Learning product design for particular needs: 3ike case study, a bike for children with cerebral palsy

The aim of this paper is to present briefly a learning process in a Product Design thesis at the Design school of Politecnico di Milano concerning the development of a vehicle for disabled children. The presented work is result of a University-Industry cooperation in a particular area of Product Design field: Inclusive Design and Design for Disability. The role of industrial designer is to mediate between user needs and industry needs [1]. People using industrial products need different solutions also in different conditions, and often, people don't know the best solution for their needs. In order to reach real need of special users, a User Centred Design (UCD) approach [2] is desirable, specially when users have particular needs. Special needs of impaired people and disable population are hardly understandable, and a deep knowledge of each disability is necessary beside direct user involvement. Using official classification [3, 4] it is possible to focalize the work, but, in any case, each person with disability is a particular case. The present thesis project is referred to a bike for children with Cerebral Palsy (CP). CP is a non- progressive lesion of the central nervous system developing [5], due to a brain injury before birth, during birth or immediately after birth. CP is the most important cause of disability in childhood. Compared with the other children, those with CP have lower muscle strength, a muscular hypertonia, decreased range of motion, posture and motor control alterations and changes in gait. These are the reasons why it is important to propose them a regular physical activity, such as cycling, to improve their health condition [4]. Different studies sustain the importance of physical activity, and suggest cycling as a rehabilitation tool to improve strength and cardiorespiratory fitness [6, 7]. After the individuation of the users’ needs and capabilities, the research has been focused on the aids for impaired people, specially bikes. This research process has been finalized to understand the relation between child and bike and to emphasize the main characteristics of these products. In this situation of special “consumers”, Companies need to apply special strategies of production and commercialization, and designers need to have specific skills: need to be self confident in User Research and User Engagement, in Anthropometry and Biomechanics and well prepared on small scale production technology. Designer must be able to produce adaptable solutions, but at the same time, they need to be able to conceptualize inclusive products. Products with “normal” and pleasurable external shape. The paper present the learning process conducted in the relationship between student, university tutor and industrial supervisor for development of a new product applying UCD methods.