What we have learned about assistance assistance with legal counsel through user research
“I would like to see friendly forms, not so complicated,” one citizen told us when we asked him about his experience with filing applications at the district court. And he is not alone in this; many citizens have long wanted a modern, digital justice system. At the same time, we spoke with frequently overworked judicial employees to understand their needs for digital processes as well. In an interview on assistance under Legal Advice Scheme, one justice employee pointed out, “Actually, every time we receive a written request, there are still some documents missing that we then have to ask for”.
We gain insights like these through user research, and they are central to our work on the “Access to Justice” project. In this blog post, we show what other insights we have gained about assistance with legal counsel with the help of user research.
Marlene Kettner
joined DigitalService in October 2022 as a Senior UX/UI Designer. She has previously worked for agencies and a startup in the digital health space. She likes to dig deep into specific topics and worlds and try to make them more accessible for all users. In her free time, she loves knitting on the train towards the lake.
Paul Pistorius
is a UX/UI Designer at DigitalService. He likes the varied tasks that can arise from different solutions. Sometimes that means writing easy-to-understand text, designing a new feature, or contributing requirements for a change in the law. After work and on weekends, Paul likes to go road biking in the Berlin area - and sometimes further afield.
Sonja Wilczek
is a Senior User Researcher at DigitalService. She is passionate about user-centered development of digital services and products that add real value. In the past, she has supported various companies in establishing the topic of user research, most recently TIER Mobility. When she's not talking to project teams about user needs, you can find her in the garden with her kids or at a concert with her partner.