Inclusive Design - Valuing Difference, Recognizing Complexity: Introduction

Inclusive design demands a change in mindset. The theory and practice of inclusive design contest the assumptions regarding such fundamental concepts as success, evidence, value, truth, expertise, intelligence, completion, quality, scaling, prosperity, benefit, planning, and consistency and their associated conventions that lead to vicious cycles of disparity and inequity. Current society’s assumed notions reduce diversity and deny complexity. This chapter outlines the theory and practice of the Canadian school of inclusive design, the assumptions that must be unlearned, and the guiding values that act as a generative framework. How this school of practice is situated within complementary fields is described. The chapter also provides an overview of the chapters within this section.