Skip to Main Content

Digital Equity Co-Creation Toolkit

This guide outlines on ongoing State Library project funded by the Washington State Legislature in support of creating an ethical tool for ongoing community-centered assessment of one's holistic digital experience.

Developing the Toolkit With Community

The toolkit will consist of the following pieces:

  • A menu of different activity types with instructions that you can modify to fit into an activity that is already in alignment with your community organization's goals and regular activities.
    • There are many activities that surface information without involving a paper survey; Case studies, focus groups, Story mapping, photovoice, dance-based approaches, storytelling ,etc.
    • The menu includes a decision tree that helps one understand which activity requires which level of community compensation.
  •  
  •  
  •  
  • Templates for a contract between the State Library and your Community Organization, Outlining:
    • How the information may be used, stored, and for how long. 
    • It will also include standards for ensuring anonymization of any personally identifiable information. We understand every community has different standards and considerations for ensuring their data is anonymous.
    • It will include what follow-up is expected from WSL after the survey is completed to hold the state accountable for any requested follow-up activities and/or reports.
    • It will include agreements for how to distribute payments to survey respondents through your community organization, as well as rates for payment to any community members who wish to conduct these assessment activities themselves, and/or pay community members for local translation of materials.
  • Templates for non-invasive collection of demographic data (required when the state compensates community members for their expertise and lived experience.)
  • Promotional materials to adapt to different communities.
  • Outreach plan to support those using the toolkit in how to build trust authentically for relational partnership with communities, rather than an extractive framework for engagement.
  • As we test and refine the toolkit with Washington communities, we ask these communities tell us what is missing, and what the toolkit needs to be accessible and effective in building trust and centering the community's voice.