Osservatori Politecnico: More than 150 professors, analysts, and researchers are active in over 50 individual research areas, with the aim of processing quality data to draw useful analyses and improve the activity of companies and society. This is the ambition that has been driving the Digital Innovation Observatories of the Polytechnic University of Milan for 25 years, a reality without equality in Italy in terms of research linked to technological and digital evolution. The skilful use of a mix of methodologies (forecasting models, surveys, in-depth interviews, case studies, censuses) and the direct involvement of private, public and institutional players are the basis on which the project, founded in 1999, moves to investigate the present and attempt to predict future trends.

To find out more about the organisation, its various activities and its future, we met with Marta Valsecchi, Director of the Mobile B2C Strategy and Omnichannel Customer Experience Observatories, which are linked to the oldest University in Milan (POLIMI was founded in 1863).

In the last few months, you have celebrated your first 25 years of activity: how did the idea of creating an observatory come about?

In 1999, the first Observatory was the one on B2C e-commerce, which is still active, and it was created because, at that time, there was a lot of research on digital technology that gave too vague indications about the Italian market. The founders, Andrea Rangone, Umberto Bertelè, Alessandro Perego and Mariano Corso, who were professors at the Polytechnic University of Milan, Osservatori Politecnico, realised that the research was not very well grounded in facts and empirical reality. This is how the idea of the first Observatory was born, and many others have followed.

The initial objective was to combine academic models, since we are part of the University, with the ability to look concretely at the reality of the sector that we investigate in depth. This is why our symbol is an investigator’s lens.

What is your approach to research?

The model that characterises the observatories is to conduct open and inclusive research, creating spaces for discussion between companies and managers about the results we offer. These are independent spaces where even competing companies on the market meet because the aim is to exchange ideas to understand how to develop a certain market, also with a view to the sustainable and ethical development of digital innovation.

Another important asset is the longitudinal perspective because observatories are created to last over time, as is the case of the B2C e-commerce Observatory, which is still active after 25 years. A final element of our activity is dissemination, since the priority is to promote informed use of digital innovation, showing opportunities and risks, also and above all, facilitate the decision-making of companies and other partners that we involve according to the topic, such as research institutes, public administrations, individuals, institutions and politicians.

Today, there are 51 active observatories: what are the factors that determine the creation of an observatory?

The process is simple because we monitor the major trends and the main phenomena related to digital innovation. When we see a topic in which it is interesting to apply our research model, we evaluate the impacts, benefits, and potential of putting together a pool of companies to which we can direct our studies.

It’s not just about technology but also about areas subject to digital transformation, such as retail and healthcare, or the intersection of topics covered by different observatories, which can lead to other verticals. This is the case of the Internet of Things, which over time has led to the creation of observatories for Smart City and Connected Car.

Do you use Gen-AI tools for your research and analysis?

We are starting to use some solutions, but we don’t yet have standardised protocols because we want to understand how AI can enhance the work of our analysts and researchers. For about a year and a half, individual analysts have been experimenting with using tools in a more structured and complex way than just translations. AI can be a valuable support in some phases of the research process, but the role of the person and their expertise remains central.

Companies and institutions are your partners. What kind of initiatives and projects do you promote with them?

First of all, it must be said that companies pay to support our work. In 2024, more than 700 companies supported the activities of the Observatories. They are companies of all sizes, both those offering digital services and those using these solutions. To maintain our impartiality, we didn’t want a single company to finance us but a pool of companies because the aim is to provide them with significant elements that allow them to develop and grow in different markets. In addition to data and analysis to help them make informed decisions, the benefits for companies include the possibility of identifying new business opportunities or integrating certain solutions or digital innovations to improve their performance.

There have been many collaborative projects between companies that have arisen around our table, where they meet, form relationships and start partnerships. This is how many start-ups have been created. With the institutions, we try to provide data to support law decrees, as happened recently with data centres, so much so that we have been mentioned among the contributors to the law.

How does one become an analyst or researcher for one of your Observatories?

At the beginning we were mainly looking for management engineers, then we expanded and today we are almost 170 people, in addition to the teachers who give the roles of scientific guidance and direction, and we have an average age of 33, with 55%of the team made up of women. Being a university, the only way to be hired directly is through internships, which we organise to select the best graduates who are passionate about technology and digital innovation and who want to do research using our approach. Because they have to generate work that has an impact on companies and society, they have to be productive, curious and have a spirit of initiative, as well as knowing how to relate to a network of managers who are much more experienced than they are.

But that’s not all, because a strong critical spirit and excellent writing and summarising skills are also required, both written and oral, as we organise many events, so a certain quality is essential, since we represent a very prestigious university.

What does the future hold for the Osservatori Politecnico?

We are launching five new observatories, the first of which is the Centre for Digital Envisioning, organised as a centre of expertise that aims to develop skills in identifying future scenarios enabled by digital technologies. This means trying to use foresight logic to predict the main future trends or how current trends will evolve from a forward-looking perspective in order to understand the opportunities and risks in the medium- or long-term.

Then there is the European Digital Tech Watch: Advancing Knowledge in AI, Data, Cybersecurity and digital infrastructures for a more innovative Europe, which is our second international observatory for studying how these trends are evolving in Europe and comparing the digital maturity of ecosystems in the various central countries on the continent. The aim is to try to create a network of companies and institutions with which to exchange ideas. Moving from the Italian to the European level is our challenge for the coming years.

Another observatory that is about to be launched is Silver Economy & Active Ageing, which is dedicated to the over 65s to understand what opportunities there are to improve the well-being and quality of life of older people through digital innovation.

Similar in concept is the Digital & Kids Observatory, focused on Gen Alpha, who are digital natives and have huge opportunities but also great risks ahead of them. Finally, there is the Robotics Observatory, which investigates the evolution of the industrial sector and service robotics, combining technology and business opportunities.