User research to understand the impact of digital crime

Ethnography crime policing design thinking User research data visualisation information design research social design

For: Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC)

While at: Uscreates

Director: Mary Cook

User Researcher/Communication Designer: Laura Malan

User Researcher: Amanda Gore, Alan Boyles

Key words: User research, ethnography, data visualisation, communication design

Ethnographic research in the homes of those who had been victims of digital crime.

Challenge

Anecdotal evidence suggests that local police forces are less adept at dealing with crimes that have an online or digital element than those that are committed using traditional means. Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) wanted to better understand the effect that digital technology is having on crime and policing to inform future HMIC inspections of police forces and law enforcement agencies.

User research analysis sessions with HMIC

Approach

Working with HMIC, over a period of four months, we conducted immersive observation and directed one-on-one interviews with victims of a range of digital crimes (e.g. online fraud, sextortion, hacking, online stalking) to better understand their experiences and the police responses. Included in this ethnographic approach were the key principles of listening, observing and participating in the victims’ lives, and involving victims in scoping and defining research themes and questions.

We ran workshops with HMIC to share the research and jointly analyse the data; highlighting the victims personal experiences and stories of the crime, to ensure these informed HMIC reporting and police strategies.

Personas and user journey maps: visually mapping the emotional experiences and stories of victim’s over time along with police intervention points.

Using visual communication and mapping, we documented peoples' experiences of the crime over periods of time (sometimes over long periods up to five years), alongside police intervention points. This helped highlight instances where police involvement had been lacking, where further support was needed for victims, and crucially, how 'traditional' crimes (e.g. burglary) were often handled differently to digital crime by police forces. These visual maps were translated into formats suitable for sharing with wider audiences.

Details from the mapping of victims' experiences.

Outcome

The findings from the research and the accompanying visual journey maps and stories have been incorporated into HMIC reports to generate national recommendations
for positive policing practice of digital crime in the future.

Further info: https://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmicfrs/our-work/digital-crime-and-policing/real-lives-real-crimes-a-study-of-digital-crime-and-policing/

User research to understand the impact of digital crime

Owner

User research to understand the impact of digital crime

User research to understand the impact of digital crime

Creative Fields