Inclusive and Accessible Design for All

Throughout the Social Design Days, the Design Institute will serve as a platform where accessibility is understood as an integral part of everyday design practice - not merely as a requirement for ticking standards, but as an ethical and socially responsive approach. In a regional context shaped by rigid systems, sharing and developing this perspective is both timely and essential.

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Design is always interconnected with the environment. It shapes how we move through cities, how we access information, learn, communicate, and participate in public life.

Beyond solving specific problems, design enables the creation of more adaptable and equitable systems. In Georgia, where challenges related to inequality and education remain pressing, design holds significant potential to drive complex and meaningful change. This belief forms the foundation of the Social Design Days, which this year is dedicated to exploring and discussing human-centered, inclusive, and accessible design. On February 27–28, 2026, as part of a two-day conference series, the Design Institute will host in-depth conversations about environments, technologies, and digital experiences that allow social spaces and services to better respond to the diverse needs and aspirations of different people. The program will examine social spaces that view accessibility not as a constraint, but as the basis for better, more human-centered design, as well as services designed to be accessible to as many people as possible - regardless of age, ability, language, culture, or background. Inclusive design extends beyond compliance with accessibility standards; it also encompasses creative and empathetic thinking, ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to fully benefit from collective social well-being.

Why Accessibility? Why Now?

Today, inclusion is no longer a narrow specialization or a technical detail addressed symbolically at the final stage of a project. Accessibility is, in fact, one of design’s fundamental responsibilities. Across UX/UI, mobile technologies, educational systems, and urban environments, inclusive design determines who we design for, who we see, who we listen to, and who we support throughout the creative process.

Key Themes of the Social Design Days

Over the course of two days, lectures, workshops, panel discussions, research presentations, and collaborative sessions will bring together approximately 20 professionals from Georgia and around the world. Participants will engage with real-world experiences and case studies addressing topics such as inclusive application design, human factors engineering, urban accessibility, communication practices, and ethical technological development. Designers, researchers, educators, and institutions with international experience will explore themes including:

• Inclusive UX/UI and accessible digital products
• Digital accessibility and mobile innovation
• Social impact through design and technology
• Learning environment design
• Technology, ethics, and digital well-being

Social Design Days as a Platform

Social Design Days was created as a platform that views design as a tool for social impact, collaboration, and responsibility. Each new edition revisits this vision from a fresh perspective. The first conference explored social design as a collaborative practice and as a valuable approach for education, sustainability, healthcare, and social initiatives. The second conference focused on urban spaces and heritage, highlighting how design connects people, place, and collective memory. Building on this rich foundation, the third conference presents inclusive design as a driving force for innovation across disciplines and as an approach embedded in the fabric of everyday life.

As always, the Social Design Days are open to everyone interested in the social impact of design - designers and creative professionals, students and emerging practitioners, technology companies, NGOs, and institutions. It is a space for learning, sharing experience, and building connections, where theory, practice, and diverse perspectives converge to shape a shared vision for the future.

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Detailed conference schedule and registration

Working language: English