In the first construction step, the ZWTAD was drafted using the Guidance of Development Projects (GDP) visual panel, created by Merino (2014; 2016). According to Merino, Varnier, and Makara (2020, p. 18-19, our translation), the main goal of the GDP panel is:

[...] to organize and offer a sequence of actions that enables Design to be planned consciously, considering as many aspects as possible, in order to meet the goals of the project. Besides, it is flexible and adaptable, which allows adjustments throughout the process, according to each project’s particularities [...].

Merino, Varnier, and Makara (2020) say that the guide has 8 steps: (I) opportunities; (II) prospection/solicitation; (III) data survey; (IV) organization and analysis of data; (V) creation; (VI) execution; (VII) viabilization; and (VIII) verification. According to the authors, the GDP steps can be comprehended in three moments: (I) inspiration, which encompasses the first, second, and third steps; (II) ideation, which is related to the fourth and fifth steps; and (III) implementation, which contains the sixth, seventh, and eighth steps (Figure 1).

Figure 1.
Moments and steps of the GDP
Source: Merino (2016, p. 15).

For each step on the visual panel (Figure 1), GDP stipulates goals that articulate the product (“what is the product?”), the users (“who are/will be the users?”), and the context (“where will the product be inserted?”). Thus, to Merino (2014; 2016), in the first step the market opportunities must be verified, in local, national, and international levels, with emphasis in the need for growth of the sector in which you want to work in.

In the second step, the goal is to define demands that can compose the project’s central problem. In the third step, through data survey, the project is specified and adapted according to expectations of its future users and to current technical standards, in accordance with the nature of the developing product (MERINO, 2014; 2016).

In the fourth step, the surveyed data is organized, analyzed, and aligned with the project’s strategies. In the fifth step, the global concepts of the project are defined, and the first prototypes are created. In the sixth step, the approved prototypes are modelled in real scale and a life cycle is stipulated for the product (MERINO, 2014; 2016).

In the seventh step, Merino (2014; 2016) anticipates that the prototype that best meets the project’s specifications will be chosen. At this point, the product must be tested alongside potential buyers through tools that evaluate ergonomics, apparent quality, usability, comfort, or other requirements deemed pertinent to the product. At last, in the eighth step, the systemic thinking must be favored, and the environmental, economic, and social impacts of the product must be taken into account. Figure 2 presents the application of the GDP’s visual panel in the ZWTAD context.

Figure 2.
Photographic records of the construction of the ZWTAD, based on GPD
Source: elaborated by the authors (2021).

The visual complexity of the results (Figure 2) was summarized via a list of project requirements and presented as a table of steps, as proposed by Merino (2014; 2016) in the perspective of the fourth GDP stage. To organize and simplify the use of the tool, a score for each requirement was established based on the Likert Scale, with the purpose of listing project requirements for the three macro steps (creation, patternmaking, and sewing) of the clothing collection planning. It is important to clarify that the Likert Scale was designed to measure individuals’ attitudes and behaviors (GIL, 2008).

Before presenting the table of steps, however, it is necessary to highlight the contribution of Vieira, Iervolino, and Stadler (2019). The authors created a checklist with mandatory and desirable attributes in the context of a zero waste legging project. Namely: (I) raw material; (II) anthropometry; (III) patternmaking; (IV) technical viability; and (V) aesthetic quality (Table 1).

Table 1.
List of requirements for a zero waste legging project
Source: adapted from Vieira, Iervolino, and Stadler (2019, p. 519-520).

Stemming from Table 1, which was obtained via the third GDP step (data survey), the attributes listed by Vieira, Iervolino, and Stadler (2019) were transformed into ten project requirements that, in turn, were classified using the creation, patternmaking, and sewing macro steps. The requirements classified as mandatory got a score between 20 points (minimum) and 30 points (maximum). The desirable requirements got a score between 5 points (minimum) and 15 points (maximum). In an ideal scenario, the score obtained by a user who employs all the requirements reaches 130 points (Table 2).

Table 2.
The ZWTAD before the application of Visual Project Management
Source: elaborated by the authors (2021).

After creating Table 2, to calculate the maximum score to be obtained, it was stipulated that: (I) maximum score will be given if the design tool user totally fulfills the requirements; and (II) zero points will be given if the design tool user does not fulfill or partially fulfills the requirements.

In accordance with the seventh GDP step, we sought to test the ZWTAD with models found in Apparel Design zero waste literature. For this purpose, five random examples were chosen: (I) Madeleine Vionnet; (II) Contextura; (III) Timo Rissanen; (IV) Zandra Rhodes; and (V) Vieira, Iervolino, and Stadler (2019).

Madeleine Vionnet, the first example, was a French stylist working at the beginning of Haute Couture, in the 20th century. Born in 1876 and deceased in 1975, Vionnet influenced the work of several contemporary professionals through her studies on fabric fitting. Regarding zero waste, Vionnet developed pieces that used 100% of the material through bias cut and moulage technique (three-dimensional patternmaking) (RISSANEN, 2013; FIRMO, 2014; BINOTTO; PAYNE, 2016; BREVE, 2018; RIZZI, 2018). When the ZWTAD was applied, the example fulfilled four of the requirements (1, 5, 8, and 10) and got 50 points.

The second example found in the literature and chosen for the tool test was Contextura, a brand from Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Founded in 2010 by the professors Anne Anicet and Evelise Anicet as a textile research lab, Contextura has been developing since then works that congregate art, technology, fashion, design, and sustainable development. Its main productive processes involve sublimation printing, moulage, and textile collages, which, in its turn, use waste from previous processes as raw material (ANICET; RÜTHSCHILLING, 2013; FIRMO, 2014; RIZZI, 2018). When the example was submitted to the ZWTAD, eight of the requirements were fulfilled (1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, and 10), achieving 80 points.

The third example regards the work of the designer and professor at the North American Parsons The New School of Art and Design, Timo Rissanen. Jha and Narang (2015, p. 6) mention Rissanen’s technique as a “[...] ‘jigsaw-puzzle approach’ to design and patternmaking [...]”. In his technique, Rissanen seeks the full use of fabric through organic patterns and curvilinear strokes that fit perfectly in the two-dimensional plane. This makes the operational sequence more complex to execute than other techniques (RISSANEN, 2013; FIRMO, 2014; BREVE, 2018; RIZZI; 2018). Regarding the ZWTAD, the example fulfilled eight of the requirements (1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, and 10), achieving 80 points.

The fourth example is the work of English stylist Zandra Rhodes. Born in 1940, the stylist was cited by Rissanen (2013), Firmo (2014), and Breve (2018) as a pioneer and a contemporary example in the application of zero waste principles in clothing patternmaking. According to Firmo (2014), the stylist’s work is recognized by the international community since the 1970s, when her predominant use of organic materials and of her embroideries, knitting, and crochets defined her style. For the author, currently, Rhodes’ style is characterized by the creation of different prints, which are used as much as possible in her collections, and the rigorous geometric shape of her patterns which constantly mix squares and rectangles to obtain an 100% fit. In the ZWTAD application, this example fulfilled nine requirements (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10) and got 110 points.

The fifth and last example used to test the design tool in question came from the zero waste experience mentioned by Vieira, Iervolino, and Stadler (2019). When developing their industrially scalable leggings design, Vieira, Iervolino, and Stadler (2019) concluded that zero waste patternmaking efficiency can be reached if: (I) geometric designs are used in the patterns’ layout, preferably with 90º angles; (II) the width of the pattern’s parts is multiple of the fabric’s width; (III) the different sizes allow the patterns to repeat themselves on the fabric with multiple fitting possibilities. Thus, when the example was applied to the ZWTAD, all the requirements were fulfilled, and it got the maximum score of 130 points (Table 3).

Table 3.
Testing of the ZWTAD based on five examples from the literature
Source: elaborated by the authors (2021).

Therefore, regarding the application of the GDP’s visual panel as prescribed by Merino (2014; 2016), in the first and second steps information was surveyed and opportunities were prospected (Figure 2); in the third step, the list of attributes by Vieira, Iervolino, and Stadler (2019) was used; in the fourth and fifth steps, the mentioned list was made into a table of project requirements (Table 2); in the sixth and seventh steps, the design tool was tested through five examples found in literature about zero waste (Table 3); and, lastly, in the eighth step it was shown the necessity of using Visual Project Management to potentialize the use of the ZWTAD with stylists and apparel designers.

Teixeira and Merino (2014) and Teixeira (2018) say that Visual Project Management can gradually subsidize the evolution of a design tool. As an example, the authors present the transformation of a descriptive table as a reference model that, by aggregating new organization topics such as “what is it?”, “what to do?”, and “how to do it?”, becomes a table of steps. Subsequently, to give visibility to the steps and activities being developed by a certain team, graphic representation elements are added to provide a systemic view of the project. Therefore, we have a visual panel that can also unfold into other tools, such as visual timelines, note cards, guidance and exit sheets, among others (Figure 3).

Figure 3.
Evolution of a reference model under the contribution of Visual Project Management
Source: Teixeira and Merino (2014, p. 126).

For Teixeira (2018), the evolution of the reference model (Figure 3) can also happen through the application of a roadmap for visual models. In this perspective, the author presents five fundamental steps: (I) beginning, when you choose a reference model; (II) sprint 1, when you create a table of steps; (III) sprint 2, when you visually improve each table, control, process, and reference model item; (IV) sprint 3, when the global aspects unfold in detailed parts; and (V) sprint 4, when the way in which the project’s information will be stored is defined. The ZWTAD does not follow the roadmap proposed by Teixeira (2018), but it exemplifies the visual evolution illustrated by Teixeira and Merino (2014) by meeting the Visual Project Management structuring elements.

Teixeira (2018) claims that the Visual Project Management structuring elements encompass three aspects: (I) premises; (II) requirements; and (III) usability principles. Regarding the first aspect, the author says that the following premises can be followed when building a visual model: (I) visualization must be prioritized throughout the development process; (II) visual strategies must be applied since the planning of the model; (III) visual maps, infographics, and diagrams must be elaborated to organize action plans; (IV) alternatives to visualize and disseminate information on the investigated model must be created; (V) the visual analysis must be valued; and, lastly, (VI) the interaction and participation of the project team must be promoted and stimulated (Table 4).

Table 4
Application of the Visual Project Management premises in the ZWTAD
Source: elaborated by the authors (2021).

With the first changes to the design tool based on the first aspect of the Visual Project Management made, we moved forward to the requirements. For Teixeira (2018), the goal of the requirements is to potentialize the visual model’s success and their roles can take on three characters: (I) visual; (II) participatory; and (III) flow. Regarding the visual role, the author says that you should answer the following questions: (I) how to allow the project’s global vision on the same plane? (II) how to favor the understanding of and the immediate access to the project’s information? and (III) how to facilitate the perception of the relationship between the whole and the parts of the project? Regarding the participatory role, the requirements to be fulfilled are: (I) how to make the project’s abnormalities visible? (II) how to ensure the project’s flow? and (III) how to stimulate the development of open, simple, easy, and visual processes? Lastly, regarding the flow role, the requirements must be fulfilled through these questions: (I) how to incorporate mechanisms to facilitate guidance, control, and documentation of the project’s processes? (II) how to create instruction sheets and standards for what needs to be delivered at each step of the project? and (III) how to support the standardization of the works and the adherence to the processes? (Table 5).

Table 5.
Application of the Visual Project Management requirements in the ZWTAD
Source: elaborated by the authors (2021).

After making the changes in the ZWTAD based on the aforementioned requirements (Table 5), an analysis of the third aspect of the Visual Project Management structuring elements was conducted. In this perspective, Teixeira (2018) claims that, to build visual models, the following usability principles must be considered: (I) consistency and coherence; (II) compatibility; (III) user skill; (IV) error prevention and recovery; and (V) visual clarity (Table 6).

Table 6.
Application of Visual Project Management usability principles in the ZWTAD
Source: elaborated by the authors (2021).

As the Tables 4, 5, and 6 denote, improvement actions were carried out in the tool based on the three aspects of the Visual Project Management structuring elements and on Table 2 as reference models. Premises, requirements, and principles were transformed into twenty attributes (six premises, nine requirements, and five principles). Although not all attributes have been complied to or have generated changes, many of them were modified, with focus on improving the tool’s visual performance. Because the tool does not fully comply with the Visual Project Management attributes and with the roadmap steps proposed by Teixeira (2018), we can say that the tool is an incomplete visual model. The results of the changes are illustrated by Figures 4, 5, and 6.

Figure 4.
Block A from the ZWTAD
Source: elaborated by the authors (2021).

The first block of the tool was named Zero Waste Design in clothing creation (Figure 4) and has as project requirements: (I) the project presents aesthetic quality and fits the style of the brand’s previous collections; (II) the project is aligned with the trends of the segment in which the brand operates; (III) the project articulates other pro-sustainability strategies besides the zero waste approach; (IV) the project aims at using ecological and certified raw material or non-virgin raw material; and (V) the project’s creative processes use digital media or other media that do not generate waste.

Figure 5.
Block B from the ZWTAD
Source: elaborated by the authors (2021)

The second block of the tool, Zero Waste Design in clothing patternmaking (Figure 5), presents as requirements: (I) the project presents geometric patterns that prioritize the patterns’ perfect fit; (II) the project uses eco-efficiency in pattern fitting, even if not geometric (patternmaking optimization); (III) the fit of the project’s patterns include the minimum parts of the patterns (collars, cuffs, pockets, plackets, etc.); (IV) the project considers anthropometric aspects and uses industrial measurement tables standardized by the Associação Brasileira de Normas Técnicas (ABNT); and (V) the project enables scalability and technical viability to allow serial production of the product(s) (adaptation of pattern sizes).

Figure 6.
Block C from the ZWTAD
Source: elaborated by the authors (2021).

The third and last block of the tool, named Zero Waste Design in clothing production (Figure 6), has as project requirements: (I) the project's prototypes were digitally created, or using other mediums that do not generate waste; (II) the project presents an operational sequence with a minimum number of possible assembly operations; (III) the project ensures the mitigation of waste in secondary productive processes (prototyping, testing, etc.); (IV) the project produces only inevitable minimum waste (trimmings, spare threads, or selvages removed for safety reasons); and (V) in case of waste production, it is reinserted in the project as input for other processes.

With the results from the application of Visual Project Management (Figures 4, 5, and 6), we proceeded to detail each requirement through a usage guide. The guide is organized in orientation sheets that help the project teams to fill the columns.

After presenting the ZWTAD evolution through Visual Project Management, from its reference model to its final configuration, we proceed to this article’s final considerations.