Circular Data Service Cards: A Card-Based Ideation Tool For Data Services Supporting The Twin Transition

Abstract

The Twin Transition encompasses the progression of both digital and green transformations. The integration of data science, data analytics, and data services with Industry 4.0 principles significantly enhances the operational efficiency, decision-making, and sustainability of manufacturing systems. In the context of green transformation, Circular Economy (CE) business models aim to optimize resource use and reduce environmental impact. The development of data services and the application of artificial intelligence (AI) are essential for CE, as these technologies improve efficiency, traceability, and resource optimization. This paper presents the development process of the Circular Data Service Cards (DSC), an extension card set (20 newly designed cards, one new category) to the existing Data Service Cards (50 cards, grouped into 5 categories) to assist the co-creation process in developing data services that support the circular economy. The cards address the challenges of interdisciplinary collaboration (user-centered service design, data science and circular economy) and varying expertise levels essential for building a circular data-driven business. Alongside the developed sub-categories (new cards), the outcomes of this study provide a valuable enhancement of the existing DSC. Initial evaluation results indicate that the Circular DSC are perceived as both useful and user-friendly. This research contributes to the twin transition by providing an actionable tool to support the digital transformation and the development of circular data-driven services.