Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/306691 
Year of Publication: 
2024
Series/Report no.: 
Bank of Canada Staff Discussion Paper No. 2024-15
Publisher: 
Bank of Canada, Ottawa
Abstract: 
We explore how digital payments, which dominate the payment landscape in Canada, can be made more cognitively accessible. In particular, we are focused on removing cognitive barriers present in many digital interfaces and products. We propose an inclusive approach since involving people with cognitive disabilities in design, testing, and refinement is crucial. The proposed framework centers on system learnability and user workload as the two key measures of cognitive accessibility in digital payment and banking interfaces. System learnability is determined by measuring first use learnability, steepness of the learning curve and efficiency of the ultimate plateau. Workload is determined by the sub-measures mental demand, temporal demand, frustration and performance. The framework is broadly applicable to digital and electronic payment methods. We develop and test a prototype interface for voice payments, which successfully demonstrates that the framework provides an effective iterative design approach to enhance cognitive accessibility and usability. The Bank of Canada can use this framework to create guidelines for more cognitively accessible electronic payment products, including a potential Digital Canadian Dollar. While the framework facilitates efficient evaluation, further validation is still needed. This framework should also be used with broader holistic usability and accessibility testing, recognizing that cognitive accessibility is just one aspect of the user experience.
Subjects: 
Accessibility
Bank notes
Central bank research
Digital currencies and fintech
Digitalization
Financial services
JEL: 
A14
C90
D83
O33
Y80
Persistent Identifier of the first edition: 
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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