The three rings of Design Compass each evaluate a different dimension of product quality: the inner ring tests commercial viability, the middle ring tests environmental responsibility across the product life cycle, and the outer ring tests social responsibility and broader community impact.
Design Compass holds that a genuinely good product idea must perform well on all three dimensions simultaneously. Commercial strength without environmental or social responsibility is not a complete answer; environmental credentials without commercial viability will not survive to have impact at scale. The three rings are designed to be evaluated together, not in sequence or in isolation. The table below summarises how they differ in focus, the kind of question each ring answers, and an example criterion from each.
| Ring | What it evaluates | The central question | Example criterion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inner: Design for Market | Commercial viability and user-centredness: whether the product can be made, sold, and sustained as a business at a price the market will accept | Can this product succeed commercially? | Cost: can it be manufactured and sold at a viable margin? |
| Middle: Environmentally Sustainable | Environmental responsibility across the full product life cycle, from raw material extraction through manufacture, use, and end of life | Does this product reduce its environmental footprint? | End of Life: what happens to the product and its materials when it is no longer needed? |
| Outer: Socially Responsible | Social responsibility and broader impact: the effects of the product on users, workers, communities, and society beyond the immediate transaction | Does this product make things better for people and communities? | Social Impact: how are the communities where it is made, sold, and used affected? |
