Making Things is Making People: from Design for All to Design for Each

Abstract

The term "revolution" denotes a sudden and radical change. If this revolution takes place
\nin a "crisis" period, which literally condenses both the concept of danger and opportunity, its result
\nbecomes disruptive and unpredictable. Today, society is attending the beginning of a fourth
\nindustrial revolution that is a consequence of the earlier computer-science one, made by portable
\nsupercomputers, intelligent robots and increased brain capabilities through neurotechnology.
\nThis revolution introduces the "Industry 4.0" term to describe how it will change the "value chain"
\nconfiguration, promoting the creation of "smart factories". This revolution does not only make the
\nfactory intelligent, but it is also the origin of the vast movement makers. As Cris Ardersen tells us,
\nwe are faced with a new paradigm of thought that eliminates the gap between invention and mass
\nproduction: "If I could do it, anyone can do it" (Ardersen, 2009).
\nKlaus Schwab, who recently theorized this Fourth Revolution (2016), is convinced that we are only
\nat the beginning of a transformation that radically modifies the way we live, work, relate, and even
\nquestion the meaning of "being human". At the same time, some other market’s leaders (as Toyota)
\nare pursuing "the art of making people" (hitozukuri), which for years have been the basis for an
\ninnovative and effective solution.
\nThe main issue of this paper concerns the contribution of design in defining and supporting the role
\nof man within these emerging scenarios, in particular on the impact this fourth revolution
\ndetermines on the quality of people’s life, by analysing the meaning of "taking care”.
\nThe ease of customized production opens up a new scenario that allows thinking and producing
\nobjects even for a single need or for a single person. Far from the mass production, in this new
\nvision take place the European project "OpenCare" (by Makerspace WeMake and City of Milan),
\nthe project "Make to Care" (by Opendot) and the recent project "Second name: Huntington" (by
\nthe national Huntington association with well-known Italian designers, Milanese fablabs, Cattaneo
\nlaboratories - internationally recognized for genetic programming - and Triennale of Milan).
\nStarting from this experiences of social and productive innovation, we will try to understand the
\npotential of the revolution when it is design-oriented, design-driven, but also when it is designed to
\npropose new design objects that impact on the more fragile people's daily life, the quality of home
\nlife.