Research - how harms arise during digitisation of welfare benefit services

From Colin Watson who has recently completed his PhD research at Newcastle University, examining how harms arise during digitisation of welfare benefit services:

My research examined how choices made during the implementation of digitised welfare benefit services can have adverse impacts on claimants. The scope excluded policy, legislation and regulations, and also more general digital access problems, both of which have been explored much more by others. The research produced some design recommendations and implications for design of such e-government services, and a taxonomy of harms (negative impacts on e-government service users). Those are available at https://www.digitalbenefits.uk

However, the work has also produced another output which may be of interest to advisers. A tool, in the form of a deck of playing cards, has been created which helps draw attention to what can be built into online services which then leads to harms. These “threats to claimants” are cross-referenced with the general design implications, but also almost 200 examples of how these harms materialise in real life. Whilst the “Digital Benefits and Disbenefits Cornucopia” tool is primarily aimed at those specifying, designing, development and operating e-government services, the cards can also be used by other organisations developing their own online services for claimants and other citizens, to help avoid creating additional harms. More information at https://www.digitalbenefits.uk/cornucopia

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