Digital.gov Guide
Recruiting, compensating, and protecting users
This guide provides information on recruiting, compensating, and protecting test participants.
Compensating users
This guide provides information on recruiting, compensating, and protecting test participants.
Compensating users
What
Compensation is often offered to usability test or user research participants to encourage participation and thank them for their time.
Why
Compensating participants for sharing their time and lived experience helps you recruit a more representative set of participants.
Without compensation, you often end up recruiting people with a strong intrinsic interest in your website. These people may not have the same needs and experiences as a less interested pool of users.
With compensation, you can encourage less interested, more representative people to participate.
How to do it
- Figure out what is legal and appropriate. Consult your agency’s Office of General Counsel. They will offer options to provide compensation consistent with your agency’s authorities.
- Explore contracting options with a recruiting service to help you get an effective research pool.
- Clearly communicate when and how participants will receive compensation. In any recruiting materials, describe the compensation and how participants will receive it. This is particularly important for remote research.
Time required
5 to 10 days to consult with lawyers and explore contracting options
