Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Subtitle

KLI is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion as an employer and a business partner.

Unity in Diversity

Diversity, equity and inclusion are top of mind for many organizations, and KLI is no exception. As a minority woman-owned business, we are diverse by nature and by design. We value the diversity of skills, experiences, and heritage of our team members and know that our differences are just as important as our similarities.

And we apply that same sentiment to the research that we do. We believe that diversity in perspective yields better and more insightful research outcomes, ultimately leading to better designed products, services, and experiences for all. We also believe that research should be equitable and inclusive of traditionally marginalized groups.

With that in mind, KLI includes our proprietary Inclusivity Index™ with each project – at no charge to our clients.

Want to ensure your next research project aligns with your organization’s DEI goals, but not sure how to get started? KLI can help.

What is KLI’s proprietary Inclusivity Index?

Our Inclusivity Index report makes it easy to identify how your study meets broad inclusivity goals, as well as what future research could be conducted to continue to build a more inclusive brand, product, or service.

The Inclusivity Index is a 3-point rating index intended to highlight areas of under-representation for traditionally marginalized groups in society through the participant recruitment process.

The Inclusivity Index helps to determine if the overall sample, potentially across multiple projects, is representative of the general population using census data or accredited academic resources.

The goal of the Inclusivity Index is to help inform you of multiple perspectives so that you can have a complete picture with minimal biases.

Key Lime Inclusivity Index Definitions

Under-Represented

Indicates that your research participants under-represent the perspectives of marginalized groups across a specific DEI dimension relative to the latest available population data. 

At Index

Indicates that the profiles of your research participants are similar to that of the latest available population data when it comes to representing the perspectives of marginalized groups across a specific DEI dimension.

Progressively Represented

Indicates that your research participants represent a higher percentage than that of the latest available population for marginalized groups across a specific DEI dimension. This is an active effort to counterbalance the systematic exclusion of these perspectives, compared to At Index inclusivity.

How KLI’s Inclusivity Index Works

The Inclusivity Index encompasses a minimum of 5 attributes:

At Key Lime, we believe that attention should always be drawn to 3 fixed attributes in the index – gender, race, and sexual orientation – because historical under-representation often suggests the presence of systemic biases and discrimination in the design process that can take years or even decades to effectively “undo.”

The minimum of 2 variable attributes represent the perspectives that are most applicable to your specific study, project, industry and/or product.

Variable attributes are intended to be modified by you to focus on the specific needs of a research project or design. Consider populations of your users that are currently under-served or are overlooked in your design.

Fixed DEI Dimensions

Racial Diversity • Gender • Disability

Variable DEI Dimensions

Mutually decided upon by you and your KLI team

Why 5 attributes?

We understand that incorporating too many questions can turn your screener into a survey. That is why we recommend a minimum of five (5) attributes. However, there is no maximum as there are many attributes that could be applicable to your product. Researchers are welcome and encouraged to go beyond this number of variable attributes if applicable.

The 5 attributes become part of the participant recruitment process. The data is analyzed and an index is included in your research project’s final report to provide insight into new opportunities for new customer bases, improved functionality and interactions.

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