Elucidation of future designers interpret the identity of fusion in ecodesign

This research addresses the challenges of establishing an ecological design (ecodesign) identity, focusing on the difficulties Malaysian product designers face in creating aesthetically appealing sustainable designs. It highlights that manufacturers often lack semantic design thinking in intangible product forms, resulting in a limited perception of beauty within the ecodesign context. Consequently, young designers struggle to interpret ecological forms, affecting the development of a strong sustainable product identity. This study explores ecodesign concept theories and beliefs, emphasizing the importance of semantic design thinking among young product designers through two approaches: the support model and the evaluation model. Adopting the Design Research Methodology (DRM) framework, this study integrates a systematic approach through the Verbal Protocol Analysis (VPA) method. A mixed-method sampling (MMS) strategy involved 61 participants from three industrial design disciplines - art and design, design and architecture, and engineering design - across Malaysian public universities. Initially, 16 participants engaged in preliminary VPA probing within a portable laboratory, supported by a small focus group discussion to deepen qualitative insights, while 45 participants explored metaphorical processes through online distance learning.