ABSTRACT
Inclusive design is not a new design genre or fashion, it is a logical response to changing social realities and an approach to design that places the user at the heart of the design process. Inclusive design can be seen as a response to the shortcomings of design for mass production, in particular in the second half of the 20th century. In that era of rapid economic expansion, architects, and professional designers working on product and service development tended to treat people as 'universal types' rather than individuals. With inclusive design management there is no reason why such special and multifunctional add-ons and range extensions should not be developed to maximise the number of potential users. Inclusive design offers commercial advantage at each stage of the business cycle, by adding insight and user understanding to market positioning, helping to prioritise and focus sales and exploitation strategy, inspiring innovation and development processes, and validating and evaluating the product offer.
