The Journey of 500 Journeys

1. The journey of 500 journeys Dana Chisnell @danachis

2. Bill. photo: David Salafia

3. California   Bill of Rights

4. Bill. photo: David Salafia

5. California   plain language   Bill of Rights

6. What ques*ons do   voters have   about elec*ons? Where and how   do voters get   informa*on about   elec*ons? What issues do voters   with low literacy face? What’s the role of   poll workers? What helps voters  become well   informed? How well does  oﬃcial elec*on   informa*on work? Adjacent possibles

7. 500 journeys like Bill’s 30 researchers 145 websites 40 par2cipants • Voters are   ballot centric 2 researchers 4 LWV partners 3 county partners 44 stakeholder interviews 2 workshops 100 intercepts ~ 6-12 prototypes • Civics literacy issues • Connect policy to life 2 researchers 1 advisor 1 designer 2 grad students 33 par2cipants ~50 prototypes • Elec*ons assume  high digital &   reading literacy 17 researchers 19 elec2ons 12 states 12 elec2on oﬃcials 100-150 poll workers • Guiding principles   for poll workers  help eﬀec*veness 3 researchers 2 partners 48 ppts in UT 52 ppts in diary study 6 geographic areas 200+ diary entries 100+ interviews • Civics literacy issues • Voters encounter   obstacles & frustra*ons • Voter guides can help • Implementa*on   is a campaign • Tie choices to   outcomes 1 researcher  2 LWV 22 coun2es trained 40+ coun2es consulted 30 coun2es adopted 1 elec2on

8. What questions do voters have about elections?

9. How well do county election websites answer voters’ questions?

10. 10 The received process 1. We tell you about the election coming up 2. You register to vote 3. You decide how to participate 4. Find your polling place 5. Learn how to mark your ballot 6. Get voter ID 7. Learn who is in office now 8. Learn what else is on the ballot 9. Mark the ballot and cast it 10. Check results Chronological

11. 11 The received process

12. 12

13. Voters are ballot-centric They want to know whether it is worthwhile investing in the process

14. Why this matters: Direct democracy means a lot of work for voters

15. Brexit referendum Getty Images

16. Scottish independence  referendum of 2014

17. 8 June 2017 UK general election

18. Everyone knows that there is an election for President but there’s more and more

19. And even more.

20. 28 - 48 cm (11in - 19in)

21. 22 The privileged process

26. Voting in America is hard. There are far more steps   than most people realize

27. 28 The burdened process

33. 6 Election announced Register to vote Decide how to take part Find the polling place Learn how to mark a ballot Get voter ID Learn who is in office now Learn what’s on the ballot Mark the ballot Check results The Voter Journey Receives ballot automatically, which is marked and put in drop box or turned in at early voting location or at polling place on election day. Already registered to vote for previous election. Has gone to the same polling place for years. It's close to home, easy to get to, and well marked. Already knows how to mark because the ballot design has been the same for years. Also, a ballot was sent in the mail, so our voter could practice. No ID needed. Familiar with the local representatives and reads about them in the news. A voter guide arrives in the mail and has information about all the candidates and ballot measures. Practiced marking the ballot received in the mail and found no surprises on the ballot. Gets notifications of election results from local election website. 2 3 4 1 5 Did not receive information about early voting options either online or by mail and missed the deadline. Never sees a ballot nor gets instructions on how to mark the ballot. Is not familiar with the local representatives. Is registered, but moved out of that county. Now must update voter registration by printing, filling out, and mailing the voter registration form. Has never been to this polling place before and it's far from work. Upon arriving, there are no signs to indicate where to go. Managed to get voter ID even though DMV is far from home and the lines are long. Doesn't receive a voter guide in the mail and is overwhelmed by all of the information found online. Never hears who won local races. Doesn't understand how to mark ballot and didn't know about several of the races and candidates. 642 35 1 The journey of a voter who: • is stable geographically • was introduced to voting by parents • is familiar with the process The journey of a voter who: • moves often • has no network to ask questions of • is self-taught about the process At every step is a decision Stay in and move on? Drop out.

34. 6 Election announced Register to vote Decide how to take part Find the polling place Learn how to mark a ballot Get voter ID Learn who is in office now Learn what’s on the ballot Mark the ballot Check results The Voter Journey Receives ballot automatically, which is marked and put in drop box or turned in at early voting location or at polling place on election day. Already registered to vote for previous election. Has gone to the same polling place for years. It's close to home, easy to get to, and well marked. Already knows how to mark because the ballot design has been the same for years. Also, a ballot was sent in the mail, so our voter could practice. No ID needed. Familiar with the local representatives and reads about them in the news. A voter guide arrives in the mail and has information about all the candidates and ballot measures. Practiced marking the ballot received in the mail and found no surprises on the ballot. Gets notifications of election results from local election website. 2 3 4 1 5 Did not receive information about early voting options either online or by mail and missed the deadline. Never sees a ballot nor gets instructions on how to mark the ballot. Is not familiar with the local representatives. Is registered, but moved out of that county. Now must update voter registration by printing, filling out, and mailing the voter registration form. Has never been to this polling place before and it's far from work. Upon arriving, there are no signs to indicate where to go. Managed to get voter ID even though DMV is far from home and the lines are long. Doesn't receive a voter guide in the mail and is overwhelmed by all of the information found online. Never hears who won local races. Doesn't understand how to mark ballot and didn't know about several of the races and candidates. 642 35 1 The journey of a voter who: • is stable geographically • was introduced to voting by parents • is familiar with the process The journey of a voter who: • moves often • has no network to ask questions of • is self-taught about the process The burden is cumulative The frustration and time that each step takes adds up like compound interest.

35. Voters are not apathetic The system beats it out of them.

36. What we learned • There are many more steps to voting than most people realize • Mental models between organization and user don’t match • Voters are making rational tradeoffs at every step

37. 38 Butterfly ballot, U.S. presidential election 2000

38. Investigate small problems Stretch methods Enlist help Get partners Be curious Cultivate learning How we did the work

39. Radical exposure to users With, not for Redefine risk Show, don’t tell It’s a marathon, not a sprint How to understand the problem space

40. The map is not the journey It’s an artifact that documents our current understanding of the problem.

41. Purpose:   Ensuring voter intent by design.

42. How might we help voters vote the way they intend?

43. 8 is not enough. But 8 + 8 + 8… over time…

44. 500 journeys like Bill’s 30 researchers 145 websites 40 par2cipants • Voters are   ballot centric 2 researchers 4 LWV partners 3 county partners 44 stakeholder interviews 2 workshops 100 intercepts ~ 6-12 prototypes • Civics literacy issues • Connect policy to life 2 researchers 1 advisor 1 designer 2 grad students 33 par2cipants ~50 prototypes • Elec*ons assume  high digital &   reading literacy 17 researchers 19 elec2ons 12 states 12 elec2on oﬃcials 100-150 poll workers • Guiding principles   for poll workers  help eﬀec*veness 3 researchers 2 partners 48 ppts in UT 52 ppts in diary study 6 geographic areas 200+ diary entries 100+ interviews • Civics literacy issues • Voters encounter   obstacles & frustra*ons • Voter guides can help • Implementa*on   is a campaign • Tie choices to   outcomes 1 researcher  2 LWV 22 coun2es trained 40+ coun2es consulted 30 coun2es adopted 1 elec2on

45. 500 journeys like Bill’s 5 years 6+ studies 500 interviews, observations, usability tests 70 researchers, partners, grad students, and volunteers 6 workshops 60 prototypes

46. Methods • Cataloging websites • Intercept interviews • Rapid iteration • Street intercepts • Stakeholder interviews • Literature reviews • Diary studies • Experience sampling • Usability test sessions

47. Hard problems Takes a lot of research to understand the problem space Some of the research is hard

48. What ques*ons do   voters have   about elec*ons? Where and how   do voters get   informa*on about   elec*ons? What issues do voters   with low literacy face? What’s the role of   poll workers? What helps voters  become well   informed? How well does  oﬃcial elec*on   informa*on work? Adjacent possibles

49. What makes a major finding? • Reveals a source of pain for stakeholders • Closes gaps in understanding the problem space • Changes thinking and approach for stakeholders

50. Big questions What questions do voters have? What are the information challenges? What’s voting like for people with low literacy? What’s the role of poll workers? What helps voters become well informed? What’s the best way to implement solutions?

51. Voters are ballot- centered. Election websites and materials need to answer voters’ questions, not just describe the process. Major insights What questions do voters have? What are the information challenges? What’s voting like for people with low literacy? What’s the role of poll workers? What helps voters become well informed? What’s the best way to implement solutions?

52. Non-voters need help with civics literacy. Infrequent voters need to connect daily life to issues and policies. Avid voters want to connect to the democratic process. Major insights What questions do voters have? What are the information challenges? What’s voting like for people with low literacy? What’s the role of poll workers? What helps voters become well informed? What’s the best way to implement solutions?

53. In civic life, people feel fear, shame, and avoidance when they don’t know what to do and how to take part. They stop trusting the institution. Major insights What questions do voters have? What are the information challenges? What’s voting like for people with low literacy? What’s the role of poll workers? What helps voters become well informed? What’s the best way to implement solutions?

54. 48% of U.S. adults read at or below grade 6. Voters with invisible disabilities kick the ass of user interface conventions. Major insights What questions do voters have? What are the information challenges? What’s voting like for people with low literacy? What’s the role of poll workers? What helps voters become well informed? What’s the best way to implement solutions?

55. Simple guiding principles for poll workers helped them make good decisions in situ. When poll workers feel mastery and autonomy, they also take responsibility and feel accountable. Major insights What questions do voters have? What are the information challenges? What’s voting like for people with low literacy? What’s the role of poll workers? What helps voters become well informed? What’s the best way to implement solutions?

56. Voters want unbiased sources. The timing of authoritative messages and information is important. It’s hard to find trustworthy sources. Major insights What questions do voters have? What are the information challenges? What’s voting like for people with low literacy? What’s the role of poll workers? What helps voters become well informed? What’s the best way to implement solutions?

57. With, not for Radical exposure to users Show, don’t tell Redefine risk Major insights What questions do voters have? What are the information challenges? What’s voting like for people with low literacy? What’s the role of poll workers? What helps voters become well informed? What’s the best way to implement solutions?

58. Obstacles Information Access •Little or no information online about the voting system •Has low civic literacy and is confused by levels of government •Misinformation and fake news has become common •No local website with information •Little or no information online or hard to find about early voting or voting by mail •No or incorrect location information online •Information is hard to understand •Doesn't usually read the news •Too little or too much information is available •Ballot instructions are hard to read and understand •Doesn't know where to look for results •Confusing registration forms •Information is difficult to sort through - doesn't know what to trust •Provisional ballot notice is hard to understand Voting rights •Lost voting rights because of felony •Doesn't have proper ID or supporting documentation (social security card, birth certificate, etc.) •Doesn't have supporting documentation (social security card, birth certificate, etc.) •Can only vote by mail for pre- approved reasons •Turned away from voting - not on voter roll •Doesn't know that voter ID is required at the polling place •Ballot is not available in preferred language •Doesn't have voter ID Time and deadlines •Strict registration deadlines •Strict deadlines to vote by mail •Long lines of more than 30 minutes •Can't get to a polling place on Election Day or during the open hours •Postal service timing is unreliable for getting and returning a ballot Data and technology •Changes in the voting system since last time voting •Must print, fill out, and send in paper application to vote by mail •Confusing online voter registration process •Does not have a printer Travel and logistics •Moves often •DMV is far away and expensive to get to •No signage at polling place •DMV is far away and expensive to get to •Polling place changed •Data from DMV is slow to get to election department •Expensive or hard to get to polling place

59. Every project refines our understanding of the problem space • Dozens of small insights • Single, powerful, major findings • Every project contributes to the body of knowledge

60. When people don’t understand your content, they are paralyzed

61. When people don’t understand what your product does, they don’t use it

62. When people don’t understand how their own organization works, they’ll back themselves into a corner and not participate in improvements

63. What we learned • The map is not the journey • 8 is never enough; small studies over time • Hard problems are hard • Every project adds to our understanding of the problem space

64. Meet users where they are

65. Listen to the stories.

66. Document the journeys.

67. Dana Chisnell dana@civicdesign.org civicdesign.org @danachis @chadbutterfly @civicdesign

The Journey of 500 Journeys

Center for Civic Design

The Journey of 500 Journeys