Content Re-authoring and User Testing

⁠⁠⁠Re-authoring and user testing of; ICT focused guidance for the R&D Tax Incentive, and some existing HTML content intended for all users. This is needed to assist prospective users of the R&D Tax Incentive to better and more quickly understand the program and if it is for them.

The department conducted a research project that reviewed the guidance material aimed at the ICT sector to refresh guidance for the R&D Tax Incentive targeted at software development claimants. This project revealed a number of insights around the themes of: Language, Levels of information, Confidence, Clear direction, Examples, Definition and Customer differences.

These insights can be summarised into eight key takeaways:

1. Our language creates an impression that the programme is complex, requires legal expertise to understand and drives users to seek external help.

2. The more of our guidance that customers read, the less confident they are that they have understood the programme.

3. Where visuals were used well they improved users’ comprehension, recollection of key messages and confidence in their understanding. This was particularly evident when users watched explanatory videos.

4. Users find it difficult to work out what they should read and what information is important for them to understand throughout their journey. They are forced to “work it out” for themselves.

5. Users are looking for examples that show them step-by-step how the programme works and how others do it, but can’t find them.

6. Our guidance overall is text-heavy and overwhelming. Users are confronted with confusing programme terminology up front.

7. Users leave our guidance material without a clear understanding of programme benefits or how much time and effort it will take to participate in the programme.

8. There is a disconnect between our scientific definition of R&D and how innovation occurs in software development. This leaves users concerned that the programme does not support software innovation.