The article discusses the transformative impact of offering a $25 gift card to participants in a project focused on redesigning eviction court forms. Set against the backdrop of a Michigan winter, the initiative highlighted the necessity of understanding and respecting the emotional burdens of those who had been evicted. The author emphasizes that user research must proactively build trust and dignity, particularly in sensitive circumstances. The card not only incentivized participation but also presented logistical challenges, necessitating fairness and transparency in management during the engagement process.
I didn't think a $25 gift card could cause such a stir, but it did more than that on a freezing Michigan winter day at a public library.
User research is meant to start with a simple goal: understand people's needs, frustrations, and experiences to create better, more human-centered solutions.
But when your participants are undergoing life-altering situations, the stakes are higher. It's no longer just about gathering insights; it's about building trust, maintaining dignity.
One of the surprising lessons I've learned is how incentives can transform engagement. For this project, the fear was low turnout - the ask was significant.
#user-research #eviction-reform #human-centered-design #community-engagement #vulnerable-populations
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