The User Experience (UX) industry prides itself on being human-first and inclusive, but UX faces a difficult question: Are we truly living up to our ideals? While we strive to balance business and user needs, we often fall short when it comes to conducting research with diverse populations, including those with access needs or vulnerabilities.
The reality is that research and testing with real people is frequently neglected. What’s worse, it’s often deemed "out of scope" or "too expensive and time-consuming" to include participants with diverse needs. This attitude not only contradicts our user-centered design principles but also fails to capture the experiences and perspectives of a significant portion of our users.
Mental health conditions like anxiety and depression, for instance, are incredibly common and can significantly impact how people interact with products and services. As someone who has experienced these challenges, I understand firsthand how they can affect memory, concentration, patience, and decision-making abilities. Yet, these voices are often unacknowledged or deemed "too risky" to include in research and testing.
But why do we think it’s okay to exclude these individuals? Do their perspectives matter less than others? Shouldn't we practice what we preach and empathise with all our users including those with diverse needs?
The good news is, inclusive research and testing is probably easier than you think and it can yield a more significant return on investment. It requires thoughtful consideration but once embedded into an organisation, it can become second nature, and the benefits far outweigh the initial challenges. If we design and build for those with access needs and vulnerabilities, we’re more likely to please all our users by proxy. Put simply, it’s a false economy to exclude certain user groups.
Drawing from my experience as a clinical researcher working with vulnerable populations and applying lessons from my psychology and counselling background, I'd like to share some tips for navigating this unfamiliar, and often nerve-wracking terrain:
⚡Consider proxy users: Sometimes, it may be more appropriate to involve caregivers or guardians as proxy users, depending on the end-user’s circumstances and abilities. For instance, if they cannot communicate their views or experiences, consider speaking to their carer. Carers could be viewed as subject matter experts on the end-user as they regularly witness the challenges and frustrations they encounter.
⚡Allow ample time: Set aside extra time for sessions to accommodate breaks, slower pacing, and potential emotional responses. This approach fosters a comfortable and respectful environment. It can make the process of participating in research sessions much more enjoyable.
⚡Prioritise informed consent: Ensure that informed consent is obtained before sessions, and involve caregivers or guardians in the process when appropriate.
⚡Offer support resources: Have a list of relevant support services and organisations readily available to signpost participants to especially if the research session involves discussing a sensitive topic. Be aware that your session could open a can of worms for the participant and they might need support that you’re unable to provide.
⚡Consider session set-up more carefully: Don’t take for granted that everyone is happy to be recorded or to use teleconference software. I experienced this recently when conducting research with service users of a mental health charity. One participant had agreed to take part and signed the consent form (which included information about being recorded). He didn’t turn up to the session. Upon checking if everything was okay, he explained he was too anxious to participate in a virtual session and the idea of being recorded put him off even more. Don’t rely solely on a completed consent form; double-check after you’ve received it that the participant is happy with a remote, recorded session. If not, you can arrange for the session to be conducted in person where possible.
⚡Accommodate specific needs: Proactively communicate with participants to understand and accommodate any specific needs or preferences, such as avoiding video recordings or conducting in-person sessions.
⚡Start small [if necessary]: If your organisation really isn’t in a position to involve multiple participants with different access needs, consider starting with just one person per round of testing. For each round, you could target participant recruitment based on a specific access need. By the time you’ve completed several rounds of testing, design and development, you would have included perspectives from a variety of people with different vulnerabilities, disabilities and / or impairments.
⚡Get support from participant recruitment agencies: If you don't know where to start with recruiting people who have access needs, consider outsourcing this task to an agency. They can identify eligible participants, communicate with them on your behalf and take care of any fiddly, administrative tasks you don't have time for.
By embracing these practices, we can design user experiences that truly reflect the diversity of our user base. It may require additional effort, but the insights gained and the impact we can have on people's lives make it worth the investment. UX requires time and effort upfront but brings a high return on investment. Truly inclusive UX will bring even better results.
Let's move beyond talking about inclusive research and take tangible steps toward true inclusivity in UX. By including the voices of those who are often overlooked, we can design products and services that genuinely meet the needs of all users, leaving no one behind.