Inclusive design: tips from Montessori’s human tendencies

Takuma Kakehi
UX Collective
Published in
7 min readJan 30, 2024

The Montessori approach emphasizes innate drivers in kids — known as “human tendencies.” The principle can also be observed in good designs.

On her first day at a Montessori school, a girl was drawn into a room with colorful puzzles, smaller furniture than ones she was familiar with, and objects made out of wood that made her want to touch. As she explored, she started to see that each item had its own place, inspiring her to tidy up by putting items in the right places after herself.

Montessori classrooms, often linked with inclusive design, prioritize guiding children based on their interests and developmental stages, with an emphasis on what truly draws children in — their “human tendencies.” In this entry, I wanted to explore industrial, digital, or architectural designs that I can correlate with those instincts that humans or children have.

What is Montessori Education? — Taking Advantage of “Human Tendencies”

Montessori education, a popular format, especially for younger ages, emphasizes child-centered learning. It was introduced by the Italian physician Maria Montessori in the 1900s. During her medical education at the University of Rome, Maria spent time in pediatrics and psychiatry, shaping her methodology of observing and responding. Through her observations of children, she discovered that children possess an inner drive to learn autonomously when provided with the proper

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Published in UX Collective

We believe designers are thinkers as much as they are makers. Curated stories on UX, Visual & Product Design. https://linktr.ee/uxc

Written by Takuma Kakehi

An experienced product owner and interaction designer with a decade of versatile industry experience. Portfolio: www.ta-kuma.com

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