Background:

Edward Jones is a financial services company that provides a range of investment advisory services to their clients, including financial advisors who help their clients manage their investments. The company identified the need to improve accessibility features in their UI design to cater to the needs of visually impaired and physically challenged clients. The purpose of this case study is to describe the UX research process that was undertaken to improve the accessibility features of Edward Jones’ UI design.

Research Goals:

^The research aimed to understand the needs and preferences of visually impaired and physically challenged clients of Edward Jones, and to identify potential areas of improvement in the UI design to enhance the accessibility features.

Research Methods:The research was conducted in two phases: concept testing and usability testing.

Concept Testing:

The first phase involved conducting concept testing to get feedback on the design concepts from key stakeholders, including the business division, design, product managers, and accessibility team. The feedback was used to refine the designs and improve the accessibility features of the UI.

Usability Testing:

The second phase involved conducting usability testing with a sample of 10 financial advisors who were visually impaired or physically challenged. The testing involved a series of tasks that the participants had to perform using the UI design. The participants were asked to rate their experience on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the most satisfactory experience. The testing was conducted remotely over Zoom due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Results:

The research findings revealed that the visually impaired and physically challenged clients of Edward Jones faced significant challenges while using the UI design. The participants identified several areas of improvement in the design, including the need for larger fonts, increased color contrast, and more prominent buttons. The research also identified the need for audio feedback and voice commands for clients who are visually impaired. Based on the feedback received from the participants, the design team made significant changes to the UI design to improve its accessibility features.

Conclusion:

The UX research process undertaken to improve the accessibility features of Edward Jones’ UI design helped to identify several areas of improvement that were essential to enhance the user experience of visually impaired and physically challenged clients. The research findings were used to improve the design, and the changes were successfully deployed on the financial foundation platform. The research highlights the importance of user-centered design and the need to incorporate accessibility features in UI design to cater to the needs of all users.