Recommendations for organisations

We propose the following recommendations to organisations that conduct usability research. 

• Recognise the strategic importance of recruiting users from a range of backgrounds.

• Include usability teams in the scoping and initial development of projects.

• Seek to develop, train and maintain diverse research teams.

• Allow time and flexibility for following organisational and legal procedures.

• Give researchers time and resources to develop novel approaches to reaching and recruiting participants.

• Include compensation for charities, recruitment agencies and partners, and participants in funding bids.

• Ensure an equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) approach to usability and user testing is iterative and embedded into every stage of the research and design process.

• Involve users in all stages of the design and development process.

• Facilitate an open and sharing culture. Encourage sharing of best practice within and across organisations.

• Engender a culture where it is acceptable to admit to making mistakes and not getting it right.

Please feel free to use and share these recommendations. When doing so we would appreciate that you cite this source: Rutter, S., Zamani, E., McKenna-Aspell, J., & Wang, Y. (2024). Embedding equality, diversity and inclusion in usability testing: recommendations and a research agenda. International Journal of Human-Computer Studies, 103278.