Design for Longevity: Service and System Innovation

Abstract

The global demographic shift toward an aging population presents complex social, economic, and systemic challenges, necessitating innovative approaches to service design, systems thinking, and financial planning. This dissertation, Design for Longevity: Service and System Innovation, examines these transformations and proposes strategies to foster a “longevity society”, a new era in society necessitating a fundamental rethinking of age and ageing to effectively harness the opportunities afforded by increased life expectancy (Scott, 2021). This research is built upon five relevant paradigm shifts: 1. from age-based to stage-based mindsets, 2. from product-driven to service-driven solutions, 3. from human-centered to humanity-centered design, 4. from circular to longevity economics, and 5. from an aging society to a longevity society. These shifts redefine the role of designers and researchers in creating adaptive, inclusive, and sustainable systems for the future. This dissertation explores how tangible artifacts, Longevity Planning Blocks (LPBs), can be employed to create effective service encounters. The research questions explore 1. how to use boundary objects (BOs) to uncover and define latent user needs, 2. how to use a mixed-method approach to analyze experiment data, 3. data-driven persona creation, and 4. the design of longevity planning services across financial planning, service innovation, and system thinking. Central to the research is a study of LPBs, BOs designed to facilitate collaborative engagement between a facilitator and 69 Boston-based participants, stratified by age, gender, pre-tax annual income, and assets. LPBs, employed in experiments, help investigate participants’ needs and concerns across various life transitions and stages. These tangible BOs facilitated informal yet insightful discussions, uncovering how individuals navigate ambiguity, make complex decisions, manage their evolving physical, mental, and social health, and perceptions about living solo. Data from in-person longevity planning experiments provided nuanced insights into the interplay of individual, societal, and systemic factors shaping longevity planning services. A mixed-methods approach integrates qualitative and quantitative techniques, including expert and user interviews, co-creation workshops, pre- and post-experiment surveys, hierarchical cluster analysis, K-means clustering for persona development, and causal loop diagrams for longevity planning service system modeling. Constructivist grounded theory and exploratory factor analysis uncover emerging themes and systemic interconnections, emphasizing the importance of adaptive services that align with changing needs and broader social infrastructures. The study introduces the notion of Design for Longevity (D4L), expanding on longevity economics and circular economy principles to address the complexities of extended lifespans. D4L highlights how evolving resources, transformative needs, and systems integrate life stages into the design of products, services, and experiences. This dissertation contributes to service innovation, financial planning, and system design by proposing actionable insights for longevity planning services. It emphasizes multi-stage life planning, intergenerational collaboration, and systemic thinking as foundational to a longevity society. This dissertation contributes a mixed-method approach, offering design practitioners a replicable, data-driven framework for persona creation applicable beyond longevity planning. Concluding with reflections on social infrastructure, community, and culture, the study calls for cross-disciplinary collaboration to address longevity planning challenges. By advancing the understanding of longevity planning and its systemic implications, this work lays a foundation for designing a future where extended lifespans are inclusive and socially engaged.