The latest strategy from Good Things Foundation offers a timely and important reflection on what it takes to make digital inclusion effective in practice.
Their findings are clear and grounded in delivery experience:
To make digital inclusion truly work, people need:
- time
- holistic support
- systems that enable learning at their own pace
These are not abstract principles.
As a member of the National Digital Inclusion Network since 2013, I recognise these not as theoretical ideas, but as lived realities consistently observed across communities, services, and programmes over time.
However, while the sector is increasingly aligned on what people need, a more pressing question is now emerging:
How do we design systems that consistently deliver these conditions?
From inputs to outcomes
Digital inclusion has often been framed in terms of inputs:
- access to devices
- connectivity
- basic digital skills
These remain essential. However, they are not sufficient. We are seeing a growing number of individuals who are:
- connected
- technically capable
- digitally active
yet still excluded in meaningful ways.
This is because access and skills are inputs.
Participation is the outcome.
Participation is where digital inclusion becomes real — when people are able to:
- engage with services confidently
- make informed decisions
- benefit economically and socially
- feel represented and supported within digital systems
The challenge now is to design for that outcome.
Translating the three truths into system design
The three truths identified by Good Things Foundation can be understood not only as user needs, but as design requirements for organisations, services, and systems.
1. Time → Designing for continuity, not one-off intervention
Digital inclusion cannot be achieved through single interactions.
People need:
- the ability to return
- time to build confidence
- space to learn through repetition
This requires systems that:
- enable ongoing engagement
- track progression over time
- support re-entry without penalty
In practice, this means moving beyond transactional support models towards continuous, relationship-based engagement.
2. Holistic support → Designing beyond “digital skills”
Digital exclusion is rarely caused by a single factor.
It often sits at the intersection of:
- confidence
- trust
- language
- accessibility
- socioeconomic context
- lived experience
Designing for holistic support means recognising that:
digital inclusion is not a standalone intervention — it is part of a wider system of support.
This requires:
- integration across services
- alignment between digital, social, and community support
- a deeper understanding of the realities people face
3. Learning at one’s own pace → Designing for flexibility and dignity
Rigid, standardised approaches to digital skills development often fail to meet people where they are.
Effective systems:
- allow individuals to progress at different speeds
- provide modular, adaptable pathways
- reduce pressure and fear of failure
Crucially, they preserve dignity — enabling people to learn without feeling judged, rushed, or excluded.
The emerging gap: from insight to implementation
There is now a growing alignment across the sector on the importance of:
- community-led delivery
- trusted intermediaries
- inclusive design
However, a critical gap remains. Many organisations are still asking:
- Where are we currently?
- What does “good” look like in our context?
- What should we prioritise first?
- How do we measure progress over time?
In other words, the sector has strong insight — but often lacks practical tools for translation and decision-making.
A practical contribution: from understanding to action
At IFB Gaming, our work has focused on bridging this gap between insight and implementation.
This has led to the development of a simple but structured approach:
- The Digital Inclusion Toolkit → to support understanding and shared language
- The Digital Inclusion Stage Index → to provide a practical way of assessing current position
- Digital Inclusion Audits → to translate assessment into clear, prioritised action
Together, these are designed to support organisations in moving from:
awareness → to measurement → to action
Designing for participation
If digital inclusion is to be, as stated, “baked in, not bolted on”, then it must be designed as a system.
This means:
- designing for participation, not just access
- embedding trust, clarity, and relevance into services
- recognising that inclusion is ongoing, not a one-time outcome
It also requires a shift in mindset:
from delivering digital inclusion activities
to designing digital inclusion systems
A shared direction
The direction of travel is becoming clearer.
There is increasing recognition that:
- community infrastructure matters
- lived experience matters
- system design matters
The next phase of digital inclusion will be defined not only by what we deliver, but by how well we design for participation at scale.
An open invitation
We are currently testing the Digital Inclusion Stage Index and associated toolkit in real-world contexts.
If you are working in digital inclusion, public services, community delivery, or organisational transformation, I would welcome your perspective.
Because the challenge ahead is shared:
not just to understand digital inclusion — but to make it work, consistently, in practice.