Institute for Human Centered Design

Dedicated to enhancing the experiences
of people of all ages, abilities, and cultures
through excellence in design.

About Us

Areas of Expertise

An education lecture at IHCD

We are committed to educating globally about the power of Inclusive Design by sharing stories, precedents, and methods.

People discussing design

Our scope for consulting includes, among others, plan reviews, assessment of accessibility in the built environment and testing of digital and web accessibility.

Employees designing on computers

IHCD works with entrepreneurs, designers and businesses to evaluate concepts, prototypes or existing designs to assess usability for the widest possible spectrum of people.

A blind user testing a prototype

We put people at the center of the design process and directly engage diverse people as partners in design solutions.

News & Events

Universal Access Mapping Toolkit for Heritage Sites and Cities in India
Historic cities are repositories of collective memory, culture, and identity — yet many heritage environments around the world remain difficult to access for people with disabilities, older adults, children, and others with diverse functional needs. This presentation introduces the Universal Access…
From Architect to Systems Builder: Designing Inclusion in Difficult Contexts
This webcast traces Iris Popescu's journey from architect to systems builder through the effort to advance inclusive design in Romania, a context where laws, strategies, and funding exist on paper, yet accessibility remains deeply inadequate in practice. Starting from a personal turning point that…
Poster with text: Call for contributions; submission deadline April 8, 2026. Conference in Galway, Ireland, November 4 to 6.
The Call for Contributions for the 8th International Universal Design Conference (UD26) is now open.Contributions will be accepted until 15 April 2026The conference will be held at the Galmont Hotel, Galway City, Ireland from 4-6 November 2026.UD26 will bring together researchers,…
Design for the Mind Webinar
Jean will briefly explain neurodiversity before giving an overview of the development of the UK's PAS6463 Design for the Mind standard. She will then provide an insight into what each chapter covers, the key takeaways, and show how sensory difference often associated with someone's neuro profile…

User/Expert Lab

A user/expert is a person who has developed expertise by means of their lived experience in dealing with the challenges of the environment due to a physical, sensory or cognitive functional limitation. IHCD has an established database of user/experts who range from adolescents to people in their ‘80s. Participants help review the usability and accessibility of physical environments as well as products, services and new technologies.

two blind users sitting on a couch

New England ADA Center

IHCD is home to the New England ADA Center; the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a comprehensive federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination in all aspects of life on the basis of disability. There are five Titles within the ADA that outline rights and responsibilities of employers, state and local government, businesses and non-profits, architects and designers and individuals and advocates, and IHCD strives to help customers reach standards set by these titles.

ADA and ihcd logo

About Us

A discussion inside a library

We are committed to advancing the role of design in expanding opportunity and enhancing experience for people of all ages, abilities and cultures through excellence in design.

IHCD employees

IHCD has built a large family of friends and allies over 30 years, and we are proud to say that this inner circle is characterized by both longevity of commitment and an appetite for the next frontier.

The outside view on IHCD's offices

IHCD is located at 560 Harrison Ave, Unit 401, Boston, MA 02118. 

Visit the directions page for more detailed directions.

The inside view of IHCD Library

Telephone: 
1 (617) 695-1225

Email: info@IHCDesign.org