Access Test Guide
Confirming whether your chosen people are observable, reachable, and willing to engage
This guide should be used with the methods outlined in Test Your Access.
Purpose
Before you invest in conversations or observations, confirm that you can reliably reach your chosen people. Access testing answers a simple but essential question: Can we actually engage them, repeatedly and meaningfully?
A passed access test = you know where your people are, you can reach them directly, and they are willing to engage.
1. Define Your Group
- Chosen people/community: ___
- Why this group matters: ___
- Typical settings or gathering places: ___
2. Minimum Access Conditions
Check each box only if evidence supports it (not just assumptions):
3. Test Design
- Channels to test: ___
- Sample size goal: ___
- Method (DM, intercept, post, visit, etc.): ___
- Timeline: ___
4. Execution Notes
- What did you actually do? ___
- How many people did you attempt to reach? ___
- How many responded positively? ___
- Quality of responses (surface vs. depth): ___
- Any barriers or surprises? ___
5. Results & Signal Strength
- Strong access (green light): People responded quickly, openly, and repeatedly.
- Weak access (yellow light): Responses limited, shallow, or hard to replicate.
- Blocked access (red light): Could not reliably find, reach, or engage.
Your assessment: ___
6. Knowledge Update
- What do you now know about access to this group? ___
- What assumptions did you validate or overturn? ___
- Did you learn anything about subgroups, gatekeepers, or hidden barriers? ___
7. Next Steps
- If green: Plan your first exploratory conversations/observations.
- If yellow: Refine channels, messaging, or sampling strategy.
- If red: Loop back to convergence; reconsider your chosen people.
Attachments (Data Room pointers):
- Screenshot of messages/posts sent
- Short intercept script (if used)
- Record of replies or field notes