Accessibility enables user understanding
In 2023, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) introduced Consumer Duty. The Duty has four outcomes which aim to improve the customer experience. One outcome is for firms to support consumer understanding. They should ensure customers can make sense of the information they receive.
To show that understanding starts with the basics, I created the Hierarchy of Customer Understanding. It illustrates how each step, starting with accessibility, builds on the last. Leading to full understanding.
3 levels of the Hierarchy of Customer Understanding
The Hierarchy of Customer Understanding outlines 3 levels for a customer to fully understand a piece of content.
Levels:
- Accessibility; everyone can access the content
- Readability; everyone can easily read the content
- Comprehension; everyone can make sense of the content
Accessibility
The foundation of the hierarchy ensures that everyone can access the content. It is the starting point for any communication. Without accessible content, customers are left out.
Accessibility covers many factors that affect a user’s ability to access the content. These include:
- whether the text is large enough to read
- whether a screen reader can interact with the content
- whether the content is findable or available when needed
It tackles anything that might stop a user from accessing the content to read it.
Readability
Readability measures how simple it is for someone to read a piece of text.
For instance, a non-native English speaker might struggle with complex, academic writing. This includes long sentences and difficult words. Such complexity can make it hard to understand the content. It might even stop them from engaging with the text altogether.
Steps to improve readability:
- Use short sentences; Break down complex ideas into shorter, manageable sentences.
- Choose simple, familiar words; Avoid jargon or overly complex language. Opt for straightforward terms that your audience is likely to recognise.
- Write for an appropriate reading age; Match your language and sentence structure to your audience’s literacy level.
Tools like the Hemingway App can measure your content’s complexity. It includes the Flesch–Kincaid readability test. The app also suggests ways to make your writing clearer and easier to read.
Comprehension
Comprehension is the ability to make sense of the content. It’s meaning, relevance, and significance.
We can break comprehension down into three possible outcomes:
- Fully comprehends: The customer knows the information, its importance, and how to use it. This is the ideal outcome, where the communication has met its objective.
- Does not comprehend: The customer is unable to grasp the meaning of the information, leaving them confused or disengaged. In this case, the communication has not succeeded in supporting the customer.
- Misunderstands: The customer misinterprets the information. It can lead to poor decisions, frustration, or unintended consequences. This is a critical failure. It can erode trust and cause negative outcomes.
Testing comprehension is tough. It goes beyond checking if the audience can read the content. We also need to see if they understand and use the content as intended. This often means collecting feedback, asking questions, or watching how they apply the information in decisions.
Why the hierarchy matters
The customer understanding hierarchy shows that each step builds on the one below it. Without accessibility, users cannot access with content. Without readability users will struggle to read the content. Without comprehension a user will never fully understand the content.
I hope this hierarchy shows the need to focus on the basics. By prioritising these steps, we can improve communication strategies and better engage audiences.
