About
Introduction
Government reforms prioritise digital processes often in an effort to simplify application systems and support. This includes the Department for Work and Pensions’ move towards ‘digital by default’ for the administration of Universal Credit, and the use of online application processes for Scottish Government benefits. Previous research into welfare systems find that the multitude of processes and agencies creates a ‘patchwork’ of welfare, and increase complexity for social security recipients. The Navigating Digital Welfare project focuses on understanding the experience of parents of the complex, multi-level social security system in Scotland, which involves various administrative agencies, funds, and resources using different interfaces. Often designers work on a single agency interfaces (such as Universal Credit). However, this singular view fails to situate the digital and automated experience within the context of multiple benefits and various human and digital information sources.
Through a collaborative research approach, the project is piloting the use of creative methods and facilitation techniques in two one-day drop in workshops in Edinburgh during 2022. These workshops will support the mapping, reflecting, and capturing of experiences of multiple digital interfaces.
Navigating Digital Welfare is funded by the University of Edinburgh/Edinburgh Futures Institute’s Challenge Investment Fund. Navigating Digital Welfare project supports Edinburgh Futures Institute aims to:
- Support joined-up service design and digital reforms in public services
- Develop and utilise participatory approach to knowledge generation
- Be future-facing; by identifying issues and complexities
This research project is a ‘sister’ project to Morgan Currie’s ‘Automation of Universal Credit’ (2022) project: https://www.sps.ed.ac.uk/staff/morgan-currie