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 Chapter 3 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