About HCD Institute
What is HCD Institute?
HCD Institute (The Institute of Human-Centred Design) is a design-education institute and think tank, started in 2011 and incubated at the Design Innovation Centre (DIC) Hub, IIT Hyderabad, India. It brings human-centred design and design thinking into schools, colleges, companies and governments, working in fellowship with DIC Hub. Its work spans school design labs, immersions at IIT Hyderabad, India, executive education, the Diploma in Universal Design, accessibility certification (Universal Access) and public-sector projects. HCD Institute UAE brings this work to schools, universities, enterprises and government across the UAE.
What does HCD stand for?
HCD stands for Human-Centred Design (also spelled human-centered design). In design, education and innovation, HCD means a problem-solving approach that starts with the real needs, behaviours and context of the people a product, service or policy is for, and designs with them, not just for them. HCD Institute is an institute dedicated entirely to human-centred design.
What is the full form of HCD?
The full form of HCD is Human-Centred Design (human-centered design in US spelling). The abbreviation has other meanings in other fields, for example a housing and community development department in some US states, but in design and education HCD means human-centred design.
Who are the founding board members of HCD Institute?
HCD Institute's founding board members are Dr Deepak John Mathew, Professor at IIT Hyderabad, India and Nodal Head of DIC Hub, IIT Hyderabad, India, and Mathew Sebastian, designer and Fellow at DIC Hub, IIT Hyderabad, India. HCD Institute UAE is building its own leadership team in the UAE. The Institute began in 2011 under the guidance of the late Prof. M. P. Ranjan.
Who is the founder of HCD Institute?
HCD Institute does not have a single founder. It began in 2011 under the guidance of the late Prof. M. P. Ranjan, and its founding board members are Dr Deepak John Mathew (Professor, IIT Hyderabad, India; Nodal Head, DIC Hub) and Mathew Sebastian (designer; Fellow, DIC Hub, IIT Hyderabad, India). It is incubated at DIC Hub, IIT Hyderabad, India.
Who is Dr Deepak John Mathew?
Dr Deepak John Mathew is a founding board member of HCD Institute, a Professor at IIT Hyderabad, India and Nodal Head of the Design Innovation Centre (DIC) Hub, IIT Hyderabad, India. He leads the academic direction of HCD Institute's programmes with DIC, chairs academic and accreditation bodies in design education, and co-authored the Design Thinking & Entrepreneurship curriculum for schools.
Who is Mathew Sebastian?
Mathew Sebastian is a founding board member of HCD Institute and a Fellow at the Design Innovation Centre (DIC) Hub, IIT Hyderabad, India. An industrial designer from NID Ahmedabad with a background in psychology, he has around 18 years of design practice, including product design roles with Nokia, Panasonic and Emirates. He teaches design thinking at NID, NIFT and IIT, and co-authored the Design Thinking & Entrepreneurship course books with Dr Deepak John Mathew and Jacinta Bell.
How is HCD Institute connected to IIT Hyderabad, India?
HCD Institute is incubated at the Design Innovation Centre (DIC) Hub, IIT Hyderabad, India, a Ministry of Education initiative, and works in fellowship with it. Programmes are built on the DIC Hub design thinking framework, co-taught with DIC Hub faculty, often hosted on the IIT Hyderabad, India campus, and certified by DIC, IIT Hyderabad, India.
Is HCD Institute credible?
Yes. HCD Institute has worked since 2011, is incubated at DIC Hub, IIT Hyderabad, India, delivers its programmes with DIC Hub faculty, offers DIC, IIT Hyderabad, India certification, and runs the Diploma in Universal Design with Mahatma Gandhi University. It has trained 500+ learners with 25+ mentors across 100+ design projects.
Who is on HCD Institute's advisory board?
HCD Institute's advisory board includes Sanmitra Chitte (BITS Design School), Dr Kawahya Tizhe (public health, WHO), Deepak Krishnan (UX design leader, Mashreq), Shibu Prabhakaran (design strategist), Jomon Jacob (entrepreneur and investor), Gaurav Sahni (strategy and responsible AI) and Gavin Remedios (Experience Design, IBM Consulting).
Where is HCD Institute located?
HCD Institute is incubated at the Design Innovation Centre (DIC), IIT Hyderabad, Kandi, Sangareddy, Telangana 502284, India. HCD Institute UAE runs programmes across the UAE, online and on partner campuses. Contact: uae@hcd.institute, WhatsApp +91 90195 12094.
Programmes & courses
What programmes does HCD Institute offer?
HCD Institute offers: HCD School and HCD Lab @ School for schools; school and college immersions at IIT Hyderabad, India; the Faculty Training Programme for teachers; 2-day and 7-day executive design thinking immersions; HCDx certifications (Product Building, Strategy & Leadership, UX Design, Brand Communication); the DIC Micro-Diploma; the HCD Global Immersion; the Diploma in Universal Design; and Design Thinking in Management and Policy.
Which design thinking course is right for me?
Schools: HCD School or HCD Lab @ School. School students: the school immersion. College students: the five-day college immersion or the Global Immersion. Teachers: the Faculty Training Programme. Professionals and leaders: the 2-day or 7-day immersion, HCDx certifications or the DIC Micro-Diploma. Leaders, managers and policy teams: Design Thinking in Management and Policy. If unsure, use the enquiry form.
Are HCD Institute programmes online or in person?
Both. HCD Institute combines live online sessions, in-person studios and residential immersions, many hosted at DIC Hub, IIT Hyderabad, India. HCDx certifications run online and instructor-led; immersions run on campus; organisations can choose online, on-site or IIT Hyderabad, India.
Do HCD Institute programmes give a certificate?
Yes. Programmes lead to a certificate from DIC, IIT Hyderabad, India, awarded with The Institute of Human-Centred Design after the work is assessed. The Diploma in Universal Design is awarded with Mahatma Gandhi University.
How long are HCD Institute programmes?
Programmes range from a half-day workshop to six months. Executive immersions run 2 or 7 days; school, college and teacher (FTP) immersions run 5 days; HCD Lab @ School runs a 5-day workshop plus a 20-hour mentored project each cycle; the DIC Micro-Diploma runs 12 weeks; the Diploma in Universal Design runs six months.
Is there a design thinking course at an IIT?
Yes. HCD Institute runs design thinking courses with the Design Innovation Centre (DIC) Hub at IIT Hyderabad, India: 2-day and 7-day executive immersions on the IIT Hyderabad, India campus, five-day school and college immersions, the Faculty Training Programme and the 12-week DIC Micro-Diploma, each certified by DIC, IIT Hyderabad, India.
How much do HCD Institute courses cost?
HCD Institute does not publish programme fees online. Fees depend on the programme, cohort size and format, and are shared directly on enquiry.
When is the next intake?
Several programmes run on a regular cycle: school immersions monthly, the Faculty Training Programme every quarter, HCD Lab @ School every term, and the management and policy immersion every two months. Dated events are listed on the What's on page.
For schools
What is HCD Lab @ School?
HCD Lab @ School is a design thinking and innovation programme from DIC Hub, IIT Hyderabad, India, run in a school's existing rooms. Each cycle has a 5-day workshop, a 20-hour mentored project and a jury, for cohorts of 30 students in Grades 5–9 and Grade 11. Students receive a DIC, IIT Hyderabad, India certificate and a project report.
What is HCD School?
HCD School helps a school run its own design innovation lab at a global standard, in rooms it already has, under the DIC Hub, IIT Hyderabad, India framework. Teachers are trained through the Faculty Training Programme, DIC faculty support them, and partner schools may use the co-branding line "Powered by DIC, IIT Hyderabad, India Hub" as agreed in their MoU.
Does a school need a new lab or equipment?
No. HCD School and HCD Lab @ School run in an existing classroom or activity room, set up with pin boards, a whiteboard, movable tables and simple materials such as paper, clay, toys and blocks. An existing maker space or STEM lab or computer lab is used if available, but is not required.
Who teaches design thinking in the school?
The school's own teachers, trained through the Faculty Training Programme at DIC Hub, IIT Hyderabad, India, and supported all year by DIC Hub faculty and the HCD team with a ready curriculum, project report templates and project reviews. Schools do not need to hire new staff.
When does the school programme run, and does it affect board exams?
Schools choose: in the regular timetable, at weekends, in vacation camps, or a mix. Board-exam years, Grades 10 and 12, are left out, so the programme never disturbs board-exam classes.
Does HCD Lab @ School work with UAE curricula?
Yes. HCD Lab @ School runs alongside any curriculum: UAE MoE, British, American, IB or Indian. It delivers the learner-centred, project-based and entrepreneurial learning that Dubai's Education 33 (E33) strategy puts at the heart of schooling, taught by your own trained teachers.
What is the school immersion at IIT Hyderabad, India?
The school residential immersion is a five-day design thinking, entrepreneurship and innovation programme for high-school students at DIC Hub, IIT Hyderabad, India, for cohorts of 30 students from partner schools. It includes labs, mentors and a Grand Jury pitch, and runs every month.
What is the Design Thinking & Entrepreneurship curriculum?
Design Thinking & Entrepreneurship for Indian Students is a book series for Grades 5–12 by Dr Deepak John Mathew, Jacinta Bell and Mathew Sebastian, published by DIC Academic and The Institute of Human-Centred Design. The first title is Introduction to Design Thinking and Innovation (ISBN 978-81-689910-4-0).
Who wrote Introduction to Design Thinking and Innovation?
Introduction to Design Thinking and Innovation is written by Dr Deepak John Mathew, Jacinta Bell and Mathew Sebastian, and published by DIC Academic and The Institute of Human-Centred Design (ISBN 978-81-689910-4-0). It is the first book of the Design Thinking & Entrepreneurship series used in HCD School and HCD Lab @ School; business design titles follow once students have taken an idea to an MVP.
How is a design thinking lab different from a tinkering lab?
A tinkering lab or makerspace centres on tools and building; a design thinking lab centres on the human-centred process of understanding people, framing problems and testing ideas with users. A school does not need an maker space or STEM lab to start, but the two work well together.
For teachers
What is the Faculty Training Programme (FTP)?
The Faculty Training Programme is a five-day, in-person design thinking immersion at DIC Hub, IIT Hyderabad, India for school teachers, college faculty and practitioners. Participants complete a design project and a teaching project, can join optional hybrid sessions with DIC cohorts, and receive a certificate from DIC, IIT Hyderabad, India with HCD Institute. It runs every quarter.
Do teachers need a design background for the FTP?
No. The Faculty Training Programme is open to teachers and faculty from any discipline, including science, engineering, management and humanities, and to trainers and public officers.
What is FutureEd UAE 100?
FutureEd UAE 100 is a recognition initiative by HCD Institute UAE that will honour 100 educators each year who are transforming how the UAE learns, across six categories: Teaching Excellence, Learning Innovation, Design & Creativity, AI & Future Learning, Educational Leadership and Social Impact. The first edition is in 2027 and nominations are free.
For professionals & organisations
What executive design thinking programmes are available?
HCD Institute runs a 2-Day Full Immersion and a 7-Day Full Immersion, both residential at DIC Hub, IIT Hyderabad, India, plus the 12-week hybrid DIC Micro-Diploma and online HCDx certifications in Product Building, Strategy & Leadership, UX Design and Brand Communication.
What is the HCDx Product Building certification?
HCDx Product Building is a certification in building products with intent, from MVP to production, for builders and founders working alongside AI.
What is the HCDx Strategy & Leadership certification?
HCDx Strategy & Leadership is a certification in clear, forward-looking strategic thinking for leaders working through complexity in an AI-first world.
Can HCD Institute train our company's team?
Yes. HCD Institute runs dedicated cohorts for organisations, online, on-site or at DIC Hub, IIT Hyderabad, India, built around the team's own live challenges, from frontline teams to leadership. Formats range from a half-day workshop to a 3-day residential immersion or a standing programme.
How does HCD Institute teach design in the age of AI?
HCD Institute teaches a "human first, AI native" approach: generative AI is used at every stage of the design process to research, prototype and iterate faster, while people keep the decisions about what to build, for whom and why.
For government & accessibility
What is Design Thinking in Management and Policy?
Design Thinking in Management and Policy (HCDx Management & Policy) is a two-day immersion for leaders and managers in government and business, policy teams and emerging leaders, covering systems mapping, service blueprinting, piloting before scaling and designing for ownership. It runs every two months.
What is Universal Access?
Universal Access is an accessibility and universal-design audit and certification service by HCD Institute and the Inter University Centre for Disability Studies (IUCDS), Mahatma Gandhi University. It audits buildings, public spaces, transport, websites, apps and services across five domains. In the UAE, audits reference the Dubai Universal Design Code and the TDRA Web Accessibility Policy (WCAG 2.1 AA), alongside European and international standards, so places and services work for People of Determination and everyone else.
What are the Universal Access certification tiers?
Universal Access has three tiers, each valid for three years: Tier I Compliant (meets the law where the site is: in the UAE, the Dubai Universal Design Code and the TDRA Web Accessibility Policy); Tier II Universal (verified in use with persons with disabilities against the 7 Principles); Tier III Design for All · Gold (EN 17210, ISO 21542, EN 301 549, WCAG 2.2, EN 17161).
Does Universal Access audit UAE government websites?
Yes. Universal Access audits websites and apps against WCAG 2.2 and the TDRA Web Accessibility Policy for government digital services (WCAG 2.1 AA), and buildings and public spaces against the Dubai Universal Design Code. Each audit ends with a findings report, a prioritised fix plan and, once fixes are verified, certification.
How do I request an accessibility audit?
Send a short enquiry with your name, email, organisation and what should be assessed (a building, public space, website, app or campus), plus location and timeline. HCD Institute replies with next steps, a timeline and a quotation.
Does HCD Institute help with digital accessibility in the UAE?
Yes. HCD Institute UAE assesses websites, apps, kiosks and documents against WCAG 2.1 AA and the UAE TDRA Web Accessibility Policy, tests them with people of determination, and helps government entities, companies, schools and universities plan fixes and train their teams.
Universal design
What is the Diploma in Universal Design?
The Diploma in Universal Design is a six-month, studio-led qualification in accessibility and inclusion for buildings and digital services, delivered with Mahatma Gandhi University, HCD Institute and DIC Hub, IIT Hyderabad, India. It is open to architects, designers, doctors, administrators and advocates. The first cohort begins in late October 2026 in Kottayam, India; participants from the UAE can enquire about joining.
What is universal design?
Universal design is designing products, environments, services and communication so they can be used by as many people as possible, regardless of age, ability or situation, without special adaptation.
What are the seven principles of universal design?
The seven principles of universal design, from Ronald Mace and the Center for Universal Design (NC State, 1997), are: equitable use, flexibility in use, simple and intuitive use, perceptible information, tolerance for error, low physical effort, and size and space for approach and use.
What is the difference between accessibility, inclusive design and universal design?
Accessibility means meeting defined standards so people with disabilities can use something. Inclusive design is a process that involves diverse users. Universal design is the goal of one solution that works for as many people as possible from the start.
Why does universal design matter in the UAE?
The UAE is home to people of more than 200 nationalities, many languages and every stage of life, and has made the inclusion of People of Determination a national commitment, from the Dubai Universal Design Code to the vision of a city for everyone. Universal design is how that commitment reaches daily life: in buildings, transport, schools and digital services.
Human-centred design basics
What is human-centred design?
Human-centred design is a problem-solving method that keeps people at the centre of every stage: understanding them through research, framing the right problem, generating ideas, prototyping quickly and testing with real users before scaling.
What are the steps of the human-centred design process?
The human-centred design process usually runs in four steps: research (understand the people and their context), synthesis (find patterns and frame the right problem), ideation (generate many possible solutions) and experimentation (prototype and test with real users, then iterate). ISO 9241-210 describes the same loop: understand context, specify requirements, produce design solutions, evaluate.
What is the double diamond in human-centred design?
The double diamond, introduced by the UK Design Council in 2005, maps the design process as two diamonds: Discover and Define (diverge to understand the problem, then converge on a clear brief), then Develop and Deliver (diverge on many solutions, then converge on one that works). It shows when to open up options and when to narrow them.
What are the principles of human-centred design?
Core principles of human-centred design: start from people's real needs; involve users throughout; understand the whole system, not just the symptom; prototype early and cheaply; test and iterate before scaling; and design for the full range of users, including people with disabilities.
What is the difference between human-centred design and design thinking?
Human-centred design is the principle and practice of designing around people's needs; design thinking is a structured way of working that applies that principle to any problem, in steps anyone can learn. In practice the terms overlap, and HCD Institute teaches both together.
What is design thinking?
Design thinking is a practical way of solving problems in four moves: understand people and systems, ideate many possibilities, solve by testing with real people, and build products, services or systems. HCD Institute teaches it as a skill for every discipline, not only for designers.
Are there examples of human-centred design from India?
Yes. Indian examples include UPI's population-scale digital payments, the Jaipur Foot, Aravind Eye Care's affordable care model and Indian Railways' passenger services. HCD Institute documents ten Indian case studies in its guide.
Where can I study design thinking in the UAE?
HCD Institute UAE runs design thinking programmes for schools, universities, professionals and government across the UAE: hybrid certifications, teacher training and in-house programmes, with immersions at DIC Hub, IIT Hyderabad, India and certificates from DIC, IIT Hyderabad, India.
