The Universal Design (UD) and Inclusive Design (ID) movements originated in developed regions and are currently promulgated largely by the UK, the US, the Nordic countries and Japan: each has evolved its distinctive cultural agenda and each its particular achievements. However, under-developed or developing regions, containing the majority of the world’s population, have had a very low profile in most UD/ID forums and the discussion of their particular issues and challenges has been largely absent. What are the issues and priorities as perceived by developing regions? Do developed world UD/ID models and approaches fit with these? Would the wider use of people-centred inclusive design approaches be useful to help stimulate social innovation and development in these regions? The author explores these questions through the discussion of a UD/ID course designed for masters level management students from a broad range of developing regions. He discusses the importance of utilising design thinking, with its people-centred approaches, methods and processes to optimise resourcefulness, to harness innate skills, to develop better self-reliance and to empower non-designers particularly business, development and healthcare management graduates, with some of the essential skills required for social innovation in developing regions.

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