Page 87 - Materials Chemistry, Second Edition

72 A. Bjørn et al.

Figure 7.2 shows that the identification of the decision context depends on:
• Whether the study is intended as decision support
• Whether structural changes in interacting systems are expected from a decision
supported by the study.
• Whether it is chosen to model interactions with other systems as part of the
product system model or to handle them partially through allocation (see
Chap. 8).
In the illustrative case of the window frames, the reason to carry out the study
was to attract environmentally conscious consumers, through the use of an eco-label
that the LCA results would help obtain. The study is thus to be used for decision
support, but since it is concerned with a single product, this decision support is not
expected to lead to structural changes in other systems. The decision context of the
study is therefore Situation A (Micro-level decision support).

7.5 Target Audience

The goal definition must state the target audience of the study, i.e. to whom the
results of the study are intended to be communicated. The target audience may be
consumers, consumer organisations, companies (managers, product developers,
etc.), government, NGOs and others. The target audience greatly influences the
extent to which details of the study should be documented, the technical level of
reporting (Chap. 8) and the interpretation of results (Chap. 12). In the illustrative
window frame case study, the employees of the window producer NorWin’s envi-
ronmental and design departments are the target audience. Since this audience is
unfamiliar with LCA, the content of the report was presented pedagogically by
explaining technical terms that the readers could not be expected to be familiar with.
When the readers are unfamiliar with LCA it may also be appropriate to provide brief
background information about LCA of the type given in Chap. 2 of this book.

7.6 Comparative Studies to Be Disclosed to the Public

The goal definition should explicitly state whether the LCA study is of a com-
parative nature (see Sect. 7.2) and if it is intended to be disclosed to the public. If
this is the case, the ISO standard specifies a number of requirements on the conduct
and documentation of the study and an external review process, due to the potential
consequences that the communication of the results of the study may have for
external companies, institutions, consumers and other stakeholders. The ISO
requirements are detailed in Chap. 8 and are basically meant to ensure transparency
and good quality of a study.