Single design fits all? A lie. It's time to embrace inclusive, empathy-led design

In design and project management, the notion of a one-size-fits-all solution is not only outdated, but it also actively harms those it claims to serve. Far from being a neutral approach, it can have significant negative consequences on the lives of those involved. In urban development and public projects especially, ignoring the diversity of user needs often leads to exclusion, inefficiency, and, in some cases, outright failure. The urgency for inclusive, empathy-led design has never been greater, particularly within the UK’s rich and complex cultural, religious, and historical landscape.

The myth of universality in project management

Project management frequently relies on standardised frameworks built around tangible, measurable factors. However, these often ignore critical intangible elements, such as culture, religion, gender and family structures. While these frameworks have value, they can inadvertently impose rigid structures that fail to accommodate cultural differences in communication, work patterns, or community engagement. For instance, assuming a standard 9-to-5 work schedule disregards religious practices like Friday prayers for Muslims or Sabbath observances for Jewish communities. Recent research show evidence that although project managers recognise the moral obligations and benefits of including local communities in the decision-making process, project organisations are ill-equipped to embrace this inclusive approach in practice.

Urban development: When one size fails all

UK urban planning has historically followed a top-down model, often overlooking the realities of migrant and marginalised communities. Inclusive design must begin with the understanding that communities are not homogeneous. They evolve — shaped by migration, faith, economic challenges and social bonds.

Case Study 1: East London, Pre-Olympics Development: Prior to the 2012 Olympics, regeneration efforts in East London largely neglected the area's sizable Muslim population and their need for accessible prayer spaces. The result? Local resistance and the costly retrofitting of spaces, both in terms of finances and community trust.

Case Study 2: The Heygate Estate, Elephant and Castle, South London:

Case Study 3: Sparkhill Leisure Facilities, Birmingham: During the development of Sparkhill's leisure centre, the community's request for women-only swimming sessions, essential for Muslim women, was initially ignored. Changes were made only after sustained advocacy. While this correction occurred in Birmingham, a city with a large Muslim population, similar inclusivity is still lacking in cities like London, which claim to be "universal" yet fall short in cultural sensitivity.

The role of historical migration

The UK’s social and urban landscapes have been shaped by waves of migration, from post-WWII Caribbean communities to South Asian migrants in the 1960s and 1970s, to more recent refugee populations. Each of these communities has distinct needs concerning space, privacy, faith and mobility. Ignoring this historical context leads to environments that feel alien or even hostile to those they aim to serve. One promising initiative is Tuntum Housing Association in Nottingham, which is led by BAME and minority ethnic groups, a rare but valuable model of inclusive urban development.

From tokenism to co-design

True inclusive design goes beyond token gestures. It's not a one-time survey or a single stakeholder meeting. It’s about co-design, where end users, particularly from diverse and marginalised backgrounds, are involved throughout the project lifecycle. This could mean:

Multilingual consultations
Meetings scheduled with religious observances in mind
Design workshops with local women’s and youth groups
Such practices lead to better design and more sustainable outcomes.

Designing for the edges benefits everyone

Empathy-led, inclusive design isn’t just about avoiding mistakes, it creates better outcomes for all. Designing for the margins makes environments more adaptable, resilient and welcoming. Project management becomes more fluid, effective and human-centred. Another recent study explores a concept we call ‘value-inclusive design’ and its potential for transformation toward ‘judicial equity’. Our value-inclusive design method proposes neighbourhood interactions and co-design as a way to create welcoming spaces that preserve natural resources, support economic sustainability and improve architectural design to foster health and wellbeing for people and the environment.

A final thought: Rethinking the housing crisis

As the UK grapples with a 1.5 million home backlog, the conversation often centres around building new stock or retrofitting old ones. But what about adaptive reuse? What about transit-oriented development? True inclusivity rejects the notion of a one-size-fits-all approach. It demands we stay grounded — responsive to the site, the community and the resources at hand.