The UX no one wants to have

With a woman dying at the hands of a current or former partner almost every week in Australia, family violence is one of our most critical social problems.

In Victoria, people experiencing family violence can seek the protection of an intervention order through our courts. The first step in applying for such an order is filling out a long and complex paper form.

Family violence survivors often find the justice system traumatic. So how do you design the application form to be accessible and sensitive to the needs of distressed users, while collecting the complex, personal information that courts require?

In 2015, the Neighbourhood Justice Centre took on this challenge. It designed, developed and trialled the first online version in Australia. Formulate Information Design contributed form design expertise.

We’ll share how we engaged family violence survivors and the court in primary research, as well as the contribution of innovation and best practice to the form’s design.

The session will benefit anyone who:
• conducts user research with difficult-to-reach and/or broad target audiences, about challenging or sensitive topics
• designs or develops online forms, especially forms that are complex; collect a lot of information; have questions that are hard to word simply and clearly; may frustrate, surprise, anger or upset the user; or must balance the needs of different users;
• works with or for a government agency, not-for-profit or social enterprise
• needs to innovate to meet project aims.

You’ll leave with tips you can use immediately in your UX practice, as well as a heightened awareness of family violence.

Warning: Family violence will be discussed in this session. If you or someone close to you has experienced family violence, you may find this session distressing.

Presented by Jessica Enders and Louise Bassett at UX Australia 2016

Transcript

1. The UX no-one wants to have Louise Bassett Neighbourhood Justice Centre Jessica Enders Formulate Information Design
2. If you or someone close to you 
 has experienced family violence, you may find some parts of this presentation distressing. Warning
3. ! """1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) @ 1800respect.org.au ! """Lifeline 13 11 14
4. •  Introduction •  3 things •  Outputs and outcomes Effective user research in challenging contexts!
5. Who we are Family violence The project Introduction
6. neighbourhoodjustice.vic.gov.au The 
 NJC Active in the
 community The NJC
 Court
7. Who we are Family violence The project Introduction
8. Family member 
 or partner, 
 current or ex Pattern of control, coercion or harm Dominate or manipulate your behaviour Physical, sexual, emotional, psychological, 
 financial, economic, technological, threatening… Impact also on children and animals
9. In Australia on average at least one woman per week is killed by a partner or former partner Source: Australian Institute of Criminology (2015)
10. Who we are Family violence The project Introduction
11. FVIO1 September 2011 Page 1 of 12 The information in this form assists the Court Registrar to prepare your application for an intervention order. Answers to questions marked with ! will not be included in the Application for an Intervention order that will be given to the respondent Please specify application sought Summons for a family violence intervention order Warrant for a family violence intervention order Summons and interim family violence intervention order Court reference no. Date of hearing APPLICANT (To be completed by person making application on behalf of the Affected Family Member) Family name Given name Title Dr Mr Ms Mrs Miss Other (Select the appropriate title) Current address Do you wish to disclose this address? Yes No Phone numbers Home Work Mobile Date of birth Police Registered No Phone Fax The Applicant is: a police officer an affected family member an adult (over 18) with the written consent of an affected family member a parent of an affected family member who is a child a person with the written consent of a parent of the child an affected family member of or about the age of 14 years with leave of the court the guardian of an affected family member a person who seeks to make the application with the leave of the court Form FVIO1 INFORMATION FOR APPLICATION FOR AN INTERVENTION ORDER Family Violence Protection Act 2008 Sections 42-47 & 49- 51 Magistrates’ Court of Victoria
13. Who we are Family violence The project Introduction
14. •  Introduction •  3 things •  Outputs and outcomes Effective user research in challenging contexts!
15. 1.  Effort 2.  Trust 3.  Respect
16. 1.  Effort 2.  Trust 3.  Respect
17. Doing your own recruitment is tough
18. To get the right participants you have to be flexible
19. It took 5 weeks to achieve 6-8 interviews from 28 potentials
20. 1.  Effort 2.  Trust 3.  Respect
21. People in the community trust the NJC
22. •  Poster 16% potentials from Facebook post
23. Have you applied for or received a in the last 12 months? FAMILY VIOLENCE INTERVENTION ORDER Help us Help you Have a confidential chat to help us improve the process, and receive a $90 gift card. Interested? Contact Jessica Enders 1300 85 44 11 fvio@formulate.com.au 27% potentials from posters
24. NJC partners
25. 53% potentials from partners FVIO Research for Neighbourhood Justice Centre Referrer sign-up sheet Questions? Call Jessica Enders on 1300 85 44 11 or email fvio@formulate.com.au Name Can be just a first name Phone number or email address Mobile phone preferred, email OK Preferred contact time Day of the week, date and/or time of day Whether it’s OK to leave a phone message Yes No Not applicable Referrer name and organisation If applicable Comments optional Email to fvio@formulate.com.au.
26. Participants’ sense of safety and security were paramount
27. If they wanted, participants could refer to the Respondent as Mr Dickhead
28. 1.  Effort 2.  Trust 3.  Respect
29. A decent incentive shows you respect participants’ time
30. Be empathetic and validating
31. Recognise participants have experienced trauma
32. Participating in research can have a beneficial effect
33. •  Introduction •  3 things •  Outputs and outcomes Effective user research in challenging contexts!
35. A form can be long if it matches user expectations
36. I’ve almost given up on delivering written reports ” “ Nick Bowmast bowmast.com @bowmast
37. bit.ly/Visualising
40. 2 further sites Service design State-wide! vic.gov.au/publicsectorinnovation www.rcfv.com.au 1 2 1 2
41. With effort, trust and respect
 you can do effective user research in challenging contexts
42. Louise Bassett Neighbourhood Justice Centre louise.bassett@courts.vic.gov.au neighbourhoodjustice.vic.gov.au @NJC_Collingwood Jessica Enders Formulate Information Design jessica@formulate.com.au formulate.com.au @formulate Thank you 1800respect.org.au 1800 RESPECT