Contextual Usability of Fintech by African Caribbean Micro-business Owners in the UK

This research assessed in context, the usability of two widely used fintech platforms, with a focus on identifying gaps that exclude African Caribbean micro-businesses in Leicester from maximizing the affordances of the platforms. Drawing from an integrated perspective of Affordance and Activity Theories, the study involved collecting data from 12 microbusiness entrepreneurs through semi-structured usability interviews, observations, and competitive benchmarks. Data was analyzed using user journey maps, thematic analysis of observation notes, and transcribed interviews. The analysis revealed significant contextual issues that the fintech platforms have failed to address, which include community-driven needs and trust-related concerns with how data could be used for surveillance among African-Caribbean community. Additionally, platform-specific challenges such as disparities in features across iOS and Android platforms, as well as web interfaces, posed challenges for a seamless user experience. The research also pointed out the redundancy in requesting certain information that was not relevant to all business types, highlighting the need for more tailored and context-sensitive platform designs. These findings have significant implications for inclusivity in fintech platform design and other digital platforms that could enhance inclusivity, development, and growth of minority businesses in the UK and the Global North by extension.