Author:

Keywords:

decision making, design theory, epistemology, user participation, universal design, inclusive design, design for all, justice, Science & Technology, Technology, Engineering, Multidisciplinary, Engineering, Manufacturing, Engineering, INCLUSIVE DESIGN, ARCHITECTURE, 0806 Information Systems, 1201 Architecture, 1203 Design Practice and Management, Design Practice & Management, 3301 Architecture, 3303 Design

Abstract:

Inclusive design prescribes addressing the needs of the widest possible audience in order to consider human differences. Taking differences seriously, however, may imply severely restricting “the widest possible audience”. In confronting this paradox, we investigate to what extent Rawls’ theory of justice as fairness applies to design. By converting the paradox into the question of how design can be fair, we show that the demand for equitability shifts from the design output to the design process. We conclude that the two main questions about justice find application in design: the question about the standards of justice and the question about its metrics. We endorse a Rawlsian approach to the former, while some revision may be due regarding the latter.