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Professor Robin Roy

Profile summary

  • Visiting Formal Academic
  • Emeritus Professor
  • Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics
  • School of Engineering & Innovation
  • robin.roy

Web links

Professional biography

Robin Roy has a B.Sc in Mechanical Engineering, an M.Sc and a Ph.D in Design Technology, all from the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology. After a short period of teaching in the USA, he joined the Faculty of Technology at the Open University in January 1971 as one of the first lecturers in Design and was awarded a personal chair in Design and Environment in 1999. After retiring in 2012 as one of the longest serving OU academics he became an Emeritus Professor and is still active in teaching, writing and research.

 

Research interests

In 1979 Robin founded the Design Innovation Group to research design and innovation management and sustainable design and directed the Group until he retired in 2012. He has published many books, book chapters, papers and articles on topics ranging from design creativity and the successful management of new product development to environmentally sustainable education systems and consumer adoption of low and zero-carbon technologies. His book Consumer Product Innovation and Sustainable Design (2016) tracks the innovation, design, and evolution of consumer products from their initial invention to the present (see publications). He is currently (2021) writing a book on creativity and innovation from the viewpoint of inventors, designers, architects, and innovators.

Teaching interests

In his very long career, Robin has chaired and contributed to many OU courses and modules on design, innovation, energy and environment, beginning with T100 The Man-made World (1972) and T262 Man-made futures: Design and Technology (1975) and more recently T217 Design Essentials (2013); T317 Innovation: Designing for change (2015); the new edition of U116 Environment: journeys through a changing world (2017-2022) and TB801 Technology and Innovation Management (2021).

Impact and engagement

Robin is a Director of Wolverton/Milton Keynes Community Energy, a non-profit community benefit society dedicated to installing renewable energy systems and energy efficiency measures in the Milton Keynes area.

External collaborations

Robin is a Fellow of the Design Research Society (FDRS) and is a former Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA). 2017-22 External examiner, University of East London/Centre for Alternative Technology postgraduate Sustainable Energy and Demand Management programmes.

March 2021: EU Horizon 2021: Cyprus R&D proposal consultancy evaluation report, May-October 2021: Academic advisor to Sustainable Energy Agency Ireland research project on heat pump controls. 

 

Research groups

NameTypeParent Unit
Design Group: Design InnovationGroupFaculty of Mathematics, Computing and Technology
SUSTECH: Sustainable Technologies Development GroupGroupFaculty of Mathematics, Computing and Technology

Publications

Card-based design tools: a review and analysis of 155 card decks for designers and designing (2019-07)
Roy, Robin and Warren, James
Design Studies, 63 (pp. 125-154)

Consumer product design: Patterns of innovation, market success and sustainability (2018-07)
Roy, Robin
Journal of International Business Research and Marketing, 3(5) (pp. 25-33)

Design of higher education teaching models and carbon impacts (2015-01-05)
Caird, Sally; Lane, Andy; Swithenby, Ed; Roy, Robin and Potter, Stephen
International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 16(1) (pp. 96-111)

Diffusion, user experiences and performance of UK domestic heat pumps (2013-11-30)
Roy, Robin and Caird, Sally
Energy Science and Technology, 6(2) (pp. 14-23)

Domestic heat pumps in the UK: user behaviour, satisfaction and performance (2012)
Caird, Sally; Roy, Robin and Potter, Stephen
Energy Efficiency, 5(3) (pp. 283-301)

Adoption and use of household microgeneration heat technologies (2010-12)
Caird, Sally and Roy, Robin
Low Carbon Economy, 1(2) (pp. 61-70)

Who adopts microheating technologies? (2009-10)
Roy, Robin and Caird, Sally
Green Building Magazine, 19(2) (pp. 44-47)

Design Improvements from users’ experiences of low and zero carbon technologies (2008-10)
Roy, Robin and Caird, Sally
International Journal of Performability Engineering, 4(4) (pp. 357-370)

User-centred improvements to energy efficiency products and renewable energy systems: research on household adoption and use (2008-09)
Caird, Sally and Roy, Robin
International Journal of Innovation Management, 12(3) (pp. 327-355)

Improving the energy performance of UK households: Results from surveys of consumer adoption and use of low- and zero carbon technologies (2008-05)
Caird, Sally; Roy, Robin and Herring, Horace
Energy Efficiency, 1(2) (pp. 149-166)

Designing low carbon higher education systems: Environmental impacts of campus and distance learning systems (2008)
Roy, Robin; Potter, Stephen and Yarrow, Karen
International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 9(2) (pp. 116-130)

Technological innovation, energy efficient design and the rebound effect (2007-04)
Herring, Horace and Roy, Robin
Technovation, 27(4) (pp. 194-203)

Household ecological footprints - demographics and sustainability (2006-12)
Caird, Sally and Roy, Robin
Journal of Environmental Assessment Policy and Management, 8(4) (pp. 407-429)

Sustainable services, electronic education and the rebound effect (2002-10)
Herring, Horace and Roy, Robin
Environmental Impact Assessment Review, 22(5) (pp. 525-542)

Factoring sustainability into the Higher Education product-service system (2002-09)
Roy, Robin and Potter, Stephen
Journal of Sustainable Product Design, 2(3-4) (pp. 105-117)

Household ecological footprinting for active distance learning and challenge of personal lifestyles (2002)
Crompton, Sally; Roy, Robin and Caird, Sally
International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 3(4) (pp. 313-323)

Household ecological footprints – moving towards sustainability? (2001-10)
Roy, Robin and Caird, Sally
Town and Country Planning, 70(10) (pp. 277-279)

Environmental actions to reduce household ecological footprints (2001-06)
Roy, Robin and Caird, Sally
International Journal of Environmental Education and Information, 4(2) (pp. 315-332)

The long-term benefits of investing in new product development by SMEs (2000-12)
Roy, Robin
International Journal of New Product Development and Innovation Management, 1(4) (pp. 281-295)

Sustainable product-service systems (2000-04)
Roy, Robin
Futures, 32(3-4) (pp. 289-299)

Using scenarios to identify innovation priorities in the UK railway industry (2000)
Potter, Stephen and Roy, Robin
International Journal of Innovation Management, 4(2) (pp. 229-252)

The Design Innovation Group: origins, development and future (1999-11)
Walker, David and Roy, Robin
The Design Journal, 2(3) (pp. 2-12)

Firms and markets that profit from investment in design and product development (1998-07)
Roy, Robin; Reidel, Johann and Potter, Stephen
The Design Journal, 1(2) (pp. 3-16)

Team approaches to developing innovative projects and processes (1997-12)
Caird, Sally; Roy, Robin and Wield, David
International Journal of Innovation Management, 1(4) (pp. 333-354)

Design and innovation in successful product competition (1997-10)
Roy, Robin and Reidel, Johann C. k. h.
Technovation, 17(10) (pp. 537-548)

'Design for environment' in practice — development of the Hoover ‘New Wave’ washing machine range (1997-04)
Roy, Robin
Journal of Sustainable Product Design(1) (pp. 36-43)

Designing a greener product: the Hoover 'New Wave' washing machine range (1996-01)
Roy, Robin
Co-Design: the interdisciplinary journal of design and contextual studies(5-6) (pp. 34-39)

Managing engineering design in complex supply chains (1996)
Roy, Robin and Potter, Stephen
International Journal of Technology Management, 12(4) (pp. 403-420)

R&D and corporate strategies in UK materials-innovating companies (1995-05)
Wield, David and Roy, Robin
Technovation, 15(4) (pp. 95-210)

The risks and rewards of design investment (1995)
Bruce, Margaret; Potter, Stephen and Roy, Robin
Journal of Marketing Management, 11 (pp. 403-417)

The evolution of ecodesign (1994-08)
Roy, Robin
Technovation, 14(6) (pp. 363-380)

Problems Experienced by Engineers with Environmental Product Development Projects (1994-06)
Caird, Sally; Roy, Robin and Wield, David
Technology Analysis and Strategic Management, 6(2) (pp. 177-188)

Can the benefits of good design be quantified? (1994-04)
Roy, Robin
Design Management Journal, 5(2) (pp. 9-17)

Case studies of creativity in innovative product development (1993-10)
Roy, Robin
Design Studies, 14(4) (pp. 423-443)

Perspectives on design and innovation (1993-06)
Walsh, Vivien; Roy, Robin; Bruce, Margaret and Potter, Stephen
Creativity and Innovation Management, 2(2) (pp. 78-86)

The commercial impacts of investment in design (1993-04)
Roy, Robin and Potter, Stephen
Design Studies, 14(2) (pp. 171-193)

Integrating marketing and design for commercial benefit (1991)
Bruce, Margaret and Roy, Robin
Marketing Intelligence and Planning, 9(5) (pp. 23-28)

Materials: A new revolutionary generic technology? Conditions and policies for innovation (1990)
Turner, Calum; Roy, Robin and Wield, David
Technology Analysis and Strategic Management, 2(3) (pp. 221-235)

Managing design projects in small and medium sized firms (1990)
Roy, Robin and Potter, Stephen
Technology Analysis and Strategic Management, 2(3) (pp. 321-336)

Competitive by design (1988)
Walsh, Vivien; Roy, Robin and Bruce, Margaret
Journal of Marketing Management, 4(2) (pp. 201-216)

The designer as 'gatekeeper' in manufacturing industry (1985-07)
Walsh, Vivien and Roy, Robin
Design Studies, 6(3) (pp. 127-133)

Consumer Product Innovation and Sustainable Design: The evolution and impacts of successful products (2015-11-09)
Roy, Robin
ISBN : 415869986 | Publisher : Routledge | Published : Abingdon, Oxfordshire, UK

Winning by Design: Technology, Product Design and International Competitiveness (1992)
Walsh, Vivien; Roy, Robin; Bruce, Margaret and Potter, Stephen
ISBN : 0-631-16437-5 | Publisher : Blackwell Publishers | Published : Oxford, UK

Product design and technological innovation (1986-01)
Roy, Robin and Wield, David
ISBN : 335151094 | Publisher : Open University Press | Published : UK

Sustainable Higher Education Systems (2019)
Caird, S. and Roy, R.
In: Leal Filho, W. ed. Encyclopaedia of Sustainability and Higher Education
Publisher : Springer, Cham

Blended Learning and Sustainable Development (2018)
Caird, S. and Roy, R.
In: Leal Filho, W. ed. Encyclopaedia of Sustainability and Higher Education
ISBN : 978-3-319-63951-2 | Publisher : Springer, Cham

Bicycle design: creativity and innovation (2012-12)
Roy, Robin and Tovey, Michael
In: Tovey, Michael ed. Design for Transport: A User-Centred Approach to Vehicle Design and Travel (pp. 167-200)
ISBN : 978-1-4094-3325-5 | Publisher : Gower | Published : Farnham UK

Case studies in low carbon living (2012-08-29)
Roy, Robin
In: Herring, Horace ed. Living in a Low Carbon Society in 2050. Energy, Climate and the Environment (pp. 95-120)
ISBN : 978-0-230-28225-4 | Publisher : Palgrave Macmillan | Published : Basingstoke

Yes in my back yard: UK householders pioneering technologies (2010-10)
Caird, Sally and Roy, Robin
In: Devine-Wright, Patrick ed. Renewable Energy and the Public (pp. 203-219)
ISBN : 978-1-84407-863-9 | Publisher : Earthscan | Published : London

Designing for sustainability (2009)
Roy, Robin
In: Wilson, Gordon; Furniss, Pamela and Kimbowa, Richard eds. Environment, Development, and Sustainability: Perspectives and cases from around the world (pp. 203-212)
ISBN : 9780199560646 | Publisher : Oxford University Press | Published : Oxford, UK

People centred eco-design: consumer adoption of low and zero carbon products and systems (2007-01)
Roy, Robin; Caird, Sally and Potter, Stephen
In: Murphy, Joseph ed. Governing Technology for Sustainability (pp. 41-62)
ISBN : 1844073459 | Publisher : Earthscan | Published : London, UK

Towards sustainable higher education: environmental impacts of conventional campus, print-based and electronic/open learning systems (2004)
Roy, Robin; Potter, Stephen and Yarrow, Karen
In: Murphy, D; Carr, R; Taylor, J. and Wong, T.M eds. Distance Education & Technology: Issues and Practice (pp. 129-145)
ISBN : 9627707473 | Publisher : Open University of Hong Kong Press | Published : Hong Kong

Card-based Tools For Creative And Systematic Design (2018)
Roy, Robin and Warren, James
In : Design Research Society 2018 - Catalyst (DRS2018 Limerick) (25-28 Jun 2018, Limerick, Republic of Ireland) (pp. 1075-1087)

Consumer Product Design and Innovation: Past, present and future (2016-06)
Roy, Robin
In : DRS2016: Design + Research + Society - Future-Focused Thinking (27-30 Jun 2016, Brighton) (pp. 3755-3770)

Consumer product innovation and sustainable design (2015-11-09)
Roy, Robin
In : Sustainable Innovation 2015 'State of the Art' Sustainable Innovation and Design, 20th International Conference (9-10 Nov 2015, Epsom, Surrey, UK) (pp. 209-216)

Design and market position - mapping the market with the MADRID market map (2008)
Riedel,, Johann; Roy, Robin and Potter, Stephen
In : International Product Development Management Conference (30 Jun - 1 Jul 2008, Hamburg, Germany)

Designing low and zero carbon products and systems: improvements based on consumers’ experience of adoption and use (2007-08-28)
Roy, Robin and Caird, Sally
In : International Conference on Engineering Design ICED'07, Design for Society: Knowledge, innovation and sustainability (28-30 Aug 2007, Paris, France)

Can consumers save energy? Results from surveys of consumer adoption and use of low and zero carbon technologies (2007-06)
Caird, Sally; Herring, Horace and Roy, Robin
In : European Council for an Energy Efficient Economy Summer Study 2007 (4-5 Jun 2007, La Colle sur Loup, Côte d’Azur, France)

Designing low and zero carbon products and systems – adoption, effective use and innovation (2006-10-23)
Roy, Robin and Caird, Sally
In : Sustainable Innovation 06: 11th International Conference (23-24 Oct 2006, Chicago, USA)

An environmental assessment activity to promote active distance learning and challenge of personal lifestyles and values (2001)
Crompton, Sally; Caird, Sally and Roy, Robin
In : 6th International auDES Conference: Bridging Minds and Markets. Emerging Issues in Environmental Education and Employment in Europe (5-7 Apr 2001, Venice, Italy)

A Story of Innovation: The Cyclone Vacuum Cleaner Invented by James Dyson (2016-04-13)
Roy, Robin
Creative Academic Magazine, UK.

Getting warmer: a field trial of heat pumps (2010-09)
Roy, Robin; Caird, Sally and Potter, Stephen
The Energy Saving Trust, London, UK.

Heat pump user experiences, behaviour and satisfaction (2010-07)
Caird, Sally; Roy, Robin and Potter, Stephen
The Open University Design Innovation Group, Milton Keynes UK.

Achieving the carbon dioxide saving potential of domestic heat pumps in the UK: an evaluation of technical performance and user behaviour (2009-08)
Roy, Robin
Design Innovation Group, The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK.

YIMBY Generation – yes in my back yard! UK householders pioneering microgeneration heat (2008-06-04)
Roy, Robin; Caird, Sally and Abelman, Jennie
The Energy Saving Trust, London, UK.

Consumer adoption of household energy efficiency measures (2007-12)
Caird, Sally; Roy, Robin; Potter, Stephen and Herring, Horace
Design Innovation Group, The Open University

Consumer adoption and use of household renewable energy technologies (2007-12)
Caird, Sally; Roy, Robin; Potter, Stephen and Herring, Horace
Design Innovation Group, The Open University

Climate Change: the citizen's agenda Evidence to Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee (2007-09)
Roy, Robin and Caird, Sally
The Stationery Office, London, UK.

Factor 10 Visions project: Higher Education Sector Towards Sustainable Higher Education: Environmental impacts of campus-based and distance higher education systems (2005-03)
Roy, Robin; Potter, Stephen; Yarrow, Karen and Smith, Mark
Design Innovation Group, The Open University, Milton Keynes.

MArket Demands that Reward Investment in Design (MADRID). Final Report (1998-01)
Roy, Robin; Riedel, Johann C. K. H. and Potter, Stephen
Design Innovation Group, The Open University

The Commercial Impacts of Green Product Development (1996-07)
Smith, Mark T.; Roy, Robin and Potter, Stephen
Design Innovation Group, The Open University

The Benefits and Costs of Investment in Design: Using Professional Design Expertise in Product, Engineering and Graphics Projects (1991-07)
Potter, Stephen; Roy, Robin; Capon, Clare H.; Bruce, Margaret; Walsh, Vivienne and Lewis, Jenny
Design Innovation Group, The Open University

Plastics Products: Good Design, Innovation and Business Success (1983-08)
Walsh, Vivien and Roy, Robin
Design Innovation Group, The Open University

Windpumps for rural India (1982-09)
Roy, Robin
Alternative Technology Group, The Open University

Family and community biogas plants in rural India and China (1980-09)
Roy, Robin
Alternative Technology Group, The Open University

Comparison of commercial and do-it-yourself solar collectors (1979-01)
Roy, Robin
Alternative Technology Group, The Open University