Defining Design Amplification: How Intentional Design for Disabled Users Can Lead to Universal Innovation

This article examines Design Amplification, an intentional innovation strategy in which products conceived for users with permanent disabilities are progressively repositioned to deliver value to situational users and, ultimately, to the mainstream market. Drawing on Govindarajan et al.'s (2026) Harvard Business Review article, this paper situates Design Amplification within a broader conceptual landscape that includes Universal Design and the Curb Cut Effect. Unlike Universal Design, which aims for simultaneous inclusivity without commercial motivation, and unlike the Curb Cut Effect, which describes an accidental benefit, Design Amplification is a deliberate and replicable innovation management strategy. The article concludes with implications for managers, policymakers, and innovation scholars.