Chapter One — 1.1 Background to the Study

Organizations that depend on mobile banking applications are under increasing pressure to modernize, and Accessibility-First Design Practices has emerged as one of the more promising avenues for doing so, given its demonstrated impact in related domains.

In practice, however, adoption of accessibility-first design practices within mobile banking applications has been uneven, and its actual impact on perceived usability is not yet well understood in a rigorous, evaluable way — a gap this study is positioned to address.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Current mobile banking applications in many organizations struggle with inadequate perceived usability, often relying on manual processes or outdated architectures that were not designed for today's operating environment. Without a structured approach to integrating accessibility-first design practices, these limitations are likely to persist, exposing organizations to inefficiency, risk, and a poor user experience. This study is motivated by the need to design and evaluate a accessibility-first design practices-based approach to addressing this problem.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

1. To design and implement a accessibility-first design practices-based approach to improving perceived usability in mobile banking applications.
2. To evaluate the effectiveness of Accessibility-First Design Practices in enhancing perceived usability within mobile banking applications.
3. To identify the key requirements and constraints relevant to deploying accessibility-first design practices in this context.
4. To assess user and stakeholder perception of the resulting system.

1.4 Research Questions

1. How can accessibility-first design practices be applied to improve perceived usability in mobile banking applications?
2. How effective is Accessibility-First Design Practices at enhancing perceived usability within mobile banking applications?
3. What requirements and constraints are relevant to deploying accessibility-first design practices in this context?
4. How do users and stakeholders perceive the resulting system?

1.5 Significance of the Study

Beyond its immediate technical contribution, this study offers value to organizations evaluating whether to invest in accessibility-first design practices for their own mobile banking applications, and contributes to the broader literature on applied UI/UX design by documenting a concrete implementation and evaluation case.

1.6 Scope of the Study

The study is limited to the design, implementation, and evaluation of a accessibility-first design practices-based approach to improving perceived usability within mobile banking applications. Reflecting its MSc-level scope, it does not extend to a full commercial rollout or long-term post-implementation review beyond the study period.