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Featured example · Equity Analysis Toolkit Studio
SMS becomes the default reminder. Paper stops. “No-shows” are the reason. Walk the decision before it locks — without blaming communities.
~8–12 minutes · Browse only · Fictional people with stated preferences only. Practice illustration — not Official policy; not a filed analysis.
Before the eight steps
Desired result is not “send more texts.” It is: people who need the appointment/renewal receive, understand, and act on the reminder within 12 months of the change — across language, disability communication access, device stability, and place. DHS areas: program operations, language access, disability communication access. Who is easy to see: English-proficient, personal phone, texts OK, daytime attention. Who is easy to miss: shared phone; Spanish written preference (Elena); no text plan; ASL/CART; guardian-mediated contact; rural coverage; first DHS touchpoint.
Blended no-show averages hide who is missed. Missing breakouts: language, disability/communication need, geography, bounce/undeliverable by channel, “unreachable” after paper cut.
A 10-day window rarely includes people who use paper, interpreters, or disability communication access. Staff brainstorm ≠ engagement.
Formal doors callout. Tribal consultation is a formal door when Nation-impacted — not a stakeholder workshop. Escalate via Office of Indian Policy / Tribal liaison. Do not invent Nation guidance.
Benefit: faster reach for people who already text successfully. Burden: shared phone; Spanish written preference ignored; Deaf/HH left out; “no-show” labels rise for process reasons.
Write the impact so a later reader can see the design change, not a cover sheet.
Impact owner = program operations lead; outcome co-owners = language access + disability communication access contacts; communication owner + audience named; revisit = 90 days with breakout metrics; stop-rule = if undeliverable/unreachable rises for language or disability flags, restore paper.
Route to administration Equity Director / equity committee before the freeze when impact is prolonged or agencywide channel policy. Align to DHS equity policy (antiracist, multicultural, intercultural) and Equity Strategic Framework — analysis must be able to change the design, not decorate the launch deck.
Dual-channel and preference capture are funded and staffed (mail/print or equivalent written path; interpreter/ASL pathways budgeted). Data collection for breakouts is possible. Unfunded mitigation is not mitigation. If paper sunset saves money that is not reinvested in access, the analysis fails sustainability.
The toolkit does not replace these paths.
Briefs help you ask better questions. They do not tell you what an individual believes, needs, or prefers.
Practice on a similar decision you own. Download a published checklist. Staff notes are not saved here.
On your own decision: keep channel mix open until preference + access are known. No case names in notes.