Abstract
The digital transformation of museums is reshaping how culture and knowledge are shared, but it also risks creating new accessibility barriers, deepening the digital divide for people with disabilities. Co-design has emerged as a promising approach to embed inclusive participation and mitigate these risks. However, research on its application within this context remains fragmented, needing to address different disability groups and assistive technologies equally. To synthesise knowledge and learn from current practices, this study systematically reviews co-design research within the broader cultural heritage (GLAMs) context. The review maps co-design processes, tools, and technologies, analysing the key benefits and challenges for engaging different disability groups. Based on this analysis, we propose a systematic framework for inclusive digital museum practices, offering practical guidance for museum professionals and designers and a structured agenda for inclusive design researchers. Emerging trends such as AI-supported co-design and a growing focus on empowerment are also discussed.
Keywords
Co-design, Digital Museum, Inclusivity, People with Disabilities
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2026.1117
Citation
Xie, Y., Zhang, W., Piumsomboon, T., Li, H., and Hu, D. (2026) Exploring co-design with people with disabilities in digital museums: A systematic review and outlook, in Simeone, L., Gray, C. M., Verhoeven, A., de Götzen, A., Bakırlıoğlu, Y., Zohar, H., Stead, M., and Buwert, P. (eds.), DRS2026: Edinburgh, 8–12 June, Edinburgh, United Kingdom. https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2026.1117
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Included in
Exploring co-design with people with disabilities in digital museums: A systematic review and outlook
The digital transformation of museums is reshaping how culture and knowledge are shared, but it also risks creating new accessibility barriers, deepening the digital divide for people with disabilities. Co-design has emerged as a promising approach to embed inclusive participation and mitigate these risks. However, research on its application within this context remains fragmented, needing to address different disability groups and assistive technologies equally. To synthesise knowledge and learn from current practices, this study systematically reviews co-design research within the broader cultural heritage (GLAMs) context. The review maps co-design processes, tools, and technologies, analysing the key benefits and challenges for engaging different disability groups. Based on this analysis, we propose a systematic framework for inclusive digital museum practices, offering practical guidance for museum professionals and designers and a structured agenda for inclusive design researchers. Emerging trends such as AI-supported co-design and a growing focus on empowerment are also discussed.