As part of the 2016 IxDA event in Helsinki, our Digital Product Director, Leandro Agrò spoke on his views on the design of connected objects (the Internet of Things). The Interaction Design Association is a global network of over 55,000 members who are passionate about the practice of designing interactive digital products, environments, systems, and services (IxD). The 2016 IxDA conference gathered 1000 designers, design leaders, students, and volunteers for four days of mind-expanding workshops and talks.

The event was held in Helsinki during 1-4th of March. The city was an obvious choice as Finland is currently living and breathing design. Post-Nokia life in Finland has led to a surge in start-ups and the design industry is now thriving with new companies. Even the main venue for the conference was held in Finlandia Hall, the architectural masterpiece designed by Alvar Aalto. The theme for the 2016 conference was an open-ended question to encourage dialogue about the future of interaction design, What’s next? With five keynote talks, 100 speakers and 12 workshops, the event inspired designers to become more than pixel shapers and to move towards designing for IoT and robotics.

Design Group Italia believes that design should also move in this direction. We started designing objects and services for the Internet of Things in 2008 and since then our IoT team has conceived designs that shape product and service behavior. Our designs include the world’s first automated greenhouse Meg, a medication adherence aid Trillio and the collaborative tool Frame it! At IxDA, Leandro Agrò, our Digital Product Director presented his talk Connected objects are natural-born storytellers (re-visited). His presentation touched upon many areas such as expanding outside of the current boundaries of design, that our world is shaped by the tools we design and how technology is now shaping us.