Abstract

While Human-Centred Design is by the time considered a consolidated design methodology, emerging social inclusion-oriented theories need to be more comprehended in order to understand their potential applications in the development of new design solutions. This sort of discrepancy often generates contradictory phenomena: solutions developed using such approaches cannot be considered, at the same time, fully human-centred and social inclusion-oriented. The purpose of this article is to describe a new comprehensive tool, conceived both for designers and researchers, able to develop human-centred and social inclusion-oriented design strategies and guidelines. The tool, which is called ‘HSDT’ (Human-Social Design Tool), is an easy-to-use methodological instrument useful to identify focused results oriented toward Human-Centred Design and Social Inclusion. Using logical sequences, it allows to develop new conceptual definitions for both design and non-design subjects into new human-centred and social inclusion-oriented records. Theoretical foundations, methodological approaches, development stages and applications in design and non-design areas are presented and discussed to demonstrate real benefits resulting from the introduction of a new type of interdisciplinary tool and, later, the opportunity for designers and researchers to adopt new problem-solving approaches to bridging the gaps within Design literature.