Short answer
Actively involve and observe users, especially those from underrepresented groups, in the design process to understand their unique accessibility needs and the workarounds they create, which can inform more robust and inclusive design solutions.
- Field
- User-Centred Design
- Source
- Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction (2023)
- Method
- Qualitative Interview Study
- Evidence
- Moderate effect
Neurodiverse creators on TikTok proactively redesign platform features and workflows to enhance accessibility, demonstrating a bottom-up approach to improving user experience. This user-centred design research insight is drawn from a 2023 study published in Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction. Using Qualitative interview study, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Actively involve and observe users, especially those from underrepresented groups, in the design process to understand their unique accessibility needs and the workarounds they create, which can inform more robust and inclusive design solutions.
Neurodiverse Creators Build Accessibility on TikTok Through 'Critical Infrastructuring'
Neurodiverse creators on TikTok proactively redesign platform features and workflows to enhance accessibility, demonstrating a bottom-up approach to improving user experience.
Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction · 2023
Key Findings
- 01Neurodiverse creators engage in 'critical infrastructuring' by creating and augmenting video editing and captioning tools to meet their needs.
- 02The introduction of platform-level auto-captioning features altered the critical infrastructuring practices of creators.
- 03Accessibility efforts by creators often constitute 'incidental care work', benefiting a wider user community.
- 04Accessibility is an evolving, context-dependent sociotechnical construct.
Application
Design takeaway
Actively involve and observe users, especially those from underrepresented groups, in the design process to understand their unique accessibility needs and the workarounds they create, which can inform more robust and inclusive design solutions.
How to apply
When designing digital products, consider how users might 'hack' or adapt features to suit their needs, and proactively build in flexibility or consult with diverse user groups to anticipate these adaptations.
Project actions
- 01When researching user needs, look for evidence of users creating their own solutions or workarounds.
- 02Consider how a product's features might be adapted or improved by users with specific needs.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Provides a nuanced understanding of user-led accessibility.
- +Introduces the valuable concept of 'critical infrastructuring'.
Limitations
The study's focus on a specific platform and demographic might limit direct application to very different design contexts.
Reliability & validity
The qualitative nature of interviews provides rich, in-depth data but may have limited generalizability. Triangulation of findings with observed behaviors would strengthen validity.
Think critically
To what extent should designers rely on users to create accessibility, and what is the ethical responsibility of platforms to provide comprehensive, built-in solutions?
Design Principles
"Empower users to be co-creators of accessibility by designing flexible systems that can be adapted and augmented."
This research highlights that accessibility is not solely a top-down implementation but also a dynamic, user-driven process. Understanding how users, particularly those with neurodivergent conditions, adapt and improve digital platforms offers valuable insights for designing more inclusive and adaptable technologies from the outset.
What This Means for Your Design
People who are neurodivergent on TikTok often create their own ways to make the platform easier to use, like adding their own captions. When TikTok adds features like auto-captions, it changes how these creators make their own accessibility tools.
How to use in your project
- 1.Reference this study when discussing user-led innovation in accessibility or the importance of user adaptation in your design process.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
This research highlights the concept of 'critical infrastructuring,' where users, particularly those with neurodivergent conditions, proactively redesign aspects of a platform to enhance accessibility. This bottom-up approach demonstrates that effective accessibility often emerges from user adaptation and can inform the design of more flexible and inclusive digital environments.
Source
Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction
"Hey, Can You Add Captions?": The Critical Infrastructuring Practices of Neurodiverse People on TikTok
journal · 2023
View sourceQuestions About This Research
- What does the research say about neurodiverse creators build accessibility on tiktok through 'critical infrastructuring'?
- Actively involve and observe users, especially those from underrepresented groups, in the design process to understand their unique accessibility needs and the workarounds they create, which can inform more robust and inclusive design solutions. Evidence: Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction (2023).
- Why does "Neurodiverse Creators Build Accessibility on TikTok Through 'Critical Infrastructuring'" matter for design?
- This research highlights that accessibility is not solely a top-down implementation but also a dynamic, user-driven process. Understanding how users, particularly those with neurodivergent conditions, adapt and improve digital platforms offers valuable insights for designing more inclusive and adaptable technologies from the outset.
- How can designers apply this research?
- Actively involve and observe users, especially those from underrepresented groups, in the design process to understand their unique accessibility needs and the workarounds they create, which can inform more robust and inclusive design solutions.
- What were the main findings?
- Neurodiverse creators engage in 'critical infrastructuring' by creating and augmenting video editing and captioning tools to meet their needs.. The introduction of platform-level auto-captioning features altered the critical infrastructuring practices of creators.. Accessibility efforts by creators often constitute 'incidental care work', benefiting a wider user community.. Accessibility is an evolving, context-dependent sociotechnical construct.
- What research method was used?
- Qualitative Interview Study.
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2023 journal from Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction.
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- When designing digital products, consider how users might 'hack' or adapt features to suit their needs, and proactively build in flexibility or consult with diverse user groups to anticipate these adaptations.
- What are the limitations?
- Findings are specific to TikTok and the experiences of neurodiverse creators; generalizability to other platforms or user groups may vary. The study focuses on creators, not all users.