Going Beyond the I With CI: an Interview-based Design Space

CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, pp. 1–18

Abstract

Deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) individuals using cochlear implants (CIs) often have regular jobs or enroll in mainstream education where they face complex social challenges. While first HCI interventions targeted this group's communication skills, or compensated for limited sound perception, we instead focused on experiential aspects like fatigue and feeling different from others. We moved beyond individual-focused design by engaging interaction-partners to share responsibility for overcoming social barriers. This work identifies generative, intermediate-level design knowledge, addressing common interaction-level challenges. A design-oriented, thematic analysis of interviews with 14 CI users revealed four subsequent themes: invisible, shifting hearing demands; misunderstandings and social impact; strategies for managing interaction barriers; and emotional, relational costs. Mapping these themes to HCI concepts like seamfulness, social translucence, and proxemics highlights open-ended, concrete design opportunities that support socializing beyond functional access. Framing interaction success as shared responsibility broadens inclusive design discourse for DHH populations and wider disability design spaces.

Authors 5

1. Claudia Alessandra Libbi Aachen Institute of Psychology, Leiden University

   Leiden University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands

2. Robby W. van Delden

   University of Twente

   Affiliation as printed

   Human Media Interaction, University of Twente, Enschede, Netherlands

3. Hendrik Christiaan Stronks Aachen Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition

   Leiden University · Leiden University Medical Center

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands

   Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden, Netherlands

4. Johan H. M. Frijns Aachen Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition

   Leiden University · Leiden University Medical Center · Delft University of Technology

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Bioelectronics, Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands

   Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands

   Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden, Netherlands

5. Carolien J. Rieffe Aachen Institute of Psychology, Leiden University

   Leiden University · University College London · University of Twente

   Affiliation as printed

   Human Media Interaction, University of Twente, Enschede, Netherlands

   Institute of Education, University College London, London, United Kingdom

   Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands