Abstract
Intersectional inequalities in organizations constitute “wicked problems”: complex, contradictory, and indeterminate phenomena sustained by entangled power relations. This methodological development paper proposes design-based research (DBR) as a participatory, iterative approach to both illuminate and intervene in the simultaneity of privileges and penalties at work. Centering principles from pluriversal design and design justice, the paper advances three guiding commitments: (1) attend to the situatedness of the research process and problem framing; (2) involve those most affected by intersectional inequalities alongside organizational power holders in co-design; and (3) cultivate spaces of belonging within the research process itself. These commitments foreground power-sensible practice—recognizing and mitigating asymmetries in participation, decision-making, and knowledge production. Reframing intersectionality as a design challenge positions DBR as a method to generate context-specific insights, that helps to create interventions, and implement organisational change. The contribution lies in integrating ethical, collaborative design practices with intersectional analysis to achieve a more comprehensive understanding of workplace inequalities and to weaken their reproduction in practice.