Pet Design For Product and Services

Course

According to Euromonitor, there are over 230 million pets living in households across the European Union. They are now considered true family members — a shift that influences daily routines, lifestyles, and consumer choices. As living and relational dynamics evolve, new challenges emerge.  

The Executive Course in Pet Design for Product and Services equips companies and designers with the skills to develop innovative products and services, while exploring new application scenarios and identifying emerging trends and evolving markets. Moving beyond an anthropocentric perspective, the course embraces a relational approach, which aims to facilitate, enrich, and positively shape the human–animal relationship through design. 

Below are the key objectives of the program. 

For pet-industry companies: 

• Develop innovative products and services based on company briefs
• Explore new application scenarios
• Identify emerging trends and evolving markets
• Discover and connect with creative talent and specialized professionals
• Access advanced user- and animal-centered design methodologies 

For designers: 

• Gain unique skills in the growing field of Pet Design, increasingly in demand in the market
• Learn how to develop real-world projects in collaboration with companies
• Build a multidisciplinary approach combining design thinking, ethology, anthropology, and user- and animal-centered design
• Enhance your portfolio with innovative design solutions 

The Course is based on the innovative CZ approach, which combines ethology and cognitive zooanthropology with relational and user-centered design methodologies.
Lasting 40 hours, the program includes a set of training activities designed to help participants create solutions that enhance the mutual well-being of animals and humans. 

• Lectures with field experts and leading academics
• Analisys of real and cutting-edge case studies
• Hands-on workshops to apply theory to design practices
• Ongoing feedback and project evaluation 

Didactics

Attendance

Attendance at the Course is 80% mandatory.

Didactic Modules

The program includes 40 hours of training, with a mix of online and in-person classes and hands-on activities. Sessions are scheduled to suit those who are already working, taking place on weekday evenings (with a few Friday afternoons) and on Saturdays. Below are the course modules.

Ethological and Zoo-Anthropological Area 

An introduction to the fundamentals of ethology — the study of animal behavior and needs — aimed at developing solutions that respect and address the psychological and physical well-being of pets. 

Methodological Area 

Exploration of pet-centered design approaches, with a focus on the HAD – Human Animal Design method. 

Design Area 

Design of products and services intended to enhance interaction between humans and animals, fostering improved relationships and shared well-being. 

Project Work 

A hands-on workshop led by Studio HAD – Human Animal Design, Amelia Valletta, applying course learnings to real-world design challenges. 

Title Released

Upon completion, participants will receive the open badge for the Executive Course in Pet Design for Product and Services.

Admission

Requirements

The course is open to: 1) Companies in the pet industry that want to develop new product and service concepts in line with market developments; 2) Product designers and designers interested in acquiring specialised skills in a rapidly expanding sector with new application opportunities.  

Admission to the course is subject to prior selection. 

To submit the application, follow the LINK, fill in the form and send the admission documents: 

• Copy of tax code and identity document 
• CV briefly describing their professional profile 

Deadline to send your application: February 20th, 2025

Price

The total cost of the Course is 1.586,00 € (including VAT) for each student. This sum will be paid with a single payment upon signing the contract. 

PROMO 

COMBO PRICE 

Enroll in both Executive Courses – Pet Design – Interni e ambienti pet friendly and Pet Design for Product and Services – for a total fee of 2,600.00 € (instead of 3,172 €). 

EARLY BIRD -10%
The promotion for those who have clear ideas, know which educational path can enrich their future, and can’t wait to get back to the classroom. Limited places! See the page on the website. 

Deadline submission: November 28th, 2025

FAMILY SUPPORT: -50%
A chance to gift your siblings the encouragement they need to invest in their future. 

FRIEND TO FRIEND: -20%
An opportunity to gift to a friend to make education the foundation of their growth. 

POLI.NETWORK: -50%
A promotion designed to strengthen the bond and identity among members of the Politecnico di Milano community. 

BACK TO SCHOOL: -30% on Executive Courses
The discount for those who have already trusted POLI.design and Polimi, and wish to return to study and build their future 

MORE THAN ONE: -15%
A discount for those who want to perfect their skills, for those who continually invest in education, not just once but multiple times. 

BUSINESS BOOST
The discount designed for companies that recognize training as a crucial factor for growth. 

The “Business Boost” discount provides a variable reduction on the participation fee for two or more employees in catalog courses. Specifically, the discount amounts to: 

• 15% on the participation fee for the second employee’s enrollment 

• 20% on the participation fee for the third employee’s enrollment 

• 25% on the participation fee from the fourth employee’s enrollment onwards 

Furthermore, companies that purchase more than one Course for two or more employees in the same calendar year can access an additional 10% discount on the total. 

Faculty

• A. Valletta
• A. Bonati
• S. Dedini
• R. Della Valle
• V. Marchesini
• C. Rabosio
• A. Rivolta