Paving the Way to Inclusivity

We are excited to launch our new research by Magenta – commissioned in collaboration with Ofcom - which invites more inclusivity in the way market research is conducted. 

People who could be receiving additional support from their provider may be more susceptible to harm when providers and policymakers do not understand what their access requirements are – as people who may or may not identify as disabled, having a health condition, are neurodivergent or living with a sensory loss may be reluctant to share information with their provider. 

We believe that market research that is inclusive of people with additional access requirements can help build a more accurate picture of consumers' experiences in the UK, and that will help providers of services in every sector, including communications providers, to improve their services and ensure they reach everyone in ways that are accessible. We worked with Ofcom to commission this study, conducted by Magenta, to help us understand the needs of consumers with additional needs, as well as the current situation across the market research industry, to help build progress, paving the way to inclusivity. 



  
This research acts as a think-piece: researchers gained an understanding of the methodology and reporting methods of published research designed to include disabled people, through a literature review; undertook analysis of language used across sectors to describe disability, through discourse analysis; and listened to academia, the charity sector and the market research industry, through expert interviews and a one-day hybrid workshop.

What did we find?

While the research drew out differences of opinion in terms of language, sampling and methodology, a set of key themes emerged and some of these were:

• Positive intent: How are you thinking about the research and the participants? What are your intentions behind the research? Have these been communicated clearly to everyone involved in the research (researchers and participants)?
• Rationale: Have you considered and provided a reason for the choices you have made?
• Transparency: Have you been open and honest in your reporting about the decisions you have made and any limitations?

The full report including all of the recommendations and insight from the project is published on Ofcom’s website here.  

Next steps for the Communications Consumer Panel in paving the way to inclusivity

We will be sharing the findings of this research at meetings with a wide range of our stakeholders – particularly those with a stake in improving inclusivity for disabled consumers, citizens and micro-business owners. We would like to thank those of you who have already helped us by participating in this project.

We invite further input from our stakeholders

We welcome your thoughts on the findings of this research and will produce a summary report which we will share with Ofcom and others.

We also hope that the findings and recommendations from this research will directly inform the design of our next round of consumer research, and future work we engage in.