How can washing machines be made to last longer? Dean Weigand, graduate and winner of this year’s German Design Graduates, talks in an interview about repair-friendly design and the trend towards a sharing economy.
Interview by Markus Hieke
Under the motto ‘Dare to Design‘, graduates of German design schools were once again invited to submit their final projects in the fields of product and industrial design to the German Design Graduates Competition. Among the 2024 winners is Dean Weigand, who completed his master’s degree at the Saar Academy of Fine Arts in 2023 and impressed the jury in the category “Design for a New Knowledge Culture”. We spoke to him about his project ‘Planned Obsolescence: Problem or Opportunity?‘, the designed repairability of household electronics, and his hopes for a systemic shift towards a sharing economy.
At first glance, the title of your master’s thesis seems a bit provocative. After all, the longevity of products is an important design goal. Do you think there is a good reason why obsolescence or the deterioration of products should be deliberately planned for?
It was meant to be provocative, of course, and to express my criticism of the system. Many things are not designed for long-term use. Components are often glued together in such a way that they can’t be easily disassembled for repair or recycling.
This is a symptom of our economic system and our rapid consumerism. We’re dependent on the constant consumption of goods. This made me think that we need a systemic change in general. Concepts such as sharing and leasing could help us make the transition to reducing resource consumption and extending the life of products. In my thesis, it was important to think about obsolescence and incorporate the aging of products into the design process.
You chose a washing machine as your case study. Why not a vacuum cleaner or a smartphone?
It wasn’t an easy choice. At first, I thought a washing machine was one of the most boring products ever. But then I did an internship in a repair shop to see where appliances typically break down. I realized that the design and functionality of washing machines have changed very little in over 50 years. The technological possibilities for improvement are largely exhausted. Yet households regularly replace the machines. This made the washing machine a perfect example for my work, especially in terms of obsolescence.
So is it all just marketing? What did you find out?
Of course, there are improvements that can be made, such as how gently the clothes are tumbled or sensors that detect the load. Sure, you can optimize a little in the direction of sustainability, but my research shows that the improvements are small. Much seems unnecessary. For example, what does it do for me to be able to control my washing machine with my smartphone?
For your project you completely dismantled a broken machine. All the parts were displayed at the exhibition of German Design Graduates at the Museum Angewandte Kunst in Frankfurt. What are the common problems with washing machines?
Among the parts are two tiny components that sit together on the circuit board. They often cause recurring problems: if just one of these components fails, the entire board is usually replaced, costing between 250 and 300 euros plus a service fee – unless it’s under warranty. The actual component often costs only about one euro. Since new machines can be purchased for about 500 euros, replacing the board is often uneconomical. I also investigated where machines fail due to wear, corrosion or user error. In my exhibit, I marked these critical points with orange stickers – places where repairs are difficult, uneconomical, or nearly impossible because the parts are hard to access.
The EU is currently discussing various consumer protection regulations, including the planned obsolescence of products by manufacturers. Have you considered legal aspects in your work?
I have only touched on it briefly. Some countries have started to ban planned obsolescence, but it’s a complex issue. Who decides how long a device should last? Some technologies evolve rapidly. Devices like smartphones are often replaced even though they’re still fully functional, just because the new model is faster or has more features, or the old one is considered obsolete. This, in turn, is linked to our consumption habits. That’s why I pursued the idea of developing a concept based on sharing and leasing.
You have given your concept a name: M_ALPHA, specifically tailored to a rental and sharing market. How does this leasing concept affect the design of household appliances?
Various leasing models already exist and are becoming increasingly popular. Bosch, for example, offers household appliances for rent through BlueMovement. However, in my opinion, the brand doesn’t take full advantage of the system because it still sells the same washing machines as it sells to consumers. A more modular system might be more effective: a basic structure with removable components and an external control unit that would be easier to repair or upgrade.
What are the advantages?
It would make it easier for manufacturers to repair and upgrade. In the case of the washing machine I examined, the entire housing had begun to rust after water leaked underneath. If the electronics hadn’t failed, the machine’s shell would eventually have deteriorated and collapsed from the spinning forces. A modular system would allow individual parts to be replaced, such as a single panel. By placing the electronics in a separate control box, components would be easier to access and replace – perhaps even by the user through a simple plug-and-play system.
You emphasized modularity and repairability in your design, correct?
Yes. I wanted to emphasize that in the design. That’s why all the yellow components in my design signal to the user that they can interact with them. The goal is to encourage the user to feel empowered to make repairs.
What would manufacturers gain by leasing equipment?
With a rental model, companies would retain ownership of the resources, which means they could recover and reuse materials. This would require easily recyclable materials and easy disassembly. Revenue would come from providing a service rather than selling equipment.
Did you work with a particular manufacturer for your project?
I have been in contact with industrial companies regarding rental and sharing concepts. Some manufacturers are already offering fully interchangeable parts, while others are making it very difficult as the effort required is often disproportionately high. It was interesting to see that some are using stainless steel tanks, which are more durable and fully recyclable, unlike the more common plastic tanks.
Have you considered TÜV or safety aspects in your design? Are manufacturers perhaps forced to seal parts of their equipment to prevent unqualified repairs?
Of course, manufacturers have to provide a certain level of safety. I thought about this with my external control unit, which is designed so that it can’t be opened without first unplugging it to prevent electric shock. But in general, as I said, the idea is to allow the user to do repairs themselves.
What other areas of product design interest you?
I’m inspired by many different aspects. For almost a year now I’ve been living in an integrative flat-sharing community with people who need support. Together with my fellow student Luise Kempf we came up with the idea of an integrative bar. In general, I’m interested in systemic topics – where the end product is not the focus, but where there are opportunities for discussion and solutions.
What does winning at the German Design Graduates mean to you? Do you think it will open doors for you or is it just a nice-to-have?
It means a lot to me. To be honest, I didn’t expect to get this far with my project. Even though I had my doubts along the way, I really enjoyed the project. It was a real challenge to present a pile of junk as part of the exhibition. So I’m excited – not only about the title of winner, but also about meeting so many great projects and people through this event. For me, it was definitely more than just a nice-to-have. The positive feedback was even more rewarding than I had hoped for.
About German Design Graduates
German Design Graduates (GDG), powered by the German Design Council Foundation, is the only nationwide initiative with the purpose of promoting young graduates in product and industrial design and presenting renowned German universities, art colleges and universities of applied sciences.
About the Author
Markus Hieke is a freelance journalist and author specialising in interior/product design and architecture. With a background in communication design, he started writing in 2013 and has since established himself in renowned German and international trade and consumer media. His mission is to make design accessible to a broad audience through portraits, interviews and background reports on protagonists and topics ranging from craftsmanship to circularity, even when they are out of the limelight.
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