Towards a framework for designer/scientist collaboration in sustainable product development

Many scientists and designers are interested in collaborating on sustainable material/product development. Collaboration can benefit both scientists and designers, yet it must be approached carefully as there are limitations in logistics, challenges in social dynamics, and risks in miscommunications due to boundary objects. To collaborate in a way that truly brings merit to both designers and scientists, they have to respect and understand that they carry different values, goals, and approaches, and then think about how to work together realistically. This thesis discusses the key considerations that need to be taken into account and provides guidelines for developing a framework for collaboration between scientists and designers.