A business model framework for product life extension

Abstract

Product life extension is an increase in the utilization period of products. Design research on product life extension strategies has so far mainly focused on technical aspects of products, like ‘prevention engineering’ or ‘design for repair, maintenance and upgradability’, and on individual consumer-product relationships, like ‘design for emotional durability’. The viability of product life extension in a business context and the associated consequences for product design, have however remained largely unexplored. In this paper a starting point is provided for this exploration, by outlining the development of a business model framework for product life extension, using strategies for product life extension and mapping these against common elements of contemporary business model theory. Drawing on case studies, examples are used to show how the framework can be used in practice by designers and business developers.