Description
In a sustainable development paradigm there must be a direct influence and a social responsible relationship between user, designer, and manufacturer. The different stakeholders interactions should be based on a dynamic influence of their needs. The challenge is to understand those needs, translate and monitor them through life cycle of products processes. The use of Value Analysis method (namely functional analysis, main phase of that methodology) and its integration with Cleaner Production, allows the development of a methodology that helps the definition of stakeholders needs and their transposition to the design, manufacturing and use phases. Due the functional approach, without techical solution in the problem definition, this kind of analysis should stimulate the criativity and the innovation. In this metodology the study subject is defined in terms of functions, quantified with technical, environmental and social criteria, in order to create a true dialogue platform between who orders and the designer, manufacturer or supplier. This approach enables to adjust either the evolution of the diffrent needs and the objectives to be attained. For the development of the work, namely the designer's one it is very important that since the beginning of the study the main objectives and constraints are defined. All this work is made by multidisciplinary team with people representing the main areas related to the study subject. The methodology allows the quantification of the functional performance (taken into account technical, social and environmental aspects) of a study subject and also all the costs related with materials, water, energy and human resources. The relationship between them will allow to quantify the Sustainable Value. In this paper we present the theoretical structure of the developed methodology and also its main results in several case studies.
; Maia, Anabela 
