The first workshop Assufficio of the series “Design per il Workplace (Design for the Workplace)” took place at Fondazione Riccardo Catella in Milan, not only the capital of Design but also of the Planning Thought. Actually Design Thinking was discussed as a mental approach that doesn’t apply to physical objects only and can take a strategic value to cope with today’s complexity, for, along with the product, the way to make it work on the market should also be planned.

Marco Predari, president of Assufficio, evokes a few iconic products from the golden year of Design. What happend after the ‘90s? The manufacturers of office furniture don’t seem to be able to grasp the big changes under way at the workplace. Perhaps, because there are no Visions and products are the outcome of marketing directions instead of predictions on future needs. Critically speaking of this aspect, Marco Bonetto states that  “marketing has failed completely, marketing is dead”.
Cesar Mendoza points out that the real innovations in all fields of design aim at improving the quality of life at an affordable prize and technology is a cross-element and intelligent objects are a must.
Paolo Ravazzani offers the point of view of bioengineering on the IoT theme, with a focus on the wellbeing of people working and electromagnetic computational methods in places where more and more objects are going to be connected wireless.
Finally, Luciano Galimberti, president of ADI stated that the cast of mind and unique elements of the Made-in-Italy products – including lateral thinking, the capability of placing man at the centre, design thinking, storytelling – will still be the levers for innovation, even in the office industry.
Download the pdf presentations of the speakers.
Watch the video interviews with the speakers and the office furniture furniture.