Ergonomics in Design: The Human-Centred Design Approach for Developing Innovative Motor Caravans Systems

The product falls within research sector of Ergonomics in Design, and precisely addresses issues on the relationship among Human-Centred Design (HCD) and Design for Innovation methods in the field of Motor Caravans Systems. European Union suggests design as a key discipline and activity to bring new ideas to the market, transforming them into user-friendly and appealing products or services. Though still often associated solely with aesthetics, the application of design is much broader and can represent a concrete strategy for the growth of the market worldwide. A more systematic use of design as a tool for Human-centred and market-driven innovation in all sectors of the economy, complementary to R&D, would improve significantly European competitiveness. Bearing this in mind, the work presents the outcomes achieved in the framework of the POR CReO-FP7 project “TRIACA - Soluzioni Tecnologiche per la Riduzione dell'Impatto Ambientale del camper in fase di utilizzo” developed in partnership with Trigano SpA, an established company throughout Europe and leading in Italy in the motorhome sector. In Italy, the recreational vehicle sector has always been present and active, although in recent years the motor caravan industry recorded a strong decrease of orders due to the economic downturn and a flattened supply. In this scenario, the project is aimed at the development of innovative solutions in terms of environmental sustainability and quality of the user experience. The research is focused on the experimentation and testing of the HCD approach, especially its investigation methods, based on the direct involvement of users, and its evaluation methods for usability and safety. To sum up, TRIACA project produced significant outcomes in the field of interest, as it strongly contributed to the development of innovative solutions in relation to delicate issues, such as environmental sustainability and quality of use experience. The experimentation of the HCD methods and its iterative approach proved to be effective. It made possible to collect useful data, partly based on the direct and active engagement of the users, to create new use scenarios and to improve eco-efficiently the product. The design action and the multidisciplinary dimension of the research project allowed also to test and transfer formal, technological and environmental innovations of the Concept Open Space 230 project within the productive sector of Trigano SpA. These innovations are now available within the company offer. Finally, the “Concept Open Space 230” was marketed under the name “Triaca 230 TL” and recently, a new version, named “Triaca 232 TL” motorhome, has been proposed.