BREAKING IN: Next Up: Gianfranco Zaccai

Next Up: Gianfranco Zaccai

Check out the interview excerpt with Gianfranco Zaccai.

Moving Markets Herman Miller Checks-in to the Hospital from Continuum on Vimeo.

Gianfranco Zaccai co-founded Continuum in 1983 when he merged his consulting practice with that of Jerrold Zindler, an engineer and physicist with whom Gianfranco had collaborated with in the bio-medical industry. Under Gianfranco’s leadership, Continuum has been a leader in redefining the role of design research, interdisciplinary design, and concurrent development as key drivers of human centered innovation in both business and civic life.

The Continuum process has been fundamental in the identification and development of a wide range of breakthrough innovations—from consumer goods to bio-medical devices—exemplified by the ACL® Automated Coagulation Analyzer for Instrumentation Laboratory SpA; the Pump® athletic shoe line for Reebok, the Swiffer® and Thermacare® product lines for Procter & Gamble, and the OmniPod® wearable insulin delivery system for Insulet. Most recently, Gianfranco led a team which developed the Nala® Patient Chair and the Compass® Patient Room System for Herman Miller.

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Gianfranco holds degrees in Industrial Design from Syracuse University, where he serves on the Board of Advisors to the College of Visual and Performing Arts, and a degree in Architecture from the Boston Architectural College, where he serves as an Overseer. In 2007, Gianfranco received a Doctor of Arts degree “HonorisCausa” from North Carolina State University. In 2009, he was awarded a Doctor of Fine Art Degree “HonorisCausa” from his alma mater and was also inducted as a Commander of the Order Merit of the Italian Republic (Commendatore, Ordine al MeritodellaRepubblicaItaliana) by the President of Italy.

In addition to writing and lecturing internationally on design theory and innovation, trans-generational design, and design for sustainable development, Gianfranco has participated in numerous pro-bono development projects in South Africa, Columbia, India, and Mexico. In the past, Gianfranco has served as President of the Aspen Design Conference and as a faculty member of Bocconi School of Management in Milan, Italy, The Massachusetts College of Art, and the Boston Architectural College.

Gianfranco and Continuum’s work have received global recognition, including a Presidential Design Award from President Clinton (US); the CompassoD’Oro (Italy); the Red Dot and IF Awards (Germany); two IDEA / Businessweek awards, and numerous awards from IDSA, including three “Design of the Decade” awards in recognition of design that created notable business success over the past decade.

You can follow Gianfranco and the team @_continuum .