Design & Autism. An unconventional approach to inclusion through product innovation. Introduction.

The book explores the intersection between design and autism through an inclusive and multidisciplinary approach. It brings together diverse disciplinary perspectives, firsthand experiences, and a rich collection of projects and ideas that highlight the social and cultural impact of design. Just as autism represents a spectrum of identities, design too must be multifaceted, adaptable, and capable of embracing multiple voices. As Fabrizio Acanfora emphasizes in the foreword, the value of this volume lies in its ability to address these themes not as problems to be solved, but as opportunities to rethink design and, more broadly, society itself. The experience of the COmeta Laboratory, presented through contributions from experts and students, demonstrates that Inclusive Design is not optional, but necessary. Designing with autistic people, rather than for them, requires a collaborative approach in which lived experiences become an integral part of the creative process. From this perspective, diversity is recognized as a resource that contributes to building contexts in which every individual can fully express themselves. The project carefully balances information accessibility with high visual quality. The typographic choice fell on Biancoenero®, the first Italian high-legibility font. In addition, each project is accompanied by illustrations that synthesize its content and modes of use, creating visual continuity throughout the volume. The ad hoc renderings by Melle Tomis Keuchenius and Cedric Benedikt Betz further support a clear representation of the designed products. The book is structured into three main sections. The first section examines the relationship between design and autism, offering an overview of the context without imposing a rigid theoretical framework. It serves as a bridge between approaches developed over the years with students and the perspectives of stakeholders. The second section presents a multidisciplinary perspective on autism. Starting from Chapter 6, several experts from the COmeta network share their contributions, highlighting the inherently interdisciplinary nature of the topic. The third section gathers the projects developed across twelve editions of the COmeta Laboratory, providing an overview of the design outcomes. COmeta demonstrates the value of design in addressing complex contexts. It is conceived as an open project that, through this publication, seeks to share knowledge, foster dialogue, and contribute to the development of a still underexplored field, promoting reflection, exchange, and collaboration.