Francesca Tosi

The article expands on the presentation given by the authors at the International Ergonomics Association (IEA) Congress, held in Recife, Brazil, from 13 to 16 February 2012. Abstract: The changes in society at the beginning of this millennium are giving rise to deep transformations in the behavioural trends and tastes of home users, as well as in their lifestyles and consumption patterns. This opens up a wide range of opportunities for innovation within the context of contemporary home design. Due to the emergence of new user profiles, new needs and models are coming to the attention of designers and manufacturing companies. Just think about the new needs resulting from the changing composition of households, new forms of cohabitation and the contemporary multi-ethnic society.

The research area on Ergonomics for Design and Sustainability is one of the most active and innovative components of ergonomic research – and in particular Ergonomics for Design – and one of the areas of greatest interest with regard to the definition of operating procedures and design solutions based on user involvement in decision-making processes. The development of research lines and areas of design experimentation that cut across the fields of Ergonomics for Design and Sustainability stems from a highly innovative approach to the more general theme of 'design for people', which brings together research topics and experiences of design innovation that are increasingly finding common ground and dialogue. The essay addresses the points of convergence between Design, Ergonomics and Sustainability, and some of the main areas of intervention in which the content and methods of investigation and design specific to the three areas offer important opportunities for comparison and collaboration.

The essay traces the evolution of the approach to accessible and inclusive design, starting with the theories and experiments of the post-war period, and the gradual shift towards ergonomics and, in particular, user-centred design. It also discusses the main points of convergence between Design For All and Ergonomics for Design in the field of research and design experimentation, with reference to recent regulatory developments in usability.

The article discusses the evolution of the focus and fields of intervention of ergonomics from analytical and corrective intervention, carried out after the design phase, to proactive and design-oriented intervention. It analyses the role of the User-Centred Design methodological approach and its role as a driver of innovation in the design and development processes of products and services. The article is published in the insert "The centrality of man in the ergonomic vision of production processes" contained in issue 2 (February) 2012.

The relationship between Ergonomics and Design is a key element in the sustainability project, as well as in many other areas of experimental design. In the Design for Sustainability field, Ergonomics is a strategic factor for design culture innovation, providing designers with the necessary knowledge and skills regarding human characteristics and capabilities, as well as user needs and desires during use and interaction with products in work activities and everyday life. Ergonomics is also a strategic innovative factor in design development and manufacturing processes. In fact, ergonomics provides a methodological approach in user-product interaction evaluation processes through the use of participatory design and survey methods, user trials, direct observation, savings and resource conservation, etc. On the other hand, design offers solutions able to interpret user needs and expectations, at the same time suggesting new behaviors and lifestyles. In Design for Sustainability, the ergonomic and usercentered approach contributes greatly to lifestyles and innovative use of products making it possible to understand and interpret real people needs and expectations in their everyday actions and behavior. New consumption patterns, new awareness of lifestyles, energy source consumption, purchasing methods and consumption style etc. can be supported by design innovation, responding to expressed and unexpressed user needs. With this in mind, the ergonomic approach represents the starting point for design choices and at the same time, a tool for assessing their appropriateness and effectiveness.