Draft:Endineering

Endineering

Endineering is a business framework and design practice that focuses on creating intentional and meaningful off-boarding experiences for customers at the end of a product, service, or digital lifecycle. The concept, developed by UK designer Joe Macleod, addresses what he calls "the end gap"—a systemic oversight where the conclusion of a product's life is neglected in favor of the start and usage phases. Fast Company describes Joe Macleod as "the endineer who helps companies design the end-of-life for products". The framework breaks down these endings into eight distinct Types of Endings and a series of Phases of the End to help businesses address this critical part of the customer journey.

The Endineering framework has received coverage in various professional and industry publications, including, Wired, Engineering & Technology and Civil Engineering Surveyor, confirming its relevance across multiple disciplines.

Core Principles

The Endineering framework is built on the premise that while businesses often put immense effort into creating engaging starting experiences for customers, they tend to overlook the end of the consumer lifecycle. This oversight is referred to as "the end gap". According to the framework, the end of a product or service's life is often "barren of emotion and meaning," in stark contrast to the rich and engaging experiences at the beginning. The company, andEnd, is the first company focused exclusively on this area.

To bridge this gap, Endineering leverages a decade of research and applies unique tools to design meaningful endings. The practice aims to not only improve customer satisfaction but also address brand, circularity, data, and environmental issues at the end of a product or service's life.

Types of Endings

The Endineering framework categorizes common endings to the consumer lifecycle, providing a structured approach for designers and businesses to analyze and improve their off-boarding experiences. According to the framework, there are eight primary types of endings that a product or service can have, which can sometimes overlap. The categorization helps businesses understand the specific nature of an ending and its impact on the consumer.

The eight types of endings are:

• Time Out: This occurs when an item or service has a scheduled end date, such as a subscription expiry or a two-week holiday.
• Exhaustion / Credit Out: This type of ending happens when a finite resource, like a battery or phone credit, is used up.
• Task / Event Completion: The end of the experience is reached when a specific task is finished, such as a parcel being delivered or a disposable product being used.
• Broken / Withdrawal: This ending is characterized by a product or service becoming non-functional due to breakage or a service provider shutting down.
• Lingering: This is when a product or service is still physically or digitally present but is no longer actively used, such as an unused gym membership or old electronics in a drawer.
• Proximity: The ending is caused by a change in location, such as moving out of a service's coverage area.
• Style / Cultural: An item becomes outdated or falls out of fashion, leading to its obsolescence.
• Competition: The consumer ends their relationship with a product or service by switching to a competitor.

Phases of the End

The Endineering framework breaks down the consumer off-boarding experience into a series of distinct phases to help businesses design a coherent and empathetic conclusion to the product lifecycle. The framework distinguishes between different phases to guide the design process and identify specific opportunities for improvement. The phases are:

• The crack of doubt: The first moment a consumer believes that the service or product is not fulfilling their needs.
• Acknowledged: Both parties acknowledge that the relationship should end.
• Actioned: The consumer and provider have an opportunity to action the end.
• Observed: There is visible or tangible evidence that the end is progressing.
• Settled: Confirmation is provided that all is done.
• Aftermath: An emotional reflection on what has passed.
• Rebirth: The consumer is ready for the next cycle.

Business Applications and Benefits

According to the Endineering framework, designing endings offers significant benefits beyond customer satisfaction. These include:

• Brand Equity and Customer Loyalty: Businesses that engage customers at the end can minimize the drop in brand equity that often occurs when a customer leaves a service or stops using a product. This can lead to a "second cycle [that is] easier to convert", as exemplified by Netflix's flexible cancellation policies.
• Sales: A clear exit can reduce customer anxiety and increase commitment to a product or service. The introduction of Kia's 7-year warranty, which provided a clear "ending" for the product, is cited as an example that led to a 200% increase in global sales.
• Innovation: While many companies invest in established areas of customer experience like onboarding and usage, the end of the lifecycle is presented as a "wide open landscape with enormous opportunities, little competition, and the potential to create new areas of innovation".
• ESG and Sustainability: Endineering helps businesses meet environmental, social, and governance (ESG) targets by creating experiences that help customers understand and participate in circular economy initiatives. The framework also addresses compliance with regulations like GDPR, WEEE, and Extended Producer Responsibility.

Implementation and Recognition

The Endineering framework is implemented through a combination of strategic consultancy and training programs. The goal is to help businesses see endings as a strategic advantage and to build capability within their product teams.

• Clients: Companies that have engaged with the framework include Volvo, Fairphone, EY, Logitech, Intuit, and others. These collaborations range from keynote talks to in-depth projects and long-term training sessions.
• External Recognition: Joe Macleod is a member of the UKs Design Councils Experts - "A network of design pioneers who work with us to advocate for design, share knowledge about best practice and help us deliver advice and programmes". The concept of Endineering and its creator, Joe Macleod, have received media coverage in publications such as Fast Company, which refers to Joe Macleod as "the endineer who helps companies design the end-of-life for products".Wired also wrote about the concept, noting that it's important to plan for a product's endgames. The book Endineering has been recognised as one of the best business books of 2022 by The Do Lectures. The framework has also been referenced in the book Exnovation und Innovation and featured in professional journals like Engineering & Technology and Civil Engineering Surveyor. Endineering has been repeatedly discussed in the Circular Economy sector. Joe Macleod was invited to talk about Endineering at Circularity 21 (largest circularity event in US), and interviewed for Trellis magazine. Asked to return to Circularity 25 to do a keynote. An article in Trellis magazine talks about Endineerings' relevance to the Circular Economy, entitled "‘Endineering’ solves a missing link for the circular economy". The Endineering theme is recognised in the design sector. An article in the long standing industry magazine Creative Review entitled "In search of an ending" considered the theme highly for designers.