Tools as a Service

Garden machinery manufacturers Husqvarna, together with a number of housing companies, ran the 'Tools as a Service' pilot project between 2020-2023.

Katarina Graffman, PhD and affiliated researcher in anthropology, played a crucial role by conducting an ethnographic study to evaluate the outcome of the pilot project. The aim of the project was to explore the possibilities of a garden machinery sharing service, which could be used by both managers of public spaces and private individuals.

Katarina first conducted an initial screening of research literature on sharing services and a number of interviews with people using similar services. This provided a basis for key insights to inform the design of the pilot.

During the course of the project, Katarina was on site in the two residential areas participating in the project, for observation of user behaviors. She also conducted a number of interviews, both long and short, with residents of the areas, including those who used the service and those who did not. The results are presented in a final report that presents the benefits and challenges of the pilot project and of the service itself.

The project was carried out within the framework of the Sustainable Innovation research organization with funding from the Swedish Energy Agency.

More information about the project and Katarina's report can be found on the Sustainable Innovation website (in Swedish).