Large infrastructure projects such as new roads, railways and nuclear plants have often suffered from public opposition, causing significant delays and costs. In many cases poor engagement between the supporters of construction and the public have contributed to this. Therefore, this paper proposes a novel design framework with the aim of improving public engagement at an early design stage. Following a modified quality function deployment (QFD) process, it enables incorporation of public preferences into the design process, thus helping to improve the social acceptability of large infrastructure projects and reduce costs related to opposition and delays. The application of the framework is illustrated by a case study related to design of nuclear power plants. (C) 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.