Rethinking LCA Tools as Interactive Systems

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is widely recognized as a robust methodology for evaluating environmental impacts, yet the software used to perform LCA remains largely inaccessible beyond expert communities. While computational models are scientifically rigorous, current platforms rely on static outputs, rigid visualizations, and highly technical language, limiting interpretability and constraining decision-making. This research investigates how user experience (UX) research methodologies and user-centered design can transform LCA tools into interactive systems that support interpretation, exploration, and action across diverse stakeholders. The study adopts a Research-Through-Design approach, combining benchmarking of existing LCA software, a survey with practitioners, and semi-structured interviews to uncover usability barriers, cognitive patterns, and workflow constraints. The findings reveal a structural gap between analytical computation and user interpretation: users frequently rely on external tools to manipulate data, while current interfaces fail to support dynamic analysis, scenario exploration, and cross-disciplinary communication. In response, the study proposes a role-sensitive LCA dashboard that enables in-platform data manipulation, adaptive visualization, and simulated real-time interaction. By reframing LCA tools as interactive decision-support systems rather than static reporting environments, this work highlights the critical role of interaction design and UX research in making environmental data actionable, ultimately supporting broader adoption and more informed sustainability practices.