MATHIEU AGUESSE is an award-winning lecturer at UC Berkeley and MIT, where his groundbreaking courses on Inclusive and Equitable Design have inspired the next generation of leaders and innovators. As a global expert, Mathieu has worked across continents, partnering with hundreds of companies to shape strategies and products that drive sustainability, inclusivity, and societal impact. Renowned for his ability to bridge corporate strategy with pressing global challenges, he has developed multiple design frameworks that leverage Design as a powerful tool to tackle the most urgent issues of our time. He started a company in Silicon Valley in 2018 and as the CEO of Schoolab his work continues to redefine how businesses and institutions can create a more inclusive and equitable world.

Introduction xxi

Chapter 1 The Fundamentals of Inclusive Design 1

Understanding Inclusivity in Design 2

Solutions Lie with the Problem Creators 3

We All Have the Ability to Make a Difference 4

The Power of Design and Intention 7

The Importance of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion 9

The Immediate Benefits of DEI for Organizations 12

Broadening the Audience 15

Mitigating Reputational Risks 16

Enhancing Business Resilience 17

Creating a Competitive Advantage in the Market 17

The Long-Term Risks of Growing Inequality: A Path to Societal Collapse 18

Historical Lessons on Inequality and Collapse 18

The Fall of the Roman Empire 19

The French Revolution (1789- 1799) 19

The Arab Spring (2010- 2012) 19

The Importance of Addressing Inequality to Prevent Societal Collapse in the Context of Climate Change 20

Why Design? 21

The Foundational Role of Design in Tackling DEI Challenges 21

Design as the Beginning of All Creation 22

The Pervasiveness of Design 22

The Storytelling Power of Design 22

Systems Thinking 23

Multidisciplinary Integration 24

Creating Meaningful Change Through Design 26

The Ripple Effect of Intentional Design 26

Design as a Personal and Professional Tool 26

The Collaborative Nature of Design 27

Simplification and Systemic Challenges 27

Restless Testing and Feedback Integration 27

Diversity of Perspective 28

Creating Safe and Inclusive Spaces 28

Historical Context and Evolution of Inclusive Design 29

Early Beginnings: Universal Design 29

The Disability Rights Movement 30

Design for All in Europe 31

Technological Advancements and Digital Inclusion 32

Human-Centered Design 32

Modern Inclusive Design 33

Notes 33

Chapter 2 The Inclusive Design Mindset 37

Developing an Inclusive Lens in Everyday Life 38

Understanding Your Role as a Citizen and a Consumer 39

Justice and Liberty for All 39

Vote with Your Wallet 40

Mastering Essential DEI Concepts 42

Embracing Diversity's Full Spectrum 44

Transcending Politics: Equality and Inclusive Design 47

Understanding Equality Through Wealth Distribution 48

Inclusive and Equitable Design Beyond Politics 49

A Universal Aspiration and a Strategic Imperative 50

Overcoming Bias Through Design 51

The Implicit Bias in Generative AI: A Personal Exploration 51

Understanding Bias: A Double-Edged Sword 56

The Nature and Function of Biases 57

The Benefits of Biases 57

The Pitfalls of Biases 58

Experiments Highlighting Biases 58

Biases in Action: The Four-Cards Exercise 59

Addressing Biases for Greater Inclusion 60

Conclusion 61

Beyond Empathy-The Role of Vulnerability 61

The Power of Vulnerability to Accelerate Transitions 61

Overcoming the Pressure of "What Will People Think?" 63

Vulnerability in Leadership 63

Vulnerability and Resilience 64

A New Norm to Embrace 64

A Common Ground for Generations 64

Conclusion 65

Chapter 3 The Importance of Creating a New Narrative for Our Society 65

The Need for a New Narrative 66

Redefining Success: A Personal Journey Toward a New Narrative 67

Promoting Visibility of Diversity in Influential Media 68

Conclusion 69

Notes 70

Systempathy-or How to Empathize with People and the System They Live In 71

From Intention to Impact: The Systemic Approach to Inclusive Design 72

Systemic Thinking: The Foundation of Inclusive Design 72

The Inclusive Benefit Matrix 74

Universal Design 76

Personalized Design 77

Reducing Disadvantage 78

Empowering Communities 79

Connecting the Dots: The Systemic Impact of Inclusive Design 79

Defining the Problem: The Foundation of Successful Design 80

The Role of Empathy in Inclusive Design 81

Understanding Empathy in Design 81

The Broader Impact of Empathy 83

Essential Tools for Assessing Needs and Challenges 83

Anthropology and Ethnography in Design 84

Be an Investigator, Not a Judge 85

Inclusive Design and the Power of Status 89

The Weight of the Past in Inclusive and Equitable Design 91

Avoiding Stigmatization in Inclusive Design 95

Notes 97

Chapter 4 Strategies to Craft More Equitable Solutions 99

Shifting Perspectives: Reframing to Find Hidden Solutions 100

From Pills to Pots: A Case of Problem Reframing in Design 100

Framing the Challenge Helps Reduce Biases 102

Scaling Perspectives: The Ladder Exercise for Creative Problem Solving 103

From Milkshakes to Remittances: Applying "Jobs to Be Done" in Design 106

Being Creative-A Pragmatic Exercise 109

Finding Solutions in Plain Sight: A Side-Step Approach to Inclusion 109

Borrowing the Best: How Cross-Industry Solutions Elevate Inclusive Design 112

Four Ways to Make a Difference-The Solution Matrix 115

Courageous Conversations: Unlocking Equity in Design and Innovation 117

Uncomfortable Conversation with an Equitable Designer 117

Brave Conversations for Lasting Change: A Partnership to Empower Black Founders 119

Breaking Taboos: Navigating Sensitive Conversations in FemTech Data Security 121

Notes 123

Chapter 5 Inclusive Design in Digital and Physical Spaces 125

Think Beyond the Product, Look at the Experience 126

Designing for True Inclusion: Addressing Every Touchpoint to Build Equitable Experiences 127

Rethinking Shampoo: How Sensory Design Can Break Barriers and Promote Inclusivity 130

Inclusive by Design: Starting from the Beginning 131

Breaking Barriers: How Thoughtful Onboarding and Distribution Create More Inclusive Access 134

The Power of Interfaces: Connecting People Through Thoughtful Design 135

Empowering Communities: How Companies Can Redefine Their Role in Society 138

Putting Your Product's Strength at the Service of a Cause 138

Leveraging Strengths for Greater Impact: The Writing Assistant and Team Collaboration Platform Projects 140

Finding Places to Share the Power to Uplift Underserved Communities 141

Introducing Technology at the Same Pace to Avoid Deepening the Gap 142

Equitable Deployment of Technology: The Electric School Bus Project 144

Bridging the Digital Divide for Small Businesses: The Virtual Assistant Project 145

Transforming Technology: The Essential Role of Hardware and Software in Inclusive Design 146

Objective: Designing for Cognitive Inclusion 147

Bridging the Digital Divide: Integrating Hardware and Software for Inclusive Innovation 148

The Challenge: Accessibility Beyond the Screen 149

The Solution: Integrating Hardware and Software for Inclusive Design 149

The Importance of Ecosystems in Inclusive Innovation 150

Notes 150

Chapter 6 Designing for, with, and by Communities 151

Community Engagement in All Degrees 152

Engaging with Communities: A Powerful Starting Point 154

Three Levels of Community Engagement in Design 156

Designing for Communities 156

Designing with Communities 158

Designing by Communities 159

Different Paths to Inclusion: Stories of Designing for, with, and by Communities 160

Designing for Communities: The World-Renowned OXO Peeler 160

Designing with Communities: A Neurodiverse-Friendly Productivity Suite 161

Designing by Communities: Empowering Small Business Owners 163

Bringing Voices to the Table: The Power and Challenges of True Representation 164

Demystifying Community Outreach: Embracing Vulnerability to Build Trust 166

The Prototyping Strategy: Making Every Moment Count 167

Seeing Through Their Eyes: Using Photo-Elicitation for Deeper Community Insight 169

From Overlooked Details to Design Inspiration: Immersing in User Realities 170

Accessing Inaccessible Communities 172

Ask Local Experts 173

Leverage Netnography to Uncover Unique Insights 173

Explore Analogous Situations 174

Try to Create a Living Lab 174

Ethical Considerations and Power Dynamics in Equitable Design 175

Transparency and Building Trust 175

Inclusion Beyond the Loudest Voices 177

Ethical Compensation Without Creating Imbalances 177

Bridging Cultural and Social Gaps 178

Shared Ownership and Empowerment 178

Notes 179

Chapter 7 Implementing Inclusive Solutions and the Business Cases Behind Them 181

Business Cases: Four Ways to Make the Investment Count 182

Product Inclusion as a Growth Driver 182

From Corporations to SMEs: Expanding Reach with Scalable Solutions 183

Inclusive Banking: Expanding Reach and Revenue Through Better Design 183

Strengthening Customer Loyalty Through Inclusive Branding 185

Expanding Social Media Reach with Inclusive Features 186

Expanding the Pool of Partners, Talent, and Stakeholders 188

Leveling the Playing Field for Startup Success 188

Unlocking Workforce Potential Through Inclusive Job Design 189

Rethinking Recruitment: Expanding Talent Pools for Growth 190

Redefining Industry Standards to Stand Out 191

Setting the Benchmark for Seamless Authentication 192

Making Accessibility Mainstream: Panasonic's Industry-Leading Approach 194

Beyond Syntax: Redefining Writing Tools for Inclusive Impact 195

Breaking the Mold: A New Approach to Streamlined Content Selection 196