Because there are countless technical nuances, design for repair needs a method which focuses on goals rather than details. Logically, the method must revolve around three objectives. First, the product should be hard to break. Second, it needs to be easy to repair when something does go wrong. Third, the owner must want to fix it instead of buying another.
But what does this mean when it comes to a tangible design, or a purchasing decision? Can these three fundamental pillars be expanded into a broadly applicable checklist? Drawing upon technical books, failure examples, and many discussions, I have filled notebooks with ideas and categorized them in a web of colorful keywords, arrows, and circles. The end result is the ROBUST method, a design-for-repair framework with a memorable six-point acronym:
Rugged: The product must not break easily. The shapes and materials used for the parts should make them strong enough for normal use and likely misuse. Gradual processes like wear and corrosion should only have detrimental effects after many years. Materials and finishes which age gracefully are beneficial, as these ensure lasting visual appeal.
Open: The owner must be able to open the product quickly using simple tools in order to diagnose faults and replace parts. As far as possible, the parts should be standardized and widely available, and the repair instructions and internal software code freely shared. The materials should be open to repair by techniques like welding, gluing or riveting, and open to recycling too.
Balanced: The designer must spend the budget in the right places. All the parts should have a similar life expectancy without any notable weak points. The most heavily used and abused parts should be strengthened, and pointless features eliminated. In addition, a versatile product is less vulnerable to obsolescence and more likely to have a long life.
Useful: The owner needs to always see the value in the product, and not just when it is brand new. Ideally, it should do a job better, faster or more easily than the alternatives, and the difference should make the product striking. It should not be awkward or frustrating in any way.
Satisfying: When a product is fun, the owner comes to love it, and is more inclined to make the effort needed to carry out a repair. The looks, sounds and motions of a machine can be designed to fascinate. Watching and using the product then becomes a satisfying ritual, and the owner comes back for more.
Transformative: A product which is designed, built and owned by people who believe in repair can sow an influential seed. Repair provides an opportunity to learn skills and think about sustainability. The product can also serve as a talking point, inspiring people to buy for the long term and share their repair stories.