UX Design for Deaf Children: How is it Done Now? Should it Change?

Abstract

The process by which user experiences (UX) for children are created is uncertain, especially for deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) children. This paper seeks to (I) describe the origins of UX and child–computer interaction and to describe what is being taught to designers today; (II) use the example of digital assessment to extract insights from practitioners about UX design for DHH children; and (III) describe opportunities for amending today's UX design curricula to foster more equitably designed products for children. Interviewing 13 practitioners revealed the following findings. (1) Allowing non-designer participants to self-identify their profession makes them more likely to discuss design concepts. (2) The challenge of working with children is more about legal/risk assessment than any gaps in design education. (3) Practitioners who design products for children follow similar processes to designers who design for adults; age-specific language is the main difference child and adult UX.