What is the Power Wheel? Who is Marginalised?
The Power Wheel helps critically reflect on privilege and exclusion. It highlights which groups are often marginalised, and why this matters for building fair digital products.
Introduction
Software is never neutral. Every product reflects decisions about who it serves, who it excludes, and whose needs are prioritised.
The Power Wheel is a tool to reflect on privilege and marginalisation. It maps how certain characteristics — such as gender, ethnicity, ability, or income — can influence people’s access to resources, opportunities, and participation in digital systems.
For software engineering students, the Power Wheel is a lens to ask:
Who benefits from this design, and who is left out?
How the Power Wheel Works
Privilege at the centre
Groups with more power and access are positioned near the centre of the wheel.
Marginalisation at the edges
Groups with less access or fewer rights are pushed outward.
Dynamic and contextual
Privilege is not fixed — it changes across cultures, contexts, and intersections (e.g., being both a woman and a migrant).
By visualising privilege and oppression, the Power Wheel helps design teams challenge assumptions and make invisible exclusions visible.
Who is Marginalised?
Many groups are systematically excluded or disadvantaged in digital systems. Here are some examples:
| Group | Description | Examples of Exclusion |
|---|---|---|
| Ethnic minorities | People marginalised based on origin, skin colour, or ethnicity. | Discrimination in online platforms, such as reports of hosts rejecting guests based on race. |
| Women | Historically less access to resources and power, leading to inequality. | Health apps that ignore menstrual tracking, despite billions of affected users. |
| LGBTQ+ community | Individuals with non-heteronormative orientations or identities facing discrimination. | Navigation systems misgendering users or excluding non-binary identities. |
| People with disabilities | Individuals with physical or mental impairments encountering barriers. | Scooter-sharing apps inaccessible for those with mobility or vision challenges. |
| Low socio-economic status | People facing poverty or social exclusion due to economic disadvantage. | Cashless-only businesses excluding individuals without bank access or credit cards. |
Why the Power Wheel Matters for Software Design
Reveals hidden privilege
Most design teams are not neutral — their own backgrounds influence what gets built.
Surfaces marginalisation
By naming excluded groups, the Power Wheel prevents them from being forgotten.
Guides inclusive design
It helps teams turn abstract ideas of fairness into concrete design choices.
Conclusion
The Power Wheel is not just a diagram — it is a critical reflection tool. It shows that privilege and marginalisation are baked into the systems we design.
By recognising these dynamics, we can design digital products that are not only functional, but also fair, inclusive, and responsible.
References
DieProduktMacher GmbH. (2024). Conscious Service Design Methodologies. https://www.dpm.digital/conscious-methodologies