UX for All: The Accessibility Filter
Final Thesis Project, Technigo
Date:
Jan, 2024
Client:
Danske Bank
Duration:
3 weeks
Problem
As digitalization advances, elderly are finding it increasingly difficult to navigate online banking. Small fonts, unclear interfaces, and a general lack of digital literacy can make it a frustrating experience. I set out to create a solution that would make digital banking more accessible and user-friendly for elderly, ensuring they could use it independently and confidently.
My main insight
What started as a project focused solely on helping elderly quickly evolved into a broader solution. While the primary aim was to address challenges faced by seniors, I realized that creating an accessible design for a specific group could result in a better experience for everyone—whether or not they have impairments. By designing with the needs of older adults in mind, the solution turned out to be intuitive and beneficial for a wide range of users. This reinforced my belief that good UX design isn’t just about solving a problem for one group; it’s about creating solutions that improve usability for all.
Picthdeck:
Tools:
Used during the project
My role:
UX/UI Designer. Research, design wireframes, conduct user interviews, usability testing, and create high-fidelity prototypes.
Team:
Solo project
Problem:
As digitalization advances, elderly are finding it increasingly difficult to navigate online banking. Small fonts, unclear interfaces, and a general lack of digital literacy can make it a frustrating experience. I set out to create a solution that would make digital banking more accessible and user-friendly for elderly, ensuring they could use it independently and confidently.
Solution:
I created a user-activated filter during the login phase to improve accessibility for elderly users. It simplifies navigation, provides large, adjustable text, and complies with accessibility guidelines. The filter also offers high contrast options for better readability and includes safety reminders to protect users from fraud. Overall, it enhances usability without compromising functionality.
Problem
As digitalization advances, elderly are finding it increasingly difficult to navigate online banking. Small fonts, unclear interfaces, and a general lack of digital literacy can make it a frustrating experience. I set out to create a solution that would make digital banking more accessible and user-friendly for elderly, ensuring they could use it independently and confidently.
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Key Methodologies
User-Centered Design: Focused on the needs and challenges of elderly, ensuring their difficulties were directly addressed in the design.
Prototyping & Iteration: I moved quickly from wireframes to prototypes, gathering user feedback and refining the design for clarity and usability.
Usability Testing: Conducted testing sessions with elderly users to validate that the adjustments were effective and easy to use.
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Why is this important?
A key insight from this project was realizing the powerful business potential of accessibility. Accessibility is falsely often seen as a niche or a cost, but designing for overlooked groups, like elderly and people with disabilities, can be highly profitable.
By 2050, the global population of those aged 65+ will double to 1.6 billion, and 1.85 billion people currently live with disabilities, representing 73% of consumers. This group not only has significant disposable income—estimated at $19 trillion annually—but also strong brand loyalty, especially when brands cater to their needs. Crucially, both elderly and individuals with disabilities have substantial digital purchasing power.
For banks, accessibility isn’t just about empathy—it’s a strategic financial move. With a rapidly growing elderly population comes an expanding consumer base, representing significant wealth that needs to be managed. Investing in accessibility isn’t just the right thing to do; it’s a long-term investment in a market that will only continue to grow, making it both socially responsible and financially smart.
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Solution
I developed a user-activated filter to enhance accessibility for elderly users, featuring:
User-Centric Design: Simplified navigation, large typography, and adjustable text sizes for an intuitive experience.
Compliance with Accessibility Standards: Conformance to WCAG guidelines, ensuring accessibility for users with varying needs.
Visual Clarity & Customization: High contrast options and customizable text and button sizes for improved readability.
Safety Information: Key security reminders to alert users about potential fraud and scams.
Prioritizing User Experience: The filter improves usability without compromising functionality.
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Key Challange
The key challenge in this project was balancing the diverse needs of elderly users, including visual, cognitive, and motor abilities, while ensuring simplicity and accessibility. I had to meet strict accessibility standards and create a user-friendly solution without compromising functionality. Limited user testing also made it challenging to refine the design as much as needed.
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Result
The accessibility filter didn’t just make the site easier to use—it transformed the experience, especially for elderly users who felt noticeably calmer navigating it. To prove the impact, I ran a small experiment: I measured a user’s pulse while using the original interface—it spiked. Then when my prototype was ready, I tested it on the same user, and her pulse was significantly lower. Interesting right? A clear sign that good design doesn’t just improve usability; it reduces stress.
But the real win? My solution enhanced the experience for all users, proving that accessibility isn’t just an add-on—it’s a game-changer. Our professors were so impressed that they urged me to pitch the idea to Danske Bank. That feedback, along with the overwhelming response from users, earned me the highest grade for the project.
I'm so grateful I took on this project. It was challenging, but also one of the most important experiences of mine. It opened my eyes to a new world. An extremely important one with a lot of responsibilities and new possibilities—and showed me that design isn’t just about aesthetics, but about making a real difference in people's lives. It made me understand that I want to design for those who can't.
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