main types of attachment, highlighting the potential to encourage sharing, and led to the creation of a ‘Care motivation model for sharing’. Recognizing the value of unused products and providing opportunities for their redistribution can significantly diminish the period these products remain unused, thereby facilitating better material circulation. The research proposed four motivational themes based on behavioral change evidence and interviews. These insights were translated into a practical toolkit for designers, fostering the sharing of products. This toolkit was refined through a series of action research cycles and workshops with designers across various industries, ensuring the practical integration of the research findings into the design process. This work summarizes Dr. Choi's PhD research from the Royal College of Art in London.