Identifying key needs for educational puzzle toys for children with hearing impairments using a Kano-AHP approach

Children with hearing impairments often demonstrate delayed literacy development compared to their typically developing peers. While educational toys serve as crucial intervention tools for children's literacy development, existing designs fail to adequately address the learning needs of children with hearing impairments. Currently, there is a lack of systematic methods to identify and prioritize their specific requirements. To address this gap, the study proceeded in three stages. First, need-related data were collected from direct users and relevant adult stakeholders through interviews and analyzed with the Kawakita Jiro model (KJ method). As a result, the study identified 36 user needs. In the second stage, these 36 user needs were categorized according to the Kano model into five types. Finally, the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) was employed to prioritize the relative importance of each requirement type. The highest-priority requirements within the main Kano categories were Child-proof Sizing (#1) for must-be requirements, Large-Grip Design (#5) for one-dimensional requirements, and Trans-sensory Equality (#31) for attractive requirements. These findings suggest a layered design logic for educational puzzle toys. Safety functions as a baseline condition, while usability supports manipulation and literacy-oriented play. Trans-sensory Equality further provides a more specific direction for non-stigmatizing inclusive design.