Bronce Educación · 2026
Designable Kit de Ferramentas para a Educación en Deseño
by Bruno Oro
- A' Design Award de Bronce 2026 in Educación
- CLIENT: Designable
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 7,193
- Verification code 3C3A70A969 · Verify this award
Colors
About Designable Kit de Ferramentas para a Educación en Deseño
Designable é un kit de ferramentas educativo creado para estudantes de deseño. O kit contén 97 tarxetas de métodos que fomentan un pensamento inclusivo e orientado pola empatía. Cada tarxeta ofrece un método, unha proposta ou un escenario que simula experiencias de usuario, incluídas as de persoas con discapacidade. As tarxetas miden 80 por 150 milímetros e están impresas en cartolina non estucada de 350 g/m² para un uso táctil. Unha caixa de almacenamento personalizada está impresa en 3D en PLA con divisores internos. Publícase unha versión dixital como ficheiro PDF accesible. As tarxetas poden usarse individualmente ou en equipo durante calquera fase do deseño.
About the A' Design Award de Bronce
Designable Kit de Ferramentas para a Educación en Deseño gañou o A' Design Award de Bronce, un recoñecemento altamente prestixioso outorgado a deseños sobresaíntes que se distinguen pola creatividade, o enxeño e a sagacidade. Os gañadores Bronce son artefactos amplamente hábiles e sorprendentemente creativos que autentican a vasta experiencia, imaxinación e enxeño dos seus deseñadores. Espérase que Designable Kit de Ferramentas para a Educación en Deseño sexa un obxecto moi apreciado, admirado e querido, notablemente profesional e innovador. Este deseño gañador do A' Design Award de Bronce incorpora as mellores prácticas da arte, a ciencia, o deseño e a tecnoloxía, e é excelente pola súa atención ao detalle. Designable Kit de Ferramentas para a Educación en Deseño satisfai espléndidamente as necesidades, toca os desexos, encanta os sentimentos e atrae a curiosidade.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- An educational toolkit composed of 97 method cards designed to foster inclusive, empathy-driven thinking in design students. The cards simulate user experiences, particularly of people with disabilities, guiding reflection and design decisions. Developed with healthcare and industry partners, the toolkit uniquely bridges participatory research, pedagogy, and inclusive design methodology.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Each card measures 80 mm (width) × 150 mm (height) × 3 mm (thickness), printed on 350gsm uncoated cardstock for durability and tactile usability. The full set of 96 cards is housed in a custom storage box 3D-printed in PLA with internal dividers for organization.
- Tags
- Inclusive Design, Empathy Methods, Design Education, Participatory Design, Design Toolkit, Accessibility, User-Centered Design, Disability Inclusion, Universal Design, Educational Tools
- Production Technology
- The toolkit was developed through iterative design methods including stakeholder interviews, co-design workshops, and classroom testing. Visual assets were created using Figma, Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign. Prototypes were printed on 350gsm uncoated cardstock for tactile usability. Digital versions were published as accessible PDFs to ensure open access and scalability.
- Design Challenge
- The greatest challenge was translating complex, real-world experiences of disability into accessible, reflective tools without oversimplifying or stereotyping. Balancing academic rigor, ethical sensitivity, and design clarity required extensive iteration. Time and resource limits also delayed planned app development and animations, despite strong interest and visual readiness.
- Research
- This design-led research aimed to embed inclusive thinking in design education. Using mixed methods, we developed and tested 97 empathy method cards through classroom pilots. Data was collected via student surveys and reflections. Participants were undergraduate design students working with real-world partners. Results showed increased empathy, design confidence, and awareness of user diversity, impacting how students approach inclusive design in practice.
- Inspiration
- This project was inspired by the need to address the lack of empathy and inclusive thinking in early design education. Drawing from research in participatory design, disability studies, and inclusive pedagogy, the toolkit was developed to help students engage with marginalized users’ experiences and design more responsibly. Collaborations with healthcare providers and industry partners further shaped its practical and ethical foundations.
- Project Duration
- The project began in January 2024 and was completed in December 2024 at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, United States. It was developed as part of an academic research initiative focused on inclusive design and was piloted in studio-based courses in collaboration with external partners. The project was later disseminated through academic presentations and open-access publication.
- Operation Flow
- Users select cards based on project needs or curiosity, each offering a method, prompt, or scenario that encourages reflection and inclusive thinking. Cards can be used individually or in teams during different design phases. Their tactile format invites physical engagement, while the digital version supports easy access. The structured yet flexible flow helps users uncover blind spots and design with greater empathy and awareness.
- Image Credits
- Bruno Oro, Subinay Malhotra
