ASME ISHOW - Hardware Led Social Innovation

Measuring the Difference It Makes

This last bit is about looking at the big picture - how your product is actually helping people and the planet. It's important to see the real-world impact, not just in terms of what problem it solves but also in how it fits into the bigger environmental picture. This helps you show why your product matters and how you can keep making it better.

To what degree does this venture make a positive impact on people and planet?

When asking this question, consider the following focus areas and sample questions:

Internal Stakeholders (Employees/Staff)

How is the venture structuring its organization to ensure the well-being (safety and development) of its direct staff ?

External Stakeholders (Vendors/Collaborators/Distributors)

Does the venture take into account the long- term impact its business may have on the businesses it interacts with?

Customer/User (Users/Local Community)

Is the venture considering the impact of its business on the community (in terms of being neighbors versus the impact of its products)?

Product Use

In what ways has the venture designed its product for maintenance, repair, reuse, and energy efficiency?

Materials and Sourcing

Has the venture considered incorporating materials with a lower environmental impact in its design, such as recycled, recyclable, renewable, non- toxic materials, or reducing the distance traveled for raw materials?

End-of-Life

How has the venture explored designing its product for ease of upgrade, remanufacturing, recycling, repurposing, or proper disposal?

Metric Selection

Do the venture's impact metrics align with its business mission, strategy, or theory of change?

Data Collection Methods

What are the venture's data collection and analysis methods in relation to its desired impact?

Impact Reporting

How does the venture communicate its impact to stakeholders?

Inventors Guide