Ask who might be missing
An average result can hide an unequal experience. A workflow that feels easy to a well-connected office team may be much harder for someone using a shared phone, another language or an intermittent connection. Before choosing a tool, name the people who could find it difficult to access, understand or challenge.
Make participation practical
Invite colleagues and service users to show you where the current process fails them. Offer more than one way to contribute. Test realistic examples, including incomplete information and unfamiliar phrasing. Treat that work as part of the design, with time and responsibility assigned to it.
Measure who benefits
Alongside speed and volume, ask whether different groups can complete the task and get help when they need it. Use information that is appropriate and permitted for that purpose. A small pilot with clear feedback and human review can reveal barriers before they become routine.
Take one useful step.
- Identify whose experience might be missing from the brief.
- Include an accessible way to question or correct an output.
- Review differences in experience, not just an overall average.
Original AIHI commentary. Source authorship remains with the credited publication.
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