Case Study: Redesigning the Peer Review Experience for UKRI
As a service designer, I had the privilege of leading a project to transform the peer review experience for UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). Reviewer uptake had been declining year on year since 2018, presenting significant challenges to the quality of reviews and the manual workload required to collect them. By leveraging human-centered design principles, we successfully redesigned the journey, resulting in the first-ever increase in reviewer uptake and response levels. This case study outlines the research, ideation, and delivery process that made this transformation possible.
The Challenge The existing peer review process was cumbersome and inefficient for reviewers. Key pain points included:
• The need to log into the system to accept or decline review invitations.
• Lack of accessible, at-a-glance information on deadlines and key application details.
• Complex protocols for accessing sensitive data.
• Limited flexibility for requesting timeline extensions.
These issues contributed to declining reviewer engagement and placed a heavy manual burden on UKRI to secure reviews. Our goal was to create a streamlined, accessible, and scalable service that addressed both user and business needs.
A user needs map showing finding from engagement with users and stakeholders
Research and Discovery
We conducted extensive quantitative and qualitative research to uncover the root causes of declining reviewer uptake. This included:
User Interviews: Engaging with a diverse group of reviewers to understand their experiences, pain points, and preferences.
Stakeholder Workshops: Collaborating with policy, security, and operations teams to align on goals and constraints.
Data Analysis: Reviewing historical data on reviewer response rates and timelines.
Key insights included:
• Reviewers often found the login process to be a significant barrier.
• Clear, concise information was critical for reviewers to make quick decisions.
• Many reviewers needed flexibility in deadlines due to competing priorities.
Ideation around how reviewers can quickly respond to an invite
Ideation and Solution Development
Based on our discovery findings, we ideated three potential solutions to address the identified pain points. Through user testing and feasibility assessments, we refined these into a single solution that balanced user needs with technical and operational feasibility.
The Redesigned Peer Review Journey The new peer review experience introduced several key features:
Seamless Invitation Process: Reviewers now receive invitations via email with key information displayed upfront, including deadlines and non-sensitive application data. This allows them to decide instantly whether they can review the application without logging in.
Timeline Extensions: Reviewers can request extensions directly from the invitation, providing greater flexibility.
At-a-Glance Information: Key application details are presented concisely, enabling reviewers to quickly determine if they are the right person for the task.
Streamlined Protocol Acceptance: Reviewers can review and accept protocols before accessing sensitive application data, ensuring compliance without unnecessary friction.
Accessible Review Platform: The new service is fully responsive and accessible, allowing reviewers to read and complete reviews on mobile devices, even while traveling.
Landing Page for Reviews: Reviewers can view the status of past and present reviews in a centralised, intuitive landing page.
Low fidelity process flows to visualise the proposed reviewer journey
Delivery and Implementation
Using user story mapping, we defined a scalable and iterative MVP that prioritized core functionality while leaving room for future enhancements. The final design adhered to GDS and WCAG standards, ensuring accessibility and usability for all reviewers.
Impact and Results
The redesigned peer review service has delivered measurable improvements:
• Increased Reviewer Uptake: For the first time, reviewer response rates have risen, reversing a multi-year decline.
• Improved Review Quality: By reducing friction, reviewers have more time and focus to deliver thoughtful, high-quality feedback.
• Operational Efficiency: The new process has significantly reduced the manual effort required to collect reviews.
Conclusion
This project demonstrates the power of user-centered design in addressing complex challenges. By deeply understanding reviewer needs and iterating based on their feedback, we created a service that meets both user and business goals. The success of this initiative not only improves the peer review experience but also supports UKRI in advancing its mission to fund world-class research and innovation.