using research to inform service design
TRANSCRIPT
Meaning putting the user first to ensure the services we offer match the way in which people want to interact with justice services.
understand context desk research observational studies gather user needs paper prototyping
proof of concept guerrilla testing usability testing gather more needs test design approach establish KPI’s
fully working prototype monitor analytics usability testing
iterating service based on feedback. meet security standards. surveys
understand context desk research observational studies gather user needs paper prototyping
proof of concept guerrilla testing usability testing gather more needs test design approach establish KPI’s
fully working prototype monitor analytics usability testing
iterating service based on feedback. meet security standards. surveys
understand context desk research observational studies gather user needs paper prototyping
proof of concept guerrilla testing usability testing gather more needs test design approach establish KPI’s
fully working prototype monitor analytics usability testing
iterating service based on feedback. meet security standards. surveys
understand context desk research observational studies gather user needs paper prototyping
proof of concept guerrilla testing usability testing gather more needs test design approach establish KPI’s
fully working prototype monitor analytics usability testing
iterating service based on feedback. meet security standards. surveys
Understand users and their needs so that we can design the right kind of service in the right way. !
!
Ensure that the service we design is as easy to use as possible for end users.
Fee remission is the process to reduce court or tribunal fees because you’re on a low income or on benefits.
+
court claim form Letter from DWP
stating benefits(dated last 3m)
Bank statements
evidencefee remission form
80% of fee remission applications are rejected due to incomplete fields or incorrect evidence being submitted.
Identifying the user landscape
Public Users External Users Court Staff
I need to understand what i am being asked to fill in, so i can submit a form with no errors.
I need a quick way to see if public user is eligible or not, so i don't waste time looking through evidence.
I need most up to date guidance on fee remissions so I can support public users as best as possible.
"I was told to read the booklet and I still didn't make
any sense, I didn't understand any of that legal jargon”
!Public user
• Former receptionist
• Got fired when she told her employer she was dyslexic
• Solicitor wrote skeleton argument
• Unrepresented in court
Case timeline
Aug 2013
Feb 2014
May 2014
Sept 2014
Got terminated Attended pre-trial Accepted ££settlement from former employer
Started training for new job
employment !tribunal site
employment !law
google for !solicitors
google disabilities !gov sites
computer letter !termination
appeal !termination!
letter
phone!ACAS
got t
erm
inat
ed
phone!solicitor
cont
act s
olic
itor
employment !tribunal site
employment !law
google for !solicitors
google disabilities !gov sites
computer letter !termination
appeal !termination!
letter
phone!ACAS
got t
erm
inat
ed
phone!solicitor
cont
act s
olic
itor
subm
it cl
aim
you tube video
prel
imin
ary
hear
ing
computer !ET site
phone!tribunal
google !similar cases
email!from judge
User Journey: The experience of a litigant preparing their own case4. Fees
Person pays a fee to submit claim
Person is granted fee remission and doesn’t pay fees to submit claim
1. Incident
Person gets unfairly treated by employer e.g. unfair dismissal
If you think someone has treated you unlawfully, e.g. your employer, a potential employer or a trade union. Unlawful treatment can include:- unfair dismissal- discriminationunfair deductions from your pay
2. ACAS
Person notifies ACAS about their claim
Before you make a claim you’ll be offered the chance to settle the dispute without going to court by using the ACAS service
3. Action
You usually have to make a claim to the tribunal within three months of your employment ending or the problems happening
7. Preliminary hearing
The hearing takes place
To decide on things like - wether part or all of the persons claim can go ahead, the date and time of a hearing, how long the hearing should take.
8. Final hearing
The final hearing takes place
Final hearing where the judge will make his/her final decision on the case
9. Outcome
Person wins case against employer
Person loses case and appeals to EAT
Final hearing where the judge will make his final decision on the case.
Tracey’s Journey
5. Representation
Works with solicitor to prepare
Person represents themselves
Meet with solicitor, start gathering documentation and evidence for case.
Person can’t afford to pay a lawyer solicitor to help them build their case so chooses to represent themselves.
Upset and ashamed when her contract was terminated due to her dyslexia.
First point of research was Google for information on terms, processes and rights.
Is dyslexia a disability
Employment rights UK
Found there to be a lot of information available. at this stage.
Tracey accepted an out of court settlement. It was less than she expected but she was so relieved to put an end to it all and not to have to go to the final hearing she accepted. She was very happy about the outcome.
Tracey felt that a lot of information was made to her in advance of paying the fee, but was surprised about the lack of information on the next steps of the process - specifically how to prepare her case and what to expect at court
To prepare herself for what the hearing would be like Tracey found YouTube videos/tutorials - she found these to be really useful
If the solicitor files the claim, and enters their contact details in the form then the information pack will be sent to the solicitor and not the litigant.
Provide more information upfront about what is involved?
Tracey filed her own claim online after using a solicitor to prepare a skeleton argument.
She fake filed so that she knew what to expect before she filed her actual claim
Tracey supplemented advice from her solicitor with information from YouTube tutorials
Tracey found out about ACAS, a mediation service, through her own research.
She found them unhelpful. Because she already had a solicitor engaged they said they couldn’t help her.
Gov.UK pages were particularly helpful. She printed these off and took them into a meeting with her employer when she appealed the dismissal.
Tracey paid a fee to submit claim
She also tried to get an appointment at her local Citizens Advice Bureau after seeing them advertising in her local library, but couldn’t get an appointment and they never answered the phone.
Tracey engaged with a succession of different solicitors as the case progressed. She had low levels of confidence in the ability of these professionals to accurately represent her, so even though she needed help preparing legal documents she continued to do her own research.
Tracey contacted various dyslexia charities for information and assistance with preparing her case and representing herself but felt there was little available, “most of it was geared towards kids”
6. Preparing case
Person prepares case by themselves before the hearing
Preparing documents, doing necessary research for their case ahead of hearing
Tracey found the preliminary hearing baffling, confusing, intimidating questioned her ability to continue with the case.
Dyslexia cases
Dyslexia discrimination cases in the UK
Discrimination cases in the UK
Unaware that it was possible tribunal judgements were available and searchable online - need to think about appropriate channels for getting this information to her. SEO, inser in information pack, information in tribunal waiting room.
Tracey did not start her search for cases with TRIBUNALShe didn’t know what this word meantSEO should optimise for generic searches
Upper tribunal cases should be prioritised here as these are the only binding ones - cases in first tier tribunals can be overturned once they get to Upper Tribunals.
Important elements to Tracey’s search for relevant case law were:DATE - the law changed in 2007, so anything before this date was irrelevantOUTCOME - she needed to know wether the case was successful or notGENERAL TOPIC - discrimination
Following the preliminary hearing Tracey’s informational needs shifted from the general to the specific, she needed to access specific case law in order to help her assess the merit of her case and to help her prepare her witness statements
The judge asked “who prepared this” whilst looking at the documents her solicitor had created - her confidence in the solicitor to represent her was further dented.
Tracey found it very difficult to find relevant case law. As a non-legal professional she didn’t know where to start her search. She felt “helpless”. She did find some lists of cases on websites of some of the dyslexic charities
Emotional journey
Access to information Journey
Access to information
“upset at first” “confused, helpless”
“just happy it was over”“scared”“later I got angry”
Good level of informatiom Poor levels of information
Person files a claim against their employer
Service map: litigant journey across an Employment Tribunal