Information visualisation

In the circular economy, it is not just knowledge of the available recycling options that is important, but also the user's personal circumstances. Researchers at Fraunhofer CCPE have therefore developed an innovative information visualisation that makes it easier to deal with end-of-use products.

At the end of a product's useful life, there are often numerous options for recycling the product and the materials it contains. Based on a detailed mapping of these options and taking into account different user profiles developed in a workshop, the Fraunhofer CCPE team investigated the challenges of creating user-centric visualisations for decision support.
The results show that users are usually less interested in the complexities of decision-making and prefer quick support tailored to their personal circumstances when selecting the appropriate cycle path. The target group is very heterogeneous in terms of attitudes and prerequisites such as the use of digital media and understanding of the circular economy. The fragmented, not always quantifiable and heterogeneous information that can be used for decision-making poses a particular challenge for visualisation.

The prototype developed takes into account the individual attitudes and requirements of users, such as the availability of a car or time capacities. It presents a selected number of circular flow alternatives that are prioritised based on criteria such as economic efficiency, environmental sustainability and individual fit. This enables users to make simple and efficient decisions.

With this approach, the Fraunhofer CCPE actively supports efforts towards a more sustainable economy by providing users with the tools they need to make environmentally conscious and customised decisions.