The Government Digital Service (GDS) is leading the digital transformation of the UK government and they like to release things early for review and comment. The digital inclusion team is looking for feedback on an alpha version of a checklist for digital inclusion.
The checklist was developed in collaboration with partners from across government, private, voluntary and public sectors and is meant to act as a guide for any organisation involved in helping people go online. Essentially, they want to know if this is the right checklist to say “If you do these things, you’re doing digital inclusion”.
Review their points and tell us, are they right? Is this all you need to do to ensure digital inclusion?
- Start with user needs – not our own: Tailor support around the unique barriers that stop people going online, and adapt to people’s needs which change over time
- Improve access – stop making things difficult: Provide simple, low cost options for those who are socially and economically excluded to get online
- Motivate people – find something they care about: Bring digital into people’s lives in a way that benefits them; helping them do things they care about and can only do online
- Keep it safe – build trust: Make it easier to stay safe online by providing simple and straightforward advice and tools
- Work with others – don’t do it alone: Work together to maximise expertise, experience and resources to better meet user needs
- Focus on wider outcomes – measure performance: Identify wider outcomes that can be delivered by helping people become independently confident online and use data to understand what works
With 20 years plus experience in social housing working with communities I always consult the user and develop a package around their individual needs. Affordability was the largest barrier to all my customers that I have supported in getting online. Affordability and learning to use what they purchase as usually trainers train and companies sell devices not really providing the two together. This is why I came up with a solution that accounts for everything accessibility, customers needs so that they can apply what they learn within their every day life and reducing vulnerability of added costs by providing maintenance and support at a very low cost in with the price of the item. I also offer customers a choice of a low cost affordable loan with a local credit union if they need that option. For further details please do not hesitate to email me.