Brunel University Research Archive(BURA) preserves and enables easy and open access to all
types of digital content. It showcases Brunel's research outputs.
Research contained within BURA is open access, although some publications may be subject
to publisher imposed embargoes. All awarded PhD theses are also archived on BURA.
Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:
http://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/31785| Title: | Improving product repairability indexes by considering real user experience |
| Authors: | Ceschin, F Torca-Adell, L |
| Keywords: | sustainability;electrical waste;repairable items;repairable electronics;user self-repair;repairability;repairability index |
| Issue Date: | 25-Jul-2025 |
| Publisher: | Brunel University of London |
| Citation: | Ceschin, F. and Torca-Adell, L. (2025) Improving product repairability indexes by considering real user experience. Uxbridge: Brunel University of London, pp. 1 - 2. doi: 10.17633/rd.brunel.29562698. |
| Abstract: | UK households throw away 155,000 tonnes of unwanted electricals each year, nearly half of which could be repaired or reused, with high professional repair cost being one of the key barriers to product repair. However, both regulations and repairability indexes focus on professional repairs rather than user self-repair. Product repairability regulations should consider and promote end-user self-repair. Product repairability indexes should include user-centred factors and distinguish between professional repairs and end-user repairs. This will incentivise manufacturers to design products that enable end-user repair and encourage end-users to make more sustainable purchasing decisions. |
| Description: | In this Policy Brief, Dr Fabrizio Ceschin and Laura Torca-Adell reflect on the findings of their observational study on how end-users perceive and experience the repairability of small electrical devices to recommend: • Any regulations that seek to improve the sustainability of small electrical devices should include and promote end-user self-repair. • Product repairability indexes, which are scoring systems designed to inform consumers on how easily a product can be repaired, should distinguish between professional repairs and end-user repairs. • Product repairability indexes for end-users should consider user-centred factors such as accessibility to internal components and ease of fault identification. They should also be based on testing with end-users. |
| URI: | https://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/31785 |
| DOI: | https://doi.org/10.17633/rd.brunel.29562698 |
| Other Identifiers: | ORCiD: Fabrizio Ceschin https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7273-9408 ORCiD: Laura Torca-Adell https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3102-1632 |
| Appears in Collections: | Brunel Design School Research Papers |
Files in This Item:
| File | Description | Size | Format | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PolicyBrief.pdf | Copyright © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Brunel University of London. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). | 128.27 kB | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
This item is licensed under a Creative Commons License
