A Macclesfield company is helping to transform online car buying.

Design agency Nexer Digital has completed an inclusive usability research project for Auto Trader, the online automotive marketplace.

The study was aimed at improving the accessibility of the online car buying experience for users with a range of impairments and access needs.

Chris Bush, head of design group at Nexer Digital, said: "Our work with Auto Trader was about pushing past the checklist approach to accessibility and going beyond compliance.

"Real usability comes from understanding how people actually experience your product in their context. 

"By observing users with diverse needs in real scenarios, we were able to uncover nuanced pain points, as well as highlight what's working well. Auto Trader's openness to challenge its assumptions and invest in inclusive research is commendable. This kind of work has the power to shape not just a better service, but a more inclusive culture."

Nexer Digital led all aspects of the project, including participant recruitment, session facilitation with a mixture of in-person research at their lab in Macclesfield and remotely with users in their own environment, analysis of findings, and delivery of results

A group of 19 participants with visual, cognitive and fine motor impairments used their own devices and assistive technologies, such as screen readers and voice control software, to complete tasks across Auto Trader's website, with a focus on the Deal Builder service.

The study found that while the platform performed well overall, with participants praising the clean design, quality content, and ability to save and revisit the journey, there were some areas requiring improvement, particularly for screen reader users and those navigating complex or multi-step processes.

James Richardson, Technical Architect at Auto Trader, said: "This project has helped us better understand the real-world barriers that customers with different access needs may face when navigating our platform.

"While we've long focused on usability and accessibility, this was a step further, bringing in people with lived experience of disabilities to test the service in their own way, on their own devices. 

"The insights we've gained have been invaluable and will inform not only this service, but how we approach inclusive design across our wider digital offerings."