ABSTRACT

This narrative chapter discusses how unintentionally exclusionary designs manifest in our daily lives and the profound impact such designs have on people. Intentionally unpleasant and hostile designs push individuals away from a space. In contrast, unintentionally exclusionary designs exclude people by neglecting features that are beneficial or necessary to a marginalized group. The author examines compelling examples related to gender-neutral restrooms and movie captioning. The author argues that we must learn how to identify exclusionary designs, actively engage with marginalized communities during design, and enhance inclusive decision-making early in the design process.