Identifying and reducing barriers to having a racially and ethnically diverse research population

Abstract

In order for human factors professionals to develop technologies and tools that can benefit all, research studies must have a diverse participant population that reflects the user population. In this article, the authors discuss barriers to participation and strategies to increase recruitment and promote retention throughout the research process. Case studies are also shared to portray both how the barriers can negatively impact a study if ignored and how they have been successfully overcome. Finally, strategies synthesized from the literature and the article are combined and presented to support future research studies.