The Donut Dilemma: A Thought Experiment on Access and Opportunity

Imagine walking by a bakery and seeing some delicious donuts through the window. As you try to walk in, you’re greeted by a locked door that announces the shop is only open to people whose names start with ‘K.’

You’d likely feel excluded because of an arbitrary rule  and wonder what your name has to do with your ability to enjoy a donut. And you’d be right. This is exactly what exclusion looks like — when we cannot access opportunities we are fully capable of.

Remember Mike Ross from “Suits” who needed to pretend he was from Harvard Law because the top law firms only hired from specific schools? He proved how misplaced that exclusion was (not that I am condoning forgery of any kind!)

Inclusive design is about removing these systemic barriers so opportunities are more accessible. What systemic barriers might be in place for our learners that we haven't considered?

🤔 How are your learners invited to contribute to discussions in your workshops? Do they HAVE to come off mute to add to a discussion?

🤔 Are you presenting content in a variety of ways to accommodate dyslexia, reading ability, and language proficiency?

🤔 Do you have an ‘equal speaking time’ policy to ensure balanced participation? ie How are you making sure that more vocal participants don't dominate the discussion?

These factors may unintentionally exclude learners from fully engaging.

Curious to hear how all of you intentionally design to remove barriers so everyone has a chance to be involved and be heard?