hearing-accessibility-design

name	hearing-accessibility-design
description	Use when designing or reviewing experiences for deaf and hard-of-hearing users, including alternatives to audio cues, media accessibility, and communication clarity.

Hearing Accessibility Design

Use this skill when reviewing interfaces and services that communicate through sound. Focus on ensuring that users do not miss important information or become blocked because audio is unavailable or inaccessible.

Assess Audio Dependence

• Identify alerts, confirmations, instructions, or media that rely on hearing
• Review captions, transcripts, live communication support, and speaker identification
• Check whether audio cues have equivalent visual or textual alternatives
• Consider users who are deaf, hard of hearing, in noisy settings, or unable to use audio

Improve Access

• Pair sound-based feedback with clear visible indicators and text
• Ensure captions are accurate, synchronized, and complete where needed
• Make communication options inclusive, including relay, chat, or text alternatives where relevant
• Avoid hiding meaning in tone, sound effects, or spoken-only instruction

Output

• Highlight where hearing is assumed unnecessarily
• Recommend alternatives that preserve task completion and comprehension
• Prioritize fixes for time-sensitive and task-critical communication