Case Study: Ethical and Accessible UX Research for Credit Products
Role: Lead User researcher
Methods: Desk research, Usability research, stakeholder interviews, listening sessions with customer services
Skills: Interviewing, policy and guidelines generation, process generation, accessibility guidelines, particpant screening
Deliverables: Customer journey map, research summaries
Tools: Sharepoint, usertesting.com, Miro.
Introduction
In the face of rapidly evolving user behavior and increased regulatory focus from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the company* set out to develop a self-serve feature that allows users to report a vulnerability as defined by the FSA. This feature aims to replace traditional channels of customer interaction, such as phone calls, with more immediate and efficient online tools. This case study will delve into the UX team's approach to researching and designing this feature, with a particular focus on serving vulnerable users and those with accessibility needs.
Research Objectives and Stakeholder Involvement
Our initial research objectives were to understand the unique needs of users with vulnerabilities, which included a range of life circumstances as outlined by the FCA, such as:
Job loss
Illness
Disability
Bereavement
Family breakdown
New parenthood
We collaborated closely with internal stakeholders in customer support and financial operations to gain insights into how to best serve these users. Their first-hand experience was invaluable in shaping our research journey.
Ethical Commitment in Research Design
Recognizing the sensitive nature of the topic, we anchored our research around a strong ethical commitment. Our aim was to ensure that participants fully understood the research's purpose and felt comfortable throughout the process. This included a robust informed consent process and special care during recruitment to ensure fairness and respect for all participants.
Commitment to Ethical Practices
Our commitment to ethical practices is not merely a clause in a document; it's a core value that permeates every stage of our research and design process.
Ethical Screening
To ensure that our research was unbiased and equitable, we established a rigorous screening process. This allowed us to recruit participants who were genuinely vulnerable or had specific accessibility needs, thereby ensuring our research would be grounded in real-life experiences.
Informed Consent
An integral part of our ethical commitment was obtaining informed consent from every participant. This went beyond simply ticking a box; we ensured that every participant fully understood the purpose and nature of the research, as well as the ways their data would be used and protected.
Data Protection and Anonymity
We rigorously adhered to GDPR and other data protection regulations to ensure the anonymity and security of all participants’ information.
Emotional Safeguards
Considering the sensitive nature of vulnerabilities, we implemented emotional safeguards such as trigger warnings, a "safe word" for immediate cessation of the interview, and a follow-up welfare check.
Approach to Vulnerable and Accessibility-Focused User Research
Researching users with vulnerabilities and accessibility needs demanded a high degree of sensitivity, active listening, and engagement. All materials and interview setups were optimised for accessibility, from screen readers to sign language interpreters.
By focusing intently on this specific user group, we could formulate design solutions that are both FCA-compliant and deeply rooted in user needs and behaviours.
Key Ethical Learnings
Transparency Builds Trust: Being open about our research intentions facilitated more honest and insightful feedback.
Emotional Intelligence Is Crucial: The ability to read emotional cues during interviews helped us navigate sensitive topics more effectively.
Ethics Enhance Quality: Our strong ethical stance not only ensured respectful treatment of participants but also resulted in more reliable and insightful data.
Inclusivity Broadens Scope: A focus on ethical inclusivity has the effect of creating a product that serves a wider demographic more effectively.
Approaching Vulnerable Users and Those with Accessibility Needs
The heart of our research was engaging with users who were either vulnerable due to life circumstances or had specific accessibility needs. This required an enormous level of active listening and engagement. We ensured that the screening process and actual interviews were fully accessible, and we were committed to making the experience as comfortable as possible for the participants.
By engaging directly with this user base, we were able to gain deep insights that would inform our design process, ensuring that the final product would not only be compliant with FCA requirements but also truly user-centered.
How the ethical consideration helped to define our research apprach
We carried out usability testing using high-fidelity prototypes created with Adobe Suite and Sketch. Given the critical nature of the "Report a Vulnerability" feature and the varied needs of the users, we opted for high-fidelity prototypes to capture nuanced interactions and to get closer to a real-world experience during the tests.
Considerations for Usability Testing
Several considerations were essential in defining our approach to usability testing:
Participant Comfort: Given the sensitive topics involved, we ensured that participants felt secure and understood their roles within the test. This was facilitated by a prior commitment to ethical practices and informed consent.
Contextual Scenarios: To generate reliable data, we created realistic scenarios that would simulate real-world use, particularly focusing on those who have vulnerabilities or accessibility needs.
Regulatory Compliance: All test cases were designed with FCA guidelines in mind, ensuring not just usability but also full compliance with financial and data protection regulations.
High Fidelity for Complex Interactions: The high-fidelity nature of the prototypes allowed us to test complex interactions, including error handling and guidance, providing an authentic experience for participants.
Feedback Loops: Post-test interviews and surveys were employed to capture qualitative feedback, which was critical for iterating the design based on real user experiences.
Key Learnings
While the feature is yet to be launched, and specifics about findings cannot be discussed, several key learnings emerged from this ethical and inclusive approach to research:
Active Listening is Paramount: In dealing with vulnerable populations, we found that the simple act of listening could uncover hidden needs and preferences that wouldn’t emerge through standard survey questions.
Stakeholder Involvement Enhances Empathy: Early and frequent involvement of stakeholders who had direct contact with vulnerable populations brought a layer of empathy and practicality into the research that was invaluable.
Ethics Isn't Just a Checkbox: Ethical considerations in research are an ongoing process and must be integrated into each phase to ensure that participants are respected and that findings are reliable and valid.
Universal Design Principles Are Key: By focusing on the needs of those at the edges of user experience, we can create solutions that benefit a broader range of users.
*Company Name and Research specifics removed due to NDA
