designing from the edges

design is never neutral. every choice we make as designers has the power to include or exclude. that’s not just a technical quality — it’s a moral one. inclusivity isn’t just a constraint; it’s an opportunity to create better outcomes for everyone. when we treat edge cases as the starting point, rather than something to sort out later, we start designing for reality.

that’s the philosophy of the amazing sara hendren, who beautifully encourages us to “design for the edges.” in her view, disability isn’t a problem to solve — it’s a natural part of being human. the design process should reflect that.

a lot of designers treat accessibility as a limit on their creativity, when the truth is, it’s their mindset that’s limited. heck, it’s their very creativity that’s limited. starting at the edge opens things up. when you design from those conditions, everything within that space becomes fair game. it’s expansive, not restrictive.

take something as purely functional as a water bottle — like the stanley quencher — and watch what happens when design gets involved. it’s just a cup with a lid and a handle, but add some color and thoughtful marketing, and suddenly it’s got presence. color, shape, texture, branding — all of it transforms a utilitarian object into something people want to carry, show off, and make part of their daily routines. design turned “necessary” into “desirable” for a water bottle — so why not for a wheelchair, a website, or everything else?

when we lead with inclusive design, we’re not just helping people with specific needs — we’re helping everyone. usability is about how easily a person can achieve their goal with a product or service. inclusive design increases usability for more people. that’s not a side benefit. that’s the main benefit. and it starts with respect for the full range of human experience.

sara hendren talks about designing the world for everyone

what bad doors taught us about design

you ever walk up to a door, push it when you’re supposed to pull, and feel like an idiot? same. don’t worry, it’s not our fault, it’s the design.

this vox piece on don norman, the guy who literally wrote the book on bad design, shows how his work is why we even talk about “user-centered design” today. norman noticed that things as simple as doors can be confusing when they’re designed without real people in mind. like, if you need a sign that says “push” or “pull,” the design has already failed.

Why even simple things like doors can be frustrating, and what that reveals about design.

and it’s not just doors. it’s everything: ovens, microwaves, medical devices, apps, websites. so many things are more complicated than they ought to be. anything that’s built for people should be built around people. norman calls it “human-centered design.” that means starting with what people need, not what tech can do.

norman connects good design with ethics. it’s not just about smooth buttons and minimalism. it’s about dignity. if a system confuses, frustrates, or excludes people, it’s broken. it doesn’t matter how “smart” it is.

this vox story about norman’s brilliant book the design of everyday things really hits home. i’m studying computer science, but also trying to build things that actually help people. norman’s approach reminds me to pause and ask: who’s this for? what are they trying to do? are we making it easier or harder?

so yeah. next time a door fights back, blame the designer—not yourself. and if you’re designing something, make it for humans, not engineers. don norman didn’t just critique the world. he gave us a blueprint to fix it. and honestly? that’s the kind of work i want to do.