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Nonclusive by Design #1

Design beyond "us" and "them"

Design is powerful. It shapes how we move, connect, and participate. Too often, it silently follows norms that exclude, creating experiences of "us" and "them".

Nonclusive by Design — Edition #1 cover image.

Hi there! 👋 I’m Per-Olof Hedvall, a researcher, teacher, and writer exploring how design can transform society. With Nonclusive by Design, I want to contribute to the ongoing conversation about how we can create environments, products, and systems that respect human differences — without reducing people to categories. If you would like more articles like this and join the conversation, click the “subscribe” button above.

Why this newsletter?

Design is powerful. It shapes how we move, connect, and participate. Too often, it silently follows norms that exclude, creating experiences of “us” and “them”.

Here, I will:

  • Explore new perspectives on accessibility, usability, and universal design
  • Share concrete examples and material on dignity, diversity, and design
  • Reflect on personal experiences and situations that make these issues real

A few reasons why I’m doing this:

  • To experiment with new ways to write and make a few friends along the way.
  • To learn with others in public as I continue to explore how to work as an academic.
  • To talk about our research from a more personal perspective, grounded in my own lived experiences.

My goal: keep it short, sharp, and useful.

First insight: Nonclusion ≠ Inclusion

“Inclusion” sounds good — but it assumes someone is already outside [1].

Nonclusion takes a different stance: it’s about designing so that there is no predefined “outside” to begin with [2] — no gatekeeping, no categories to conform with, no invitation required.

Your turn

Do you have any examples of design that is or isn’t based on “us” and “them”? It can be a policy text, a sign, a website, a built environment, or something else. Comment here or send me a DM — I’d love to hear from you.

Sounds good? Then hit “Subscribe”. Welcome!

References

  1. Hedvall, P.-O., & Ericsson, S. (2024). The Problem with “Inclusion”? It Is Done to Someone by Someone. In Universal Design 2024: Shaping a Sustainable, Equitable and Resilient Future for All (pp. 18–25). IOS Press. https://doi.org/10.3233/SHTI240978
  2. Hedvall, P.-O., Price, M., Keller, J., & Ericsson, S. (2022). Towards 3rd Generation Universal Design: Exploring Nonclusive Design. Transforming Our World through Universal Design for Human Development, 85–92. https://doi.org/10.3233/SHTI220824