ABSTRACT
Socially inclusive approaches are an increasingly important part of twenty-fi rst-century design. These have developed over recent decades to gain prominence with designers, in education, the public sector, and in business ( Clarkson and Coleman 2015 ). Whether termed community-driven, empathic, participatory, or people-centered, these practices play a leadership role in addressing pressing social concerns, from digital exclusion or personal health, to major global challenges around human rights and inclusion ( Eikhaug 2009: 158 ). This is vital in moving design practice and praxis toward a standpoint that includes people’s needs, aspirations, and perspectives as a foundational part of the creative process. Importantly, these approaches talk to the positive social attitude that is particularly prevalent in a new generation of practitioners, observed over the course of twenty years of teaching international design students.
