A day-long workshop, “Putting Users First,” was held at the Team Inclusion Bangladesh office in Savar to enhance accessibility and usability in digital financial services through direct engagement with users with disabilities.
The workshop was jointly organized by Monash University, Swinburne University of Technology, and Team Inclusion Bangladesh, combining international academic expertise with community perspectives to ensure digital design is informed by lived experience rather than assumptions.
The session was facilitated by Tanjila Kanij of Monash University and Swinburne University of Technology, Australia, and Jahirul Islam, executive director of Team Inclusion Bangladesh. The facilitators emphasized the importance of participatory, user-centered approaches in developing accessible digital financial systems.
Participants and representation
The workshop engaged 10 people with visual impairment, including individuals with low vision. All participants were students from the University of Dhaka and Jahangirnagar University, representing leading public universities in Bangladesh.
Each participant held a personal bank account, regularly used mobile financial service (MFS) applications, and independently accesses financial services via their mobile phones. This ensured discussions were grounded in real-life experiences rather than theoretical perspectives on accessibility.
Methodology and engagement
The workshop employed cognitive walkthrough methods and persona development exercises to examine how users with visual impairment interact with digital banking platforms and financial applications.
Participants collectively performed common financial tasks, including logging into accounts, checking balances, transferring funds, and verifying transactions. They identified multiple accessibility barriers, such as limited screen reader compatibility, poor color contrast, inadequate font scalability, complex navigation flows, unlabeled buttons, and inaccessible error messages.
Discussions also focused on cognitive load, trust, security concerns, and emotional experiences while using digital financial applications. Persona development exercises translated individual experiences into structured user profiles to help designers and service providers understand the diverse needs of the visually impaired community.
Key findings and outcomes
The workshop highlighted critical accessibility gaps in existing digital financial services, including inconsistent or incomplete screen reader support, complex authentication and verification processes, and the absence of audio cues and accessible confirmation messages.
Participants shared practical, low-cost design recommendations that could significantly improve usability, safety, and independence for users with visual impairment and low vision.
Impact and way forward
Speakers stressed that inclusive design must start with users, not assumptions. By directly engaging young people with visual impairment who independently manage their finances, the initiative demonstrated how accessible design can strengthen financial independence, reduce reliance on third parties, and build confidence and trust in digital financial systems.
The collaboration between Monash University, Swinburne University of Technology, and Team Inclusion Bangladesh was described as a strong and replicable model for advancing accessible digital finance. Organizers said the initiative contributes to breaking barriers and ensuring inclusive financial services for all.
