Life Cycle analysis for non physical/online product

Hi

We are a provider of online degree courses for teaching around the built environment.
I'm just starting planning for implementation of ISO14001 and am confused as to how i analyse the life cycle of an online course and materials as no physical media or items are involved.

Any expert thoughts will be appreciated!

 

Knowledge, and therefore what you teach, does have a life cycle. This is usually at a point where new knowledge makes some of the curriculum obsolete. You wouldn't teach a course on steam powered cars when gas powered ones predominate, so the knowledge is obsolete. It could be useful in a specific niche, but not for the auto industry in general. How you would determine this is up to you. In some sectors new knowledge accumulates very quickly (electronics) in others it may be stable for much longer (metallurgy).

 

When you design your online courses, acquire "materials" for it, deliver and make them obsolete does your organization impact the environment or its requirements? If not, then considering a life cycle perspective may not apply. But life cycle perspective is not just applicable to your products. You might need to look into your organizations activities and processes that can impact the environment.