Francesca Tosi

Made-in-Italy companies, capable of producing products of the highest quality and of imposing themselves on markets at the international level, have always strived to transfer into design innovation a non-reproducible cultural and productive heritage. A distinctive feature of a production system based on “know-how” is the strong connection between different companies within the same territory and the presence of excellent workmanship and established production traditions, impossible to recon- stitute in contexts other than the original one. Like many Italian regions, Tuscany is characterized by craft excellencies that have contributed significantly to the cultural and economic growth of the region. Many of these, however, fail, due to economic size and cultural background, to keep up to date with the ever-changing demands of a market that wants new products, access to new technologies and attention to sustainability and the life cycle of each product. On this basis, we outline the key role of design as a tool and driver for innova- tion, capable of guiding the company’s strategic choices, including in relation to the sustainability of products and processes. This paper presents the research project “Art, Design and Enterprise for New Young Talents” aimed at proposing and developing new training and production patterns and processes through the placement of young talents, designers and artists, within companies in the Tuscan territory. In fact, putting young creatives in contact with companies can help companies in the path of research and innovation and allows young artists to translate the theoretical framework acquired into a finalized design.

Inclusive Design is an approach to design that aims to meet the needs of the widest possible audience, regardless of age and ability, through the realisation of products and services. This approach puts users at the centre of the design process, which means working with people rather than working for them. This article focuses on the application of Inclusive Design and Human-Centred Design approaches specifically aimed at Parkinson’s disease. Through the analysis of a design case, the article describes the applied methodology aimed at solving the challenges posed by Parkinson’s dis- ease through the design of an inclusive home environment. The case study shows how the Inclusive Design mindset favours a holistic and creative approach, capable of bringing together different user groups throughout the various stages of the design process.

Nowadays society, increasingly oriented towards actions to enhance its urban contexts, tries to promote better lifestyles and increasingly inclusive social practices. The work proposed in this article presents the results of the research project: "Guidelines for the review of the park project aimed at social inclusion, sustainability and usability of the cultural and sporting activities of the Carpugnane area", funded by the Municipality of Calenzano and conducted by the Ergonomics & Design Laboratory of the University of Florence. The research used the methodological tools of Ergonomics for Design, Human-Centred Design and Inclusive Design and the collected data allowed the design of a people-centred park, suitable for citizens of all ages, which is sustainable and inclusive. The approach, adopted in this work, has provided an effective strategy in allowing the assessment and design of urban environments, ensuring safety, psycho-physical well-being and healthy lifestyles for all, taking into account human diversity and social inclusion factors.

In today’s society, the social inclusion concept embraces numerous aspects and contexts of everyday life. Inclusive Design, going far beyond the design of products/services, plays a crucial role in fostering the inclusion of individuals within society and improving their living conditions. Inclusive design, however, must ensure a more humane and conscious design process that does not limit its attention solely to artefacts’ usability requirements but allows for the inclusion and evaluation of the emotional effects associated with interacting with them. This aspect is of particular importance in the case of products and environments aimed at vulnerable, elderly or disabled people, which can induce a perception of threat and stigmatize their physical and mental condition. Therefore, the work proposed in this article presents the results that emerged from the “Home Care Design for Parkinson’s Disease” research project. Through literature review, it was possible to analyse the contribution of technologies in generating pleasurable sensory experiences, but above all, to investigate the role of Emotional Design, Empathic Design and Evidence- Based Design approach. They can play a role in enabling the resolution of problems related to environmental, perceptual-sensory and stress factors and, in some cases, in slowing down the course of the disease, ensuring greater well-being. Therefore, the research work, developed through the application of Human-Centered Design methodologies, aims to: -define Design Guidelines to identify people with Parkinson’s disease needs and difficulties within the home context; - propose design solutions and future intervention scenarios that can improve their quality of life, their families and caregivers.

Nowadays, research and innovation in the pediatric field represent both a challenge and a great development opportunity. The emergence of clinical problems and the convergence of scientific knowledge and multidisciplinary approaches allows us to offer innovative solutions to improve pediatric care. In particular, the new digital technologies represent an important factor of innovation in the field of health care and, above all, in delicate and complex contexts such as Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU), where due to the vulnerability of young patients it is necessary to use of ever more straightforward and more efficient care tools. However, in the pediatric field and, above all, in Neonatology, cases of errors in healthcare are increasingly frequent; it is estimated that a child is three times more exposed than an adult to potentially harmful situations of Medication Error because the level of assistance required is higher and the equipment required is more complex. In particular, one of the most common causes of access to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit is the respiratory difficulty which requires specific mechanical ventilation treatment, which can involve human errors and risks related to its use with possible physiological complications. Sometimes, human error can be attributed to the excessive complexity of using the products/services or the need for more materials suitable for the personnel needs. In the neonatal field, there are frequent problems related to usability, ergonomic characteristics, software and hardware interfaces, the human factor, and the context and methods of use of medical devices that lead to errors. The general objective of this study, conducted at the Meyer Children's Hospital in Florence, was to improve not only the condition of the well-being of the young patient but also the working conditions of the medical and healthcare staff, promoting interaction, simplifying the actions and minimizing the possibility of error in use. This paper reports the main results of the research achieved thanks to the application of the evaluation methods of usability and safety of use typical of Human-Centered Design. These have made it possible to pay attention to the needs of users who interact with the medical system (patients, health professionals) and the different skills of the professionals involved in designing and providing services.Through field surveys and discussions with experts and healthcare professionals (user observation, semi-structured interviews, questionnaires, etc.) conducted at Meyer Children's Hospital in Florence, it was possible to collect data on current critical issues. In particular, the survey made it possible to understand how the user interacts with existing fans and how much these can lead to problems regarding the complexity of assembly, the difficulty of reading the physical and digital interface, the presence of numerous instruments during transport and the issues relating to the organization of the treatment phases. The analysis of the user and the evaluation of the criticality of the existing products/systems have therefore allowed the identification of possible scenarios and intervention solutions, defining the requirements of the new ventilation system. From the results obtained, it was possible to configure new solutions, which gave rise to the design of a new generation lung ventilator for NICU to improve ventilation assistance operations, reduce user errors and make the product versatile and easy to use both in the ward and during neonatal protected transport.