Digital InclusionResearch

Christopher J. BushHead of User Experience

@Suthen

Jessica BlayneeKTP Associate

@Woodelfy

What is digital inclusion?

Our research project

What we have learnt so far

What we want to achieve

Let’s chat

What we’re going to talk about

What is digital inclusion?

Digital inclusion, or rather, reducing digital exclusion, is about making sure that people have the capability to use the internet to do things that benefit them day to day - whether they be individuals, SMEs or VCSE organisations.

Digital inclusion is often defined in terms of:

• Digital skills Being able to use computers and the internet. This is important, but a lack of digital skills is not necessarily the only, or the biggest, barrier people face.

• Connectivity Access to the internet - people need the right infrastructure but that is only the start.

• Accessibility Services should be designed to meet all users’ needs, including those dependent on assistive technology to access digital services. Accessibility is a barrier for many people, but digital inclusion is broader.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/government-digital-inclusion-strategy/government-digital-inclusion-strategy#what-this-strategy-is-about

Designing inclusive services for an aging population

• Since 2006 there has been a sizable increase in daily computer use for adults aged 65 (ONS, 2013)

• This has led to senior users becoming the fastest growing demographic of users on the internet (ONS, 2013)

Daily computer use by age group, 2006 and 2013

ONS, Internet Access - Households and Individuals, 2013

Interestingly, over the three years up to 2013 the increase in finance related transactions has been most prominent in the 35-44 age range.

We think one contributing factor which could be deterring the 45+ groups may be to do with their perceived risk…

But!

http://think.withgoogle.com/mobileplanet

Age Range Increase over three years

18-24 10%

25-34 13.4%

35-44 24.3%

45-55 10.2%

55+ 10.4%

GO ON SLIDE

The human picture (UK)

http://campdigital.wearesigma.com/sarah-bridges.html - Camp Digital UK, April 2015

Understanding the 20%

http://campdigital.wearesigma.com/sarah-bridges.html - Camp Digital UK, April 2015

By developing our understanding of the goals, challenges and motivations of this

increasingly important user group,we will provide advice and guidance to help

organisations better meet needs and expectations

What we want to achieve

Our project & what we have

learnt so far…

https://userresearch.blog.gov.uk/2014/08/20/including-users-with-low-digital-skills-in-user-research/

• Short term memory

“I have no idea what we just said my password was. Can’t remember if my son’s name or cat’s”

• Digital language issues

“I’m not ‘online’ but I use Facebook”

• Security

“I would never bank online, or buy things on my iPad from Amazon or whatever. I only buy things on my computer”

What we learnt – things you’d expect

• Users not familiar with digital services have difficulty maintaining their devices

Virus protection, updating apps, changing interfaces, system updates all impact users familiarity and trust with devices

“Please update your browser? This totally gets me. Don’t understand a word”

• Subtle language tweaks affect uptake

“on a computer you send, but on a phone you share”

• Using ‘credit’ and the cost of being online

“just turning the phone on costs money”

Comments from the Peaks and Plains Participants: Nov 2014 – March 2015

What we learnt

What we learnt

• Lived in UK 50 years but couldn’t use Google

“I can speak the language, but I can’t spell it”

• The roles and responsibilities of ‘accounts’

“I just signed into Gmail now my name is all over the place everywhere”

• Woman who keeps all her passwords in a notebook:

“It’s so tiny I can put it in my bra, or my knickers. I can put it anywhere”

“You can’t move a washing machine, you move yourself.”

What comes next?

Discussion

Thank you