At the World Usability Congress, I attended the talk “When Responsibility Meets Reality: Strategies for Making Inclusive Design Happen” by Nina Hundhausen. The talk explored an issue that feels very relevant. It’s not only a think in designing products but also in how we design experiences, visuals, and even conversations around complex social topics.
Hundhausen spoke about the gap between responsibility and reality. In theory, we all want to create inclusive, responsible, and sustainable solutions , the thing all call “Design for All.” But in practice, daily pressures, business KPIs, and limited resources often win. What struck me most was how she framed inclusion not only as an ethical demand but also as a strategic one: inclusion is not just “the right thing to do,” it’s also a smart investment in the long term.
Listening to this, I started thinking about what “inclusive design” could mean within the context of religion, specifically, in relation to my master’s thesis. Religion is often about belonging, but it can also be deeply exclusionary. Visual and spatial expressions of faith (like churches, rituals, or symbols) are powerful, but they can also send subtle messages about who is welcome, and who is not.
Therefore I asked myself what an inclusive design approach to religion would look like?Maybe it’s about creating spaces — physical or digital — where belief and doubt can coexist. Maybe it’s about representing religious symbols in ways that invite dialogue rather than define boundaries. And maybe it’s about acknowledging the non-believers, those who still seek meaning and connection outside traditional institutions.
Inclusive design asks us to look closely at who we design for — and who we might be leaving out. Applying that to my work means asking: who am I designing for? What do I want to achieve? How can I use projection and light to open up conversation, not close it down?
Hundhausen’s talk reminded me that inclusion doesn’t happen automatically. And that maybe, the most responsible form of design is one that leaves room for everyone — even those who don’t fit neatly within the frame.
Dissclaimer: AI was used here for a better wording
