PolyMatrix: A Design Conjecture

One possible design conjecture for the business-oriented problem space would be an ethical and scientific training program dubbed "PolyMatrix." The program would consist of a designed kit of items with a twofold goal: educate the team about the chemical and physical properties of different plastics, while also providing an ethical decision matrix to help justify when and how to incorporate plastics into a product / service. The program would acknowledge the many mechanical and economic advantages of using plastic materials, but it would also present information on plastic's impact on environment and human health. This broad approach to understanding plastics encourages designers, engineers, and manufactures alike to evaluate the significance of plastics beyond mere cost advantages.

The kit (A.) would consist of at least four objects listed in the image above as follows: Training workbook (B.), Set of plastic material samples (C.), D. Vial of microplastics. E. Lifecycle of plastics flow chart. Additional items may include sample shells / product cutaways that teach about injection molding, as well as a secondary material set consisting of plastic substitutes such as metals, glass, and wood species. Charts and heat maps which track plastic pollution across the world would be beneficial in understanding who is most affected by the use of plastics as well as highlighting the need for re-use and recycling efforts.