Case Studies
Think tank focused on technological and social change
Problem: Eligible low income tax credit claimants were not claiming the New York State EITC thus missing out on much-needed non-taxable income.
Research goals and objectives:
Map out pain points in the EITC claim process
Define low income taxpayers journey
Understand barriers to accessibility in claiming the EITC
Evaluate the usability and comprehension of state-issued digital communications
Uncover how the state-issued communications impact claimant’s responsiveness
Research solution:
User interviews
Content testing
Journey mapping
Persona development
Insights:
Taxpayers had limited knowledge of tax code and consequently developed a high dependency on tax prep software and tax prep professionals to interpret, understand, and correctly apply the tax code to the taxpayer’s unique tax situation.
Taxpayers did not report doing their own additional research (in addition to what their tax preparers or tax software advised) on the tax code to understand what they were qualified to claim.
Taxpayers preferred a tax prep method that is affordable, reliable, and accurate.
Some taxpayers did not understand that they did not need to have dependents to claim the EITC.
Some taxpayers negatively associated getting official communications such as inquiry letters, with getting audited.
All interviewees initially said that claiming the EITC was easy regardless of if they received the tax letter
Impact: Developed five recommendations to increase EITC uptake that were shared with government officials.
Digital agency with global footprint
Problem: This digital agency’s client was redesigning their website and wanted the redesigned website to be user focused. This client did not understand the journey map, pain points, or successes of their hearing-impaired customers as they identified support for their hearing loss.
Research goals and objectives:
Uncover potential revisions to the existing purchase flow
Understand user pain points, gaps, journeys, and potential opportunities
Define target audiences’ journey
Research solution:
User interviews
Journey mapping
Insights:
Customers read reviews and research extensively before deciding to purchase hearing aids.
There are several influencers along the buyer’s journey, including audiologists, friends, and family.
Half of the customers reported learning about the digital agency’s client via search.
Hearing-impaired consumers reported diagnosable hearing loss at an early age, yet reported not seeking out hearing aids until they were much older.
When asked about consumer-friendly experiences, most customers considered Amazon the gold standard due to search functionality, breadth of product offerings, purchase history, and reviews.
Impact: The digital agency’s client redesigned their web experience to prioritize reviews, enhance SEO, and include pictures of models at different ages.