Abstract:

This document reveals the results of a study carried out on forty-six Master students in Design and Innovation from Portugal and Chile, as part of a research process to determine the possible influence of demographic factors on the perception of emerging materials designed with household solid waste. The creation and application of new materials that contribute to the ecological transition are necessary and being increasingly demanded by the manufacturing industry, which needs to communicate more environmentally friendly solutions to its customers. In this scenario, emerging materials propose a sustainable alternative to traditional materials such as plastic, glass, metal, paper, wood, providing new experiences to users. Emerging materials promise to be an opportunity to significantly reduce the use of unsustainable traditional materials, the inappropriate use of energy, the overproduction of waste and the transformation and extraction of raw materials that are harmful to the environment. On the other hand, the collection of reliable and detailed data on users has become increasingly important for design professionals, as consumer markets increasingly demand the development of products that guarantee the physical and psychological well-being of people. The consideration towards demographic factors has been scarcely integrated as a variable to consider in the design process of new materials. However, globalization requires universally accepted designs, a scenario in which this aspect has great implications, especially if it is referred to establishing valuations regarding products made with waste. The objective of the study is to determine the influence of demographic factors on user acceptance of emerging materials made from household solid waste. The methodology considered the collection of information, through a self-applied questionnaire, with structured questions with semantic differential and Likert scale, adopting five attributes: ecological, welcoming, attractive, luxurious, comfortable. Three prototypes designed based on egg shells, orange peel, cardboard boxes in 300 x 300 millimeter sheet format were studied. Relationships centered on user perception and demographic origin were identified. The conclusions express that the demographic factors considered influence the results, therefore, integrating studies that allow knowing the user's perception in the design process of emerging materials is relevant to carry out a more accurate design and with a better projection of market acceptance. This experience has been useful to introduce the subject to postgraduate students, who will be the future decision makers regarding the design, production and use of materials. People are looking for sustainable and friendly products, and the designer's job is to create those products. Learning about these matters is essential to project a more sustainable and efficient future. For the demographic considerations age (age range), nationality (Portugal/Chile), degree of training associated with occupation (postgraduate students in design/innovation) and the attributes to be assessed with respect to the prototypes, the correlation of the results allows us to observe that the participants, according to the country of origin, show that the percentage difference of preferences deviates by 15% with respect to the sample mean.

Keywords:

Emerging materials, demographic factor, household solid waste, User Experience.