By Kat Holmes

Sometimes designed objects reject their users: a computer mouse that doesn't work for left-handed people, or a touchscreen payment system that only works for people who have 20/20 vision. Something as simple as color choices can render a product unusable for millions. In Mismatch, Kat Holmes describes how design can lead to exclusion, and how design can also remedy exclusion. Inclusive design methods—designing objects with rather than for excluded users—can create elegant solutions that work well and benefit all.

Holmes tells stories of pioneers of inclusive design, many of whom were drawn to work on inclusion because of their own experiences of exclusion. 

Designing for inclusion is not a feel-good sideline; inclusion can be a source of innovation and growth, especially for digital technologies. It can be a catalyst for creativity and a boost for the bottom line as a customer base expands. And each time a mismatched interaction is remedied, an opportunity is created for more people to contribute to society in meaningful ways.

With a foreword by John Maeda

Published by MIT Press, 2020

Softcover, 176 pages, b&w, 5.4 × 8 inches

ISBN:  978-0-26-253948-7