Five ways to be inclusive and intersectional in your research

Systematically explore your users’ characteristics

Capture the right data

Use qualitative design research methods

Identify appropriate engagement methods

By examining the identities and experiences of people who are more or less likely to access and benefit from a system, we can start to identify those who may experience higher barriers to access and the factors that may contribute to them. This helps us to think critically about whom to engage and how, rather than treating diversity as a ‘tick the box’ exercise or simply engaging with the ‘loudest’ voices. On a project where we partnered with a local government client keen to better understand and respond to the needs of its culturally diverse communities, we systematically analysed the demographic and population data of residents and used it to develop a participant recruitment brief that covered multiple dimensions – socio-economic means, fluency in English, location and other factors – to ensure we engaged with a wide range of people that represented the diversity of the population.

One common challenge we see organisations face is a lack of data on people who are at risk of marginalisation. This can be due to the data not being identified and collected in the first place, small sample sizes even when data is available, an unwillingness by individuals to disclose identifying characteristics due to fear of discrimination or not understanding how it might be used, or barriers to accessing the data such as when it is considered sensitive. Even when data is available, organisations may be unable to explore intersectionality across overlapping characteristics if the data exists across different systems. For example, being able to explore service outcomes for ‘culturally / ethnically diverse people’ or ‘people with disability’ but not for ‘culturally / ethnically diverse people with disability’. This leads to providers knowing or suspecting there are challenges with access within specific communities, but not being able to verify or surface them effectively enough to address them. Carefully examining and addressing gaps in your data can mitigate this issue. You may need to educate people on how and why you collect and use specific data, review your data strategy, infrastructure and collection method to enable ‘connecting the dots’ and to put in place data-handling and privacy measures that protect sensitive data.

Where we lack a representative sample in the data, qualitative research methods typically employed by design researchers can help. These include observational research, semi-structured interviews, diary studies and ride-alongs. They help us to surface the stories and experiences of marginalised individuals, to identify key issues through thematic analysis, and to build understanding and clarity to inform an appropriate design response. During our work with a national arts council, we found it was a leader in its field on the collection of data supporting monitoring and action related to equity, diversity and inclusion (such as equity pay gaps, professional development opportunities, and inclusive recruitment). However, we recognised the need to complement the insights gained from quantitative analysis with research into the lived experience of their employees, because the numbers can only build part of our understanding. Research confirms that many people do not report incidents of bullying or discrimination. (In a survey of 2,000 British adults by Bolt Burdon Kemp, only 50 per cent of respondents felt complaints of bullying, discrimination or harassment were taken seriously, with 54 per cent saying they would feel comfortable making a complaint.) In our experience, staff perceptions sometimes contradict what quantitative data alone tells us. Exploring the lived experience of the arts council’s employees with qualitative methods enriched our insights and helped us navigate another data limitation – due to the way quantitative data was collected and stored, much of the data could not be analysed against intersectional identities. At Nous we also use design artefacts like archetypes and user personas to draw out insights based on people’s experiences and needs, make findings tangible for our clients and help us design programs and services that meet the needs of different users.

Techniques including stakeholder analysis and mapping help us determine appropriate engagement methods. For example, on a recent project to explore the needs of multicultural communities for a state government ambulance service, our participants were recruited based on parameters including service access, ability, cultural background, languages, geography, country of birth, age, gender and socio-economic context. By systematically mapping who we were engaging, we identified and applied engagement methods and techniques that made it accessible for all participants. These included running remote workshops, using screen-reader accessible content, and providing multiple engagement opportunities. At Nous we also draw on our extensive experience to engage sensitively with people who encounter discrimination or are at risk of vulnerability. Our teams use trauma-informed and culturally sensitive approaches where necessary to work with participants to build trust and deepen engagement.

Consider similar systems elsewhere

Systematically explore your users’ characteristics

Capture the right data

Use qualitative design research methods

Identify appropriate engagement methods

Consider similar systems elsewhere

It can be valuable to look at alternative but similar systems that seek to address the same underlying human need or issue. Exploring the challenges identified in similar systems elsewhere offers a starting point for further validation. It can also be impactful to avoid siloed thinking, by exploring how the same people access and experience parallel systems. When working with an Australian local government to improve how its services supported multicultural and migrant communities, we found limited research for the Australian context. But extensive literature from the European context on the migrant experience helped us to identify common underlying themes to address. These themes included barriers to participation in economic activity, challenges with accessing government services (including healthcare), and the absence of strong social networks. This gave us starting points to research further and come up with actionable opportunities. We recognised that these opportunities were influenced by different systems – such as education, justice and housing – and that solutions required collaboration across different government and NGO bodies to achieve the intended outcomes.