RSI has completed the second phase of the ODR Party Engagement (OPEN) Project! We are thrilled to share that our new communication tools to help courts educate self-represented litigants (SRLs) about ODR more effectively are now available. The tools can be accessed on our OPEN Project website.
The tools include RSI’s Model Notice to Defendant of Mandatory ODR, our Model ODR Explainer Video, and desktop and mobile website prototypes that contain our ODR Home Page, our Model ODR Self-Help Guide for Defendants, and our Model Account Registration Webpages.
Our Toolkit for Making ODR Make Sense to the Public provides step-by-step instructions for adapting our models or designing each model type based on our focus group and usability testing research.
Learn all about RSI’s newest tools for improving court communications in this recording of our OPEN Launch Party webinar.
Designing New Court Communication Models
We partnered with an inclusive designer and an accessibility evaluator to ensure the models were easy to use and understand and accessible to individuals with disabilities. We structured the models around a simple workflow that provides a clear path for parties to follow to learn about and prepare for ODR. Importantly, we also scaffolded information about ODR across the models — we designed them to gradually introduce details about how ODR works, so parties do not feel overwhelmed.
To obtain feedback on the models from individuals similar to those most likely to use them, we conducted usability tests across the U.S. with a diverse set of participants whose backgrounds resembled those of SRLs with low literacy and low digital literacy. The final models reflect this collaborative approach among RSI, our design partner, an accessibility expert and 20 real users.
Usability Testing our Models
Overall, usability test participants found RSI’s OPEN Communication Models to be visually engaging, intuitive to navigate and, importantly, easy to read and understand. We asked participants to rate each of the models for how easy they were to understand; the final versions of the models received an average 4.8/5 rating.
Below are key findings from usability testing:
- A mobile-first design is essential
Overwhelmingly, our usability testers shared that they primarily access the internet using their smartphones. It is critical to create materials that are not just mobile-friendly but mobile-first in their design. This finding was further supported by participants’ enthusiasm for mobile-first features, such as the inclusion of a QR code on the Notice to simplify navigation to the website.
- Testers’ confidence grew
We found that as participants successfully navigated each model, their expressed confidence, understanding of ODR and sense of ease grew. Participants also demonstrated an interest in learning more about ODR, suggesting that our approach to scaffold information was effective at boosting participants’ engagement with the process.
- Data privacy and security are top of mind
Usability test participants responded very positively to our dedicated data privacy and confidentiality section on the model ODR Home Page. Providing concise and specific information about how ODR platforms address data privacy concerns can help alleviate users’ anxieties over these issues, even for those who are most hesitant about using the internet.
- Simple materials enhance excitement for ODR
Most of our usability test participants did not have any prior knowledge about ODR and were learning about it for the first time. After going through our materials, testers were not only able to accurately answer our questions about how ODR works, but also expressed their excitement for the prospect of ODR being available in their communities.
Recommendations to Courts
Feedback from our usability testers demonstrates that simple, easy-to-understand communication materials can positively impact parties’ understanding of and interest in ODR. Based on what we learned from usability testers and our work with an inclusive designer and an accessibility evaluator to design effective models, we developed a set of recommendations for courts to ensure that their communication materials can effectively be understood by SRLs. Check out our report, Designing a New Way to Communicate about ODR: Usability Testing Insights, to learn more about these recommendations and our usability test findings.
Next Up: Support for Using Our Models
RSI is pleased to share that we have begun offering a technical assistance service to help courts and ADR organizations to enhance their communication materials about ADR programs. Contact us to learn more about the different ways we can help you communicate more effectively.
We are extremely grateful for the American Arbitration Association-International Centre for Dispute Resolution Foundation’s support for the OPEN Project and the dissemination of its findings.
