Designing for All: Understanding Consumer Response to Inclusive Design

Inclusive design is design that considers the needs and capabilities of the whole population (Johnson et al. 2010) based on the assumption
that by considering the full diversity of users a better product will result. We will present a novel conceptualization of inclusive design in which design affords different degrees of inclusion (Gidley et al. 2010), with the most inclusion being the ultimate goal. The three levels of inclusive design are (1) Accessibility i.e., equitable access and the most basic level of inclusion, (2) Engaged Participation i.e., community engagement and partnerships, and, (3) Empowered Success i.e., the highest level of inclusion, based on empowerment, embracing cultural transformation, and upholding the moral responsibility of recognizing and valuing diversity. Drawing on appraisal theory, we hypothesize that the different levels of inclusive design can result in different cognitive appraisals, and, consequently different affective and moral consumer responses. The research will aim to empirically test this model to demonstrate the transformative potential of product design when it not merely accommodates non-mainstream consumers, but when it allows them to thrive.