A Design Toolkit for User Acceptance and Adoption: Supporting Designers in Complex Technology Development

A Design Toolkit for User Acceptance and Adoption: Supporting Designers in Complex Technology Development | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article A Design Toolkit for User Acceptance and Adoption: Supporting Designers in Complex Technology Development Polina Bobrova, Paolo Perego This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-5356135/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 22 Dec, 2025 Read the published version in Universal Access in the Information Society → Version 1 posted 6 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Purpose: This study describes the development and validation of a DesignToolkit based on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology(UTAUT2), aimed to include user acceptance and adoption principles in designprocesses. The toolkit addresses the gap between theoretical user acceptancemodels and practical design methodologies with a particular focus on complex technologies like blockchain. Methods: The toolkit was developed through an iterative process involving user testing sessions with experts and within an educational environment. The initial evaluation was conducted with 5 industry and academic participants, followed by a larger-scale assessment by 45 master’s degree students from diverse backgrounds. Evaluation methods included qualitative analysis of user feedback and quantitative assessment of task completion rates. Results: The toolkit significantly improved designers’ understanding of user acceptance as a dynamic and multifaceted process. Initial expert evaluations showed positive feedback on usability and practical application of the toolkit. The educational setting evaluation revealed an improved empathy and consideration of social influences in their design processes. Some challenges were identified preliminary in areas of complex terminology. Conclusion: The Design Toolkit effectively bridges theory and practice, transforming theoretical frameworks into an actionable tool integrating user acceptance theories into design processes. It represents a valuable asset in advancing user-centric design principles across various technology domains. Future work should focus on further simplification of complex concepts. User Acceptance User Adoption User-Centered Design Design Toolkit UTAUT2 Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Published Journal Publication published 22 Dec, 2025 Read the published version in Universal Access in the Information Society → Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 26 Sep, 2025 Reviews received at journal 26 Sep, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 15 Sep, 2025 Reviewers invited by journal 08 Aug, 2025 Submission checks completed at journal 08 Jul, 2025 First submitted to journal 08 Jul, 2025 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-5356135","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":515062078,"identity":"344ad333-6d4c-4595-aeca-efd53e9a88e6","order_by":0,"name":"Polina Bobrova","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA5UlEQVRIiWNgGAWjYFAC5oYDQDKBQQLMs2FgYGdsgHOxA0YULWlAMyBa8OgBKkDSchioBSKOU4s5e2Pj4YIahjx+6d6Hj3lqzufxMzO3bnjAYFGHS4tlz8GGwzOOMRRLzjlubMxz7HaxZDNj2w18DjO4kdhwmIeNIXHDjTQ2yRlstxM3HCZKyz+Yln/niNTC2wbRIvGx7QBhLWC/8PZJAP1yjNngY18y1C8GEpINOLSYszcf/szzzQYYYm2MDxK+2eXxs7c/u/mjoo4fp8MgFMIVCSjieLQgQAJutaNgFIyCUTBSAQBXMlikzzngvAAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==","orcid":"","institution":"Politecnico di Milano","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Polina","middleName":"","lastName":"Bobrova","suffix":""},{"id":515062079,"identity":"e11fdf0e-248d-46b6-9b48-90a71f7c4b65","order_by":1,"name":"Paolo Perego","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Politecnico di Milano","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Paolo","middleName":"","lastName":"Perego","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2024-10-29 17:08:15","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-5356135/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-5356135/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[{"content":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10209-025-01286-4","type":"published","date":"2025-12-22T15:57:10+00:00"}],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":91830539,"identity":"27dc6207-07e2-40f4-93c8-0588dda90fca","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-09-22 09:04:21","extension":"json","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":4644,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"dbdf783b94f545d2aae5c112c8c3ba90.json","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-5356135/v1/33d87e6b9f857688c654cf43.json"},{"id":99172357,"identity":"2f4c2661-2bbf-41f8-9dc5-79ca8d1623c3","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-29 16:08:18","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":13468102,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"Toolkit3.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-5356135/v1_covered_f724593f-387f-4c0b-b63c-cfdb901e1419.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"A Design Toolkit for User Acceptance and Adoption: Supporting Designers in Complex Technology Development","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":true,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":true,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"universal-access-in-the-information-society","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"uais","sideBox":"Learn more about [Universal Access in the Information Society](http://link.springer.com/journal/10209)","snPcode":"10209","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/10209/3","title":"Universal Access in the Information Society","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"Springer Hybrid","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false},"keywords":"User Acceptance, User Adoption, User-Centered Design, Design Toolkit, UTAUT2","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-5356135/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-5356135/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003ePurpose: This study describes the development and validation of a DesignToolkit based on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology(UTAUT2), aimed to include user acceptance and adoption principles in designprocesses. The toolkit addresses the gap between theoretical user acceptancemodels and practical design methodologies with a particular focus on complex technologies like blockchain.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMethods: The toolkit was developed through an iterative process involving user testing sessions with experts and within an educational environment. The initial evaluation was conducted with 5 industry and academic participants, followed by a larger-scale assessment by 45 master’s degree students from diverse backgrounds. Evaluation methods included qualitative analysis of user feedback and quantitative assessment of task completion rates.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eResults: The toolkit significantly improved designers’ understanding of user acceptance as a dynamic and multifaceted process. Initial expert evaluations showed positive feedback on usability and practical application of the toolkit. 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