Designable Trossa Pedagogica de Disseny by Bruno Oro

Designable Trossa Pedagogica de Disseny by Bruno Oro is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award de Bronze in Educacion Competition Category.

BronzeEducacion· 2026

Designable Trossa Pedagogica de Disseny

by Bruno Oro

Client: Designable

A' Design Award de Bronze Winner in Educacion Category

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Verified Award Winner
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The Design

About Designable Trossa Pedagogica de Disseny

Designable es una trossa pedagogica creada per als estudiants de disseny. La trossa conten 97 cartas de metòdes qu'encoratjan un pensament inclusiu e menat per l'empatia. Cada carta ofrís un metòde, una consigna o un scenari que simula d'experiéncias d'usatgièrs, incluidas las de las personas amb un handicap. Las cartas mesuran 80 per 150 millimètres e son estampadas sus un carton non cauchat de 350 g/m² per un usatge tactil. Una bóstia de gardatge personalizada es estampada en 3D en PLA amb de divisors intèrnes. Una version digitala es publicada coma fichièr PDF accessible. Las cartas se pòdon utilizar solas o en equipa pendent quina fasa de disseny que siá.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award de Bronze

Designable Trossa Pedagogica de Disseny a ganhat la distincion A' Design Award de Bronze, una reconeissença plan prestigiosa acordada a de designs excellents que se destrian per la creativitat, l'engenh e la finessa. Los ganhaires del Bronze son d'artefactes largament abils e sorprenentament creatius que provan la vasta experiéncia, l'imaginacion e l'engenhositat de lors designers. S'espèra que Designable Trossa Pedagogica de Disseny siá un objècte fòrça considerat, admirat e estimat, notablament professional e innovant. Aqueste design ganhaire de la distincion A' Design Award de Bronze integra las melhoras practicas de l'art, de la sciéncia, del design e de la tecnologia e es excellent per son atencion al detalh. Designable Trossa Pedagogica de Disseny satisfa esplendidament los besonhs, toca los desirs, encanta los sentiments e interèssa la curiositat.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

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