Guiding Principles for Inclusive Design Values

A practical, values-driven guide to inclusive design.

How can designers meaningfully contribute to a more just and equitable world? Guiding Principles for Inclusive Design Values answers this question with clarity, urgency, and actionable guidance. Structured around the six official commitments of the AIGA Design Educators Community Value Design Education Pledge, this book offers designers and educators a thoughtful framework for integrating inclusion, equity, and justice into every stage of their creative process.

Each chapter centers on one of the six core values—anti-racism, historical awareness, knowledge-sharing, impact, community, and wellbeing—and features contributors from across the design world. These diverse voices share tools, real-world case studies, and provocative prompts that invite reflection and inspire action. This book is a hands-on resource for individual creatives, design educators, and teams who want to align their design practice with their values.

Inside, readers will find:

• Six chapters based on AIGA’s official values commitments, each offering actionable insights
• Contributions from respected designers and educators, each bringing a unique perspective and experience
• Case studies and real-world applications that show inclusive design in action
• Guidance for teams and studios looking to integrate values into hiring, collaboration, and client work
• A practical framework for inclusive creativity, rooted in the real challenges of contemporary design

Perfect for designers at any career stage, Inclusive Design Values is a call to rethink how and why we create. It’s a must-have for anyone committed to using design as a force for change.

Anne H. Berry is a writer, designer, and the director of the School of Design at the University of Illinois Chicago. Her research focuses on race/representation and educational pedagogy in the field of design, and her published writing includes “The Virtual Design Classroom” for Communication Arts magazine, “The Black Designer’s Identity” for the inaugural issue of the Recognize anthology featuring commentary from Indigenous people and people of color. She has also partnered with faculty across disciplines on grant-funded Internet of Things Collaborative projects, including the development of user experience design + augmented reality curriculum emphasizing communities and local history. She is a managing editor of one of Fast Company’s “Best Design Books of 2022,” The Black Experience in Design: Identity, Expression, and Reflection, an award-winning anthology spotlighting teaching practices, research, stories, and conversations from a Black/African diasporic lens. Berry served as a board member for the Cleveland chapter of AIGA as Student Development Chair, Diversity & Inclusion Task Force Co-Chair, and President.

Meaghan A. Dee is both a practicing designer and educator. She is an associate professor and chair of Graphic Design as well as a senior fellow at the Institute of Creativity, Arts, and Technology at Virginia Tech. Meaghan also serves as a docent emeritus for the Letterform Archive in San Francisco. She served for six years (two as co-chair) on the AIGA Design Educators Community (AIGA DEC) Executive Board. Before academia, Meaghan worked as a designer for the Architecture and Design firm, Marnell Companies. Meaghan received the National Award for Outstanding Professional Achievement in Graphic Design by SECAC and was recognized as the Joan C. Edwards Distinguished Professor in the Arts by Marshall University. 

Rebecca Tegtmeyer is a graphic design educator and practitioner. Through her active research, writing, making, and teaching agendas, she investigates the role of a designer and the creative process through a variety of forms. Working both individually and collaboratively, she approaches design as a catalyst in facilitating systems that challenge and inspire—further extending the capabilities and responsibilities of a designer in today’s complex world. Current collaborative research projects focus on prioritizing the student experience and strengthening the values of design education. Rebecca is an associate professor in the Department of Art, Art History, and Design at Michigan State University. She teaches undergraduates and graduates in the areas of interaction design, motion design, typography, user experience, and branding design. She is an active contributor to both the BFA in Graphic Design curriculum and the BA in Experience Architecture degree programs, and recently served as the associate chairperson of the department.