Risk Checker
An accessible tool for Prostate Cancer UK that assesses risk in about 30 seconds and points men toward a PSA test.
From "I might be at risk" to "I will book a test"
Prostate cancer is hard to talk about. More than 52,000 men are diagnosed in the UK every year, and over 12,000 die from it. Early detection changes outcomes, and the single most useful step is a PSA test conversation with a GP. The brief was to move a man from that first flicker of concern to a booked appointment with the least possible friction.
We built the most frictionless on-ramp we could: three questions, about thirty seconds, anonymous, clinically defensible, mobile-first, and accessible. It ends in a calm, personalised next step the user can screenshot and show their GP. The Risk Checker is live now.
By the numbers
A conversation, not a form
Three questions, framed like a friend
Structured as a short conversation rather than a clinical questionnaire. Each question is phrased the way a friend would ask it, and each answer is acknowledged before the next.
Clinically validated factors
The three questions map to validated risk factors: age (over 50), ethnicity (Black heritage raises risk), and family history (a father or brother with prostate cancer).
Anonymous by design
Risk is computed locally in the browser. No data leaves the device, and there are zero third-party trackers. A man can check his risk without leaving a trace.
A clear, routed next step
The output is calm and specific. For a higher-risk result: here is the PSA test, here is how to talk to your GP, and here is what to expect. Something to screenshot and act on.
Accessibility is the brief
WCAG 2.2 AA is the floor, not a checkbox. It works for older men, low digital literacy, assistive tech, low bandwidth, and people in distress: screen reader support, keyboard flows, generous tap targets, and plain English.
Editable by a PCUK editor
Built as a first-class part of the existing brand and editorial systems, not a bolted-on widget. We worked alongside the clinical advisory and editorial teams so every word is defensible and on-brand.
Built to reach everyone
The tool is built as progressive enhancement over Prostate Cancer UK's existing CMS, so it works on an old Android phone over a 3G connection. Risk is calculated in the browser, which keeps it anonymous and keeps it fast. The engagement has been pro-bono since 2023 and is ongoing, held to the same engineering standard as any paid work.
The highest-converting page on the site
The Risk Checker has been completed over 2.5 million times, with thousands more every day across the UK and beyond. It is the highest-converting page on Prostate Cancer UK's website, and high-impact because every higher-risk man it surfaces leaves with a clear, specific next step. TechMaven remains the team behind the tool as it continues to evolve.
"It is the highest-converting page on the site, and it got there by being tuned for the person on the other side of the screen, not for conversion." Digital lead, Prostate Cancer UK
Building something that has to reach everyone?
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