“…The next research interest is to provide supporting design frameworks (RR6) that facilitate the design process by providing systematic thinking—the use of the integrated novel design methods (innovation matrix, application space mapping, QFD) and Lean initiatives (avoidance of valueless reworks and activities)—towards economic sustainability (Lee & Abuali, 2011 ; Pezzotta et al, 2018 ). Other studies focus on design solutions for complexity and uncertainty: incomplete information regarding human requirements (Haber & Fargnoli, 2019 ); the changes in human preferences (Lin, 2018 ); decision making on different design alternatives for mass customization towards manufacturability (Mourtzis et al, 2018 ); interaction requirements among non-human—smart manufacturing devices/tools, core enterprise business systems (ERP, SAP)—and human actors (manufacturers, designers, users) (Mostafazadeh Davani et al, 2018 ; Song et al, 2016 ; Zhang et al, 2020 ); adaptation of design processes to the context of small-and medium-sized enterprises (Adrodegari & Saccani, 2020 ; van Lopik et al, 2020 ). These studies tackle different problems scattered across life-cycle design phases, useful to consider in relation to further research to address the relevant problems in a comprehensive way.…”