How can you ensure user research is accessible?

1 Plan for accessibility

Before you start your user research, you need to plan for accessibility in terms of your research goals, questions, methods, and tools. Think about what kind of information you want to gather, who you want to involve, how you want to communicate, and what kind of barriers or limitations you might encounter. For example, you might want to use a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods, such as interviews, surveys, usability tests, and analytics, to get a comprehensive view of your users. You might also want to consider the accessibility of your research tools, such as online platforms, video conferencing, screen readers, captions, transcripts, and alternative formats.

2 Recruit diverse participants

One of the most important aspects of user research is recruiting diverse participants who represent your target users and their various needs, preferences, and contexts. You need to ensure that your recruitment process is accessible and inclusive, which means reaching out to potential participants through different channels, offering incentives and compensation, providing clear and concise information, and obtaining informed consent. You also need to be respectful and sensitive to the diversity of your participants, such as their culture, language, gender, age, disability, and other factors that might affect their experience and feedback.

3 Conduct accessible sessions

When you conduct your user research sessions, you need to ensure that they are accessible and comfortable for your participants, as well as for yourself and your team. You need to prepare and test your research materials, such as scripts, guides, prototypes, and tasks, and make sure they are accessible and understandable for your participants. You also need to set up and check your research environment, such as the location, lighting, noise, equipment, and internet connection, and make sure they are accessible and reliable for your sessions. Moreover, you need to communicate and interact with your participants in an accessible and respectful way, such as using clear and simple language, asking open-ended questions, listening actively, providing feedback, and thanking them for their participation.

5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?