Diversity Works New Zealand had a strong framework for workplace inclusion. It needed an assessment that other organisations could use. The new approach also had to cut manual reporting for its research team.
Simple and Engaging helped turn the framework into the AIM Insights suite. The setup linked the questions, scoring, personal reports and charts. It helped Diversity Works support its members and learn from the results as a whole.
The organisation
Diversity Works New Zealand has promoted diversity, equity and inclusion in New Zealand workplaces for more than three decades. Its research and development team gathers evidence, interprets workplace trends and develops practical products to help organisations strengthen their DEI practice.
“We recognise the transformative power of data in driving meaningful change across the country and truly moving the dial on diversity, equity, and inclusion.”
Pete Mercer, Head of Research and Development, Diversity Works New Zealand
The operating problem
In 2021, Diversity Works launched the Aotearoa Inclusivity Matrix. This research-based framework measures DEI progress across seven areas. The framework was valuable, but using it at scale would have meant a lot of manual scoring, analysis and report building.
The team needed a setup that would:
- make the assessment straightforward for participating organisations;
- apply the agreed scoring and analysis logic consistently;
- generate useful, personalised feedback and recommendations;
- create designed reports without rebuilding them by hand;
- preserve detailed response data for internal use; and
- give Diversity Works a view of wider patterns across participating organisations.
This was more than a request to automate a document. The setup had to link expert knowledge, the user experience, scoring rules, reports, internal data and ongoing support.
The approach
Diversity Works chose Simple and Engaging for its technical skills and practical teamwork. The project started with the framework and the decisions it had to support. The teams then turned those needs into a workflow that Diversity Works could maintain.
“We needed an organisation who has an understanding of our work and what we’re trying to achieve and can therefore help us problem-solve along the way.”
Pete Mercer, Head of Research and Development, Diversity Works New Zealand
The resulting AIM Insights suite included three related routes:
- AIM Self-Assessment: a member organisation completes the assessment and receives immediate, personalised feedback.
- AIM Qualified Assessment: a more supported route that enables tailored guidance from a Diversity Works membership success manager.
- AIM Employee Perception Survey: a way to collect and aggregate employee experience data, including demographic analysis, to support a fuller understanding of DEI practice.
How the assessment and reporting workflow works
- Capture: an organisation completes the relevant assessment or survey.
- Analyse: agreed logic scores and interprets responses.
- Generate: results flow into a designed, personalised report.
- Deliver and retain: the report is sent to the user from a Diversity Works email address, while a copy and detailed reference information are retained for internal use.
- Learn: an internal dashboard supports aggregated analysis and wider trend identification.
The Employee Perception Survey also produced a combined report for each organisation. The case study describes a standard 21-page report with more than 18 charts. Diversity Works could review and comment on a more detailed version.
What made the project work
- The framework stayed central. The technology put Diversity Works’ own knowledge and rules into practice. It did not replace them.
- Both workflows were designed together. The participant journey and the internal process had to work as one system.
- Reporting followed agreed rules. The system created reports from set rules and templates. Staff did not have to build each report by hand.
- The teams worked together. Technical choices were based on the organisation’s goals, limits and daily work.
- Ongoing use mattered. The setup was built to support daily work, not just a one-off launch.
The result
During the 18 months covered by the original case study, the two assessment tools received 240 responses. Diversity Works could give each organisation a personal report. At the same time, it built a stronger base of evidence for wider research and support.
The Employee Perception Survey added another view. Organisations could compare their policies and practices with the experiences reported by different groups of employees.
“It really just allowed us to be more things to more people.”
Pete Mercer, Head of Research and Development, Diversity Works New Zealand
What this case demonstrates
The value did not come from automation alone. It came from linking a clear framework with sound data, set rules and useful reports. The internal evidence and user journey were part of the same design.
That distinction matters for any nonprofit considering an assessment or reporting tool. If definitions, scoring, decisions and ownership are unclear, automation can reproduce uncertainty faster. When the model is clear, technology can reduce manual work and extend the reach of the organisation’s expertise.
Related work
- How Diversity Council Australia translated an intersectional assessment framework into a scalable digital tool
- How to create a maturity assessment for nonprofits
- Practical impact measurement and reporting support
Planning a complex assessment or reporting workflow?
If your framework is clear but the work still depends on manual scoring and reporting, contact Simple and Engaging. We can discuss the workflow, evidence and a practical way to build it.
