A Proxy Stakeholder Approach to Requirements Engineering for Inclusive Navigation
Wei Wang, Anuradha Madugalla, John Grundy, John McIntosh, Pieter Hartel · 2026 · ACM Transactions on Software Engineering and Methodology · doi:10.1145/3797907
Summary
This paper introduces a "proxy stakeholder" framework for Requirements Engineering (RE) aimed at designing inclusive navigation software for individuals with cognitive impairments (IwCI). The authors argue that traditional RE elicitation techniques—interviews, workshops, prototyping—presuppose users who can directly articulate their needs, a capability that cognitive and communication barriers often prevent in IwCI. To address this, they propose centering proxy stakeholders: caregivers, support workers, and healthcare professionals who actively mediate, interpret, and scaffold technology use for IwCI on a daily basis. The research uses a mixed-methods design combining an international online survey (80 valid responses from healthcare professionals, caregivers, and support workers) and a three-stage semi-structured interview study (15 participants from Victoria, Australia). Data analysis followed Socio-Technical Grounded Theory (STGT), a qualitative framework suited to understanding technology in social contexts. Survey respondents were recruited via Prolific and screened for relevant professional experience; interview participants were recruited through disability service networks. The study maps four pre-planning stages caregivers follow before public outings with IwCI, identifies key navigation challenge categories (social interaction barriers, communication difficulties, rigid routines, sensory sensitivities), and produces ten evidence-based design recommendations across two sets: five for IwCI-facing navigation software (covering visual clarity, cognitive load reduction, customisation, routine management, and social communication support) and five for caregiver/support-worker-facing software (covering real-time monitoring, information retrieval, plan execution, documentation, and collaborative planning).
Key findings
Among survey respondents, 91% reported engaging in pre-planning before accompanying IwCI to complex public spaces, and approximately 50% said IwCI adhere closely to structured routines. 56% identified visual clarity as a critical need; 81% of interviewees emphasised consistent visual elements across navigation interfaces. The study formalises a three-stage proxy stakeholder methodology: (1) identifying appropriate proxies by mapping the care ecosystem around the primary user, (2) engaging proxies through situated scenario-based prompts rather than abstract questions, and (3) analytically tagging proxy-derived data by role and relationship to surface latent requirements invisible through direct elicitation alone. Design recommendations for IwCI navigation software (RC1–RC5): improve visual and interactive elements; simplify information presentation to reduce cognitive load; support user-centric customisation and adaptive sensory design; provide robust routine management; enhance social interaction and communication features. For caregiver/support-worker software (RC1–RC5): support real-time monitoring with transparent consent mechanisms; simplify information retrieval and planning; support flexible plan execution with printable guides and storybook-style aids; enhance post-visit documentation; and enable collaborative planning between caregivers and IwCI. A key software engineering implication is that inclusivity should be treated as a formal quality attribute aligned with ISO/IEC 25010:2023, which now includes inclusivity as a measurable software quality dimension—enabling developers to evaluate flexibility and adaptability as part of quality assurance rather than post-hoc retrofitting.
Relevance
For accessibility practitioners, this paper offers both a methodological innovation and immediately applicable design guidance. The proxy stakeholder framework directly addresses a known gap in participatory design: how to elicit requirements from users who cannot fully self-advocate. The three-stage model—identify, engage, and analyse proxies—is concrete enough to apply in real-world accessibility research and service design, particularly in contexts supporting individuals with complex cognitive disabilities. The ten design recommendations are grounded in empirical data from real caregivers and support workers, making them more ecologically valid than laboratory-only studies. The emphasis on customisation as a cross-cutting principle across all recommendations is especially relevant for assistive navigation tools, where one-size-fits-all approaches consistently fail. The alignment of inclusivity with ISO/IEC 25010:2023 gives practitioners a standards-based argument for inclusive design as a measurable requirement throughout the software development lifecycle.
Tags: cognitive accessibility · wayfinding · requirements engineering · proxy stakeholders · inclusive navigation · inclusive design · mixed methods · caregivers · support workers
Standards referenced: ISO/IEC 25010:2023