Expected operational benefits include, in addition to safety and sustainability, a better cost-effectiveness of the innovation process and greater compliance with current and future regulatory requirements (and thus shorter time-to-market).

SSbD requires continuous and careful analysis of all stages of product development.
The requirements of safety, circularity and sustainability must be considered from the earliest design stages, evaluating possible material development and engineering options. The description and preliminary assessment of potential impacts must be introduced already at the prototype level, in order to guide product development towards their minimisation. Sustainability, safety and performance of manufactured products must be evaluated according to recognised criteria, and the results used to optimise production, use and end-of-life phases.