Environmental concern among product developing SME

It operates a formalised and structured product development process (such as a stage and gate or phase and review process)

It has a formal product development process that follows recognised key development steps and activities, such as those outlined in BS7373

It has an informal but understood product development process

It does not have a recognisable product development process

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Before you start the questionnaire, can you please confirm some details about your company. Be assured that all details will be treated in the strictest confidence. What would you consider your company? A consultancy A small firm (<50 employees) A medium sized business (50 – 250 employees) A large organisation (250> employees) Does your company carry out product development, defined as: Developing products that are either new to the world or new to the company including major product modifications and/or new products that are an extension of an existing product family. This does NOT include minor product changes and modifications. Yes No How does your company manage its new product development process? Please tick the ONE statement below that is most accurate It operates a formalised and structured product development process (such as a stage and gate or phase and review process) It has a formal product development process that follows recognised key development steps and activities, such as those outlined in BS7373 It has an informal but understood product development process It does not have a recognisable product development process When your company starts to develop a new product, which of the following statements most closely represents the way it goes about defining the product specification? Please tick ONE statement from each pair How It is established and communicated through a structured and understood process. It is established and communicated informally during early project meetings. Who It is established by a cross functional team/group that includes designers and engineers It is established by a team that just includes management and marketing and are then presented to the engineers and designers. When It is established, documented and agreed before design work begins. It is established as the actual design work progresses. Is your company aware of Design for Sustainability (DfS) as defined as: The practice of understanding the customer and economic requirements for a product, along with the need to improve both its environmental and social impact, and then balancing all these factors throughout the whole design and development process. Yes No Have you previously come across the term Design for Environment (DfE): The design approach which attempts to reduce the overall environmental impact of a product, process or service throughout its lifetime by assessing factors that cause negative impact, and also attempts to minimise the effects. Yes No During product development does your company routinely use: A DfS approach A DfE approach Both Neither Please indicate from the list below which one? Please indicate only what you consider to be the main approach used: Checklists, if so please state………………………………………… Design for Environment Matrix Design for Disassembly Eco-Functional Matrix Eco-indicators Eco-strategy wheel Life Cycle Analysis Life Cycle Costing MET matrix MIPS Socially responsible sourcing Other From your own understanding, why does your company choose to use this particular approach? Please mark only 3 answers It allows the involvement of multidisciplinary groups It is quick to complete It is cheap to conduct It was cheap to initialise It is well understood by the participants It shows clear and concise results It is the only approach available What are the downsides of using this approach? Please mark only 3 answers It takes a while to complete It is expensive to conduct It can be complicated to work through Results can be hard to apply to the product It can be hard to find the necessary information At what stage is it most common to consider the environmental impacts of a product under development? Development of the product design specification Development of design concepts Development of final design Development of manufacturing process