Two-day working session will bring together cross-functional teams to show what fairer, more trustworthy digital finance systems could look like
YONKERS, NY – Developing creative solutions to some of the challenges consumers can encounter with digital finance tools is the goal of the Fairness by Design Tech Sprint, sponsored by Consumer Reports for April 29-30 in Atlanta. The event will bring together cross-functional teams to design consumer-facing concepts or prototypes that address fintech user concerns and build trust in the tools that people increasingly rely on in the digital economy.
CR is looking for a wide range of perspectives, experiences and skills to create balanced teams that can collaborate effectively, learn from one another, and focus on real consumer needs. Product builders, designers, technologists, researchers, advocates, and industry leaders are encouraged to join the tech sprint by filling out a short application form. Space is limited.
“Digital fintech has ushered in a new era of innovation and transformed the way people manage their money,” said Delicia Hand, senior director, digital marketplace for Consumer Reports. “But persistent gaps in the way products are designed can put consumers at risk and erode trust that leaves them feeling confused, exposed or left behind.”
Hand continued, “We’ve heard from consumers who struggle with unclear data collection and sharing practices; decisions they can’t understand or challenge; difficulty understanding what’s legitimate; and confusing or limited options when something goes wrong. CR’s Fairness by Design Tech Sprint aims to foster collaborative solutions to these common consumer concerns and improve fairness, transparency, and trust in digital finance.”
The tech sprint follows the publication last fall of CR’s Fairness by Design Playbook, which incorporates insights from three years of product testing, consumer research and engagement to outline practical principles for designing digital finance products that center transparency, fairness and financial well-being. The sprint represents the next step in that work—moving from principles to practice by testing how those ideas can be applied in real-world product design. Insights from the event will help inform CR’s broader efforts to evaluate emerging digital finance systems and advance stronger consumer-centered standards across the marketplace.
Media Contact: Michael McCauley, michael.mccauley@consumer.org