Interview and Think Aloud Accessibility for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Participants in Design Research

Abstract

In interaction or user-centered design practices, it is common to employ interviews and think-aloud techniques to gather data about user behavior. These techniques enable researchers to learn about how users think and use technologies during the design and user testing process. However, such techniques involve accessing audio feedback, which may require workarounds if the researcher identifies as deaf or hard of hearing (DHH). We report on a project led by a DHH researcher in which workarounds to audio access resulted in methodological changes. We discuss the implications of these adjustments.