Overcoming Complexity and Tradition-Related Shortcomings of Enabling Technologies: Solutions for Advanced Information Displays in LCA

In practice, enabling technologies, along with digital models and computer-aided / computer-based systems, are still not sufficiently integrated to make life cycle modeling and life cycle assessment methods and technologies suitable tools for designers and engineers. For example, life cycle assessment is becoming more and more an integral tool in today´s product design and design evaluation during analysis and optimization. However, approaches and tools that still feature old fashioned paradigms and structures in critical areas such as human-computer interaction and information representation are somewhat counter-productive, considering the increase of both the complexity of the problem and the quantities of data to be handled. In this paper we aim at presenting, in a transparent way, the motivations, structure, and consequences of one approach leading to solutions which overcome such obstacles. This approach also supports the application and successful translation into practice of one modern methodology which is central for the cradle-to-grave evaluation used to improve environmentally conscious products and service designs.