Institute for Human Centered Design (IHCD)

The organization is a 40-year-old educational non-profit organization 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. The organization's work balances expertise in legally required accessibility with promotion of best practices in Human Centered or universal Design. Projects vary from local to international. All are characterized by collaboration and user participation.the organization promotes Design that works for everyone across the spectrum of ability, age and culture. The organization provides easy access to information and guidance about the civil rights law and codes that provide a bedrock of accessibility in the u.s., and education and consultation about strategies, precedents and best practices that go beyond legal requirements to Design places, things, communication and policy that integrate solutions to the reality of Human diversity.distinguishing characteristics:- first u.s. Non-profit focused on the role of Design in relation to disability & aging founded in 1978 in boston as adaptive environments.- balances expertise and guidance on all facets of u.s. legal compliance for accessibility with promotion of best practices in universal/inclusive Design.- multi-disciplinary and diverse team in terms of age, ability and cultural background, all with strong educational and experiential credentials.- scope of work is a balance of publicly funded projects with an expanding proportion of earned-income work including consulting, Design, retail, publications and exhibits.- knowledge transfer between projects ensures that each project is informed by standards, practice experience, best precedents globally and research.- local to international projects and initiatives including education, consulting and Design. The work of the organization includes:education - trainings and presentations - conferences(hosted, co-hosted, convened) - programmatic education - distance learningdesign and consulting services - architecture and interior Design -plan review - existing conditions (survey evaluations) - consumer (service) consulting - web and jct (information communication technology) - policies and procedures - product research and development - specifications and standardstechnical assistance - new england ada centereducation - trainings and presentations - programmatic educationuser/expert lab - contextual inquiry research at the organizations headquarters or in the field on physical, sensory, brain-based conditionsgoods and services - publications -exhibits - library - membership/sponsorshipresearch - quantitative -qualitative