We put people and sustainability at the centre, proposing accessible and comfortable solutions for everyone.
The Design for All process is at the heart of our approach to design. Developed to address the challenges of human diversity, it aims to achieve inclusion, accessibility and equality through innovative design solutions. It is the foundation on which we develop projects designed around everyone’s needs, while making the most of the business opportunities for our clients.
We describe our process through four activities: listening, understanding, design and testing. Co-Design and dialogue with people run throughout: testing can bring out new needs and take us back to earlier decisions at any stage of the project.
In the Design for All process, experts, users and stakeholders take an active part in every phase, through an iterative dialogue that refines ideas and solutions, drawing on skills and experience to reach shared results.
The process at a glance
Four phases and a constant return to people. Choose a phase to jump to it, or scroll down to read them in order.
Diagram of the process: listening, understanding, design and testing. Testing leads back to listening: this is Co-Design, an ongoing dialogue with people. At the end, the dots – the people – come together to form the ring of the project.
We test solutions with people and against the needs identified, refining our design choices.
The phases of the process
Before the process: Design for All Tuning
Designed to introduce organisations, public bodies and companies to the fundamentals of Design for All. Although optional, this phase is essential for building a shared understanding of the approach, the process and the results expected at each stage. The aim is to establish a basic knowledge of inclusion and provide the tools to interpret correctly the results produced along the way.
Key features
It is a preparatory, educational phase.
It provides theoretical and practical foundations to orient participants towards Design for All.
It is based on lectures and real case studies, and workshops can also be organised.
Working tools
Lectures on the Design for All approach and its benefits.
Presentation of good practice and successful cases in similar contexts.
Digital and printed training material to support learning.
Real examples to illustrate the concrete impact of the approach.
Phase 1 of 4Listen
Gathering needs
We gather and analyse the needs of users, stakeholders and the context. Through tailored Co-Design activities we identify problems and opportunities, creating a solid basis for developing the project. The direct involvement of users is central to ensuring that the solutions are grounded in real, shared needs.
Working tools
Co-Design workshopsTailored to the context and the specific project.
Field observationTo identify problems on site, where things are actually used.
SWOT analysisTo assess strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.
Interviews and focus groupsHeld when they help us understand needs, discuss hypotheses and check results with people.
Outputs
A detailed list of the needs gathered from workshops and observation, grouped by area and category.
A visual map of opportunities and problems.
Outcomes
An in-depth understanding of the needs of the target audience and stakeholders.
Design priorities identified and guided by a shared vision.
This phase is devoted to researching and exploring in depth the topics raised during listening. The aim is to gain a full understanding of the needs expressed, by analysing the data gathered and consolidating the information. It lays solid foundations for defining the system or project requirements.
We then define the system and project requirements: the characteristics and limits the project must respect. The requirements are based on the needs that have emerged and take careful account of the fixed constraints set by the client. This step is crucial to ensure that every design solution is concrete, feasible and aligned with the objectives.
Tools for understanding
Analysis and synthesis of the data gathered, grouped by area.
Maps of needs and of the relationships between people, contexts and constraints.
Research into standards, references and comparable cases.
Tools for requirements
Drafting the requirements documentA technical and strategic guide covering design features, constraints and objectives.
Validation sessions with stakeholdersWhere appropriate, a review with stakeholders to confirm that the requirements meet all the needs and respect the defined constraints.
Requirements/objectives matrixTo check consistency between the requirements and the expected results.
Outcomes
Design clarity: a precise direction for developing the project.
Strategic alignment: between the client’s needs and the design solutions.
A solid basis for the next phase: the requirements guide Co-Design and prototyping.
The heart of the design process, where ideas take shape after the long work of analysis and defining requirements. This phase is a crucial moment for translating the results of the earlier phases into tangible, innovative solutions that respond to the needs that have emerged.
During this phase, design concepts are developed with great care, taking into account the established requirements, the project’s fixed constraints and its technical and regulatory constraints. It is not just a matter of generating ideas, but of turning them into concrete proposals that are functional, feasible and aligned with the strategic objectives, so that they respond to the needs of human diversity.
To make the most of each concept, we put it through an iterative validation process with end users, stakeholders and the client. This constant dialogue allows us to refine the solutions, checking that they meet the expectations of everyone involved and respect the project’s constraints.
The project then takes its final form: the validated concept is developed into a detailed, feasible solution, through in-depth work that considers every technical, functional and practical aspect.
The team works to refine the project to the highest level of technical detail, ensuring that all specifications are met. At the same time, thorough usability and functionality tests are carried out with users and stakeholders to confirm that the solution is effective and inclusive and fully meets the design requirements.
This phase is not only operational but also strategic: the final result must be aligned with the client’s objectives and fit fully into the context of use. Every element of the project is checked and optimised to deliver a product or system that is ready for implementation and able to generate real value.
Working tools
Concept developmentTranslating requirements into design solutions through sketches, models and simulations.
Low-fidelity prototypesCreating preliminary models to represent ideas and test their validity.
Detailed technical developmentPreparing technical and production specifications.
We test solutions with people and against the needs identified, refining our design choices. Testing does not come only at the end: it accompanies the concepts, the prototypes and the final solution, and sends the project back a step whenever needed.
Working tools
Validation sessionsInvolving users, stakeholders and the client to gather feedback and check that the concepts match expectations.
Concept/requirements matrixA tool to ensure that every proposal meets the established requirements.
Advanced prototypingCreating realistic models to test solutions in real contexts of use.
Usability and functionality testsEvaluation with real users to check ease of use, effectiveness and accessibility.
Iterative reviewOptimising the project on the basis of test results and stakeholder feedback.
Outcomes
Solutions tried out with the people who will use them.
An ecosystem of expertise for the most complex challenges
In every project, and even more so in the most complex challenges, our strength lies in broadening the perspective through the contribution of a wide group of experts. We work with Design for All Italia (opens in a new tab), of which Francesco Rodighiero is President, and with EIDD – Design for All (opens in a new tab), whose international networks offer a unique perspective on inclusion. The dialogue is enriched by the involvement of universities and their research groups, experienced in analysing and solving new questions.
This combination of disciplines does more than meet immediate needs: it explores little-charted areas of design and raises questions that have often never been asked before. The result is new answers that raise the quality and inclusiveness of the project.
