Lean Product Development Tools for Promotion of Sustainability Integration in Product Development

Abstract

This article aims to enhance existing understanding of incorporating sustainability aspects during the product development and seeks to fill the gaps regarding the relationship between LPD and sustainability aspects. An up-to-date literature review was performed. More specifically, the expansion of current knowledge covers finding instances in earlier studies that explain the meaning of a sustainability aspect, such as environmental, social and economic aspect. Also, this article focuses on exploring various sustainability aspects using lean product development (LPD) tools and practices. LPD tools and practices that would enable the achievement of sustainability objectives are presented. The findings suggest that the chance for the integration of sustainability in product development comes when integrating sustainability aspects in LPD methods and tools that are used in companies daily. An analysis of the impact of every single LPD tools on individual aspects of sustainability is lacking. The paper concludes with recommendations for future research.