Distributed and open Production

The digitization of society, the democratization of technology, the personalization of production and the gradual opening of the design practice are disruptive phenomena that build a new scenario in which the processes of creation, production and distribution of many goods and services will undergo profound changes. These changes require the development of a mix of "making cultures”. The changing of production models is becoming a central theme of the research and innovation policies in many Western countries. At the same time several bottom up initiatives are growing up by common people and local associations, especially in cities. Moreover, many experts in economics, sociology, and technology are studying manufacturing process changes in terms of: development of personal fabrication, growth of new communities of makers and self-producers (or DIY), and return to new forms of handicraft production. This is an important issue for the design on a global scale. The topic "design and new production processes and models" has many points of convergence with the global theme of social innovation promoted by the DESIS Network. In particular, it is interesting to look at emerging production processes in terms of sustainable lifestyles and focus on design as a discipline, which has a positive effect on the change of production models.