Tomi Laukkanen

My final project focusses on the problem of e-waste. Electrical waste is the fastest growing waste stream in the world, and small electrical equipment creates the biggest part of it. 

My aim is to explore the topic of how the longevity of the products could be improved; by creating a better understanding of how products work, and how they can be repaired. During user research, I gained the insight that consumers don’t really know how their products work, which is one of the reasons why broken products aren’t repaired. 

In my project I decided to focus on small rechargeable products, which could use the same types of components. Rechargeable products usually have issues with their battery life. The life of the product could easily be lengthened just by adding the possibility of changing the battery, which is usually fixed to the object. 

In my outcome I focussed on helping consumers understand their products more through storytelling; by allowing them to assemble products themselves. This creates a fun opportunity for them to learn about the components, so that in the future repairing is seen as an easy thing to do.