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Challenge 7.5: How might technology help match British Sign Language (BSL) users and their required interpreters more easily and equitably?
Challenge summary
Booking British Sign Language interpreters is of vital importance for BSL users, enabling them to be included and effectively participate in the workplace, social events and more. However, BSL users commonly cite an issue around low availability of interpreters. A review commissioned by the Scottish Government in 2019 uncovered evidence that this is often not based on interpreters being unavailable, but instead that current booking systems do not facilitate efficient or effective use of interpreter time. There is currently a fragmented community of BSL users, freelance interpreters and agencies with no market solution in place to support collaboration to address the issues faced by BSL users.
Key information for applicants
Please note: you must apply for this Challenge via Public Contracts Scotland
Launch date
Tuesday 31 May 2022
Questions may be submitted until
16:00, Tuesday 21 June 2022
Closing date
Midday, Tuesday 28 June 2022
Exploration Stage interviews
Monday 25 and Tuesday 26 July 2022
Exploration Stage
15 August to 2 September 2022
Accelerator interviews
Monday 05 September 2022
Accelerator Stage
3 October 2021 to 27 January 2023
Maximum contract value
£350,000
Q&A session
A live Q&A session was held with the Challenge Sponsor team on Wednesday 8 June 2022 at 11:00. A recording of the session can be viewed here:
Why does this Challenge need to be solved?
The Scottish Government commissioned Queen Margaret University to undertake a detailed landscape review of the BSL/English interpreting landscape in Scotland. This fulfilled a commitment in the BSL National Plan to investigate and strengthen the profession. The report from this review was published in 2019.
BSL users commonly cite an issue around low availability of interpreters. The review uncovered evidence that this is often not based on interpreters being unavailable, but instead that current booking systems do not facilitate efficient or effective use of interpreter time. A technological solution such as a centralised booking system was recommended in this report.
The Scottish Government commissioned Snook, a design research company, to investigate conduct initial research with BSL users, interpreters, agencies and public sector organisations into potential solution designs. The research focused on investigating how people book interpreters, identifying the core qualities and functionalities of a user-centred booking service, and assessing whether these could be met by existing booking systems.
The research undertaken highlights the following issues:
There is currently a fragmented community of BSL users, freelance interpreters and agencies with no market solution in place to support collaboration to address the issues faced by BSL users.
Interpreters are not deployed efficiently or effectively (c. 100 interpreters in Scotland). Some have capacity and want more work but don’t get bookings.
Travel between face-to-face bookings means interpreters reduce the time they are available for work it can also mean the public sector is paying for more travel time and less interpreting time.
Further issues include:
Freelance interpreters and agencies work in different ways and use different booking systems – a solution must fit the needs of both.
The use of face-to-face interpreting and online services – face-to-face is always preferred and advocated for, but the use of online interpreting has changed in some settings over 2020/21 with the increased use of online interpreting due to Covid.
Terms and conditions vary for interpreters.
Wider concerns exist around the numbers of people and skill level of people entering and working within the interpreting profession, including the needs for specialist training for interpreters to work in particular specialist setting eg. medical and justice settings.
The need for specialist interpreter support means that operational efficiency (i.e. maximising the utilisation of interpreters) should not override the appropriateness of interpreters. BSL users’ booking needs and preferences must be taken into account in any system developed. BSL users would like to know who their interpreter is, as well as their experience, before the appointment so that they can assess the appropriateness of the interpreter and request changes in advance.
Examples of wastage in the current system include having to cancel and reschedule appointments (e.g. medical appointments); interpreters being paid for assignments that have been booked in error; high travel costs met by the public sector on top of interpreter fees due to ineffectual deployment; and complex or lengthy “booking chains” that increase administrative effort & cost.
Current user experience might be:
A BSL user could email or contact any interpreter or agency for an interpreter for an appointment in Scotland. This might include multiple/repeat communications for the same appointment. The BSL user might need to ask multiple agencies to help try and source an interpreter for an appointment. Once an interpreter has been booked, the BSL user could arrive to find the interpreter is not there meaning the appointment will need to be rescheduled. Or if the appointment is cancelled at the last minute then cancellation fees are likely to be due for the interpreter services.
How will we know the Challenge has been solved?
This Challenge will be successful if BSL users can access the interpreting support they need easily in order to have equal access to services. For example:
BSL users have a reduced “booking chain” when sourcing an interpreter and that there are fewer points of failure in the system.
BSL users are able to access public services when and where they need to meaning it’s on equal footing.
The successful solution should be widely applicable and make significant use of user research in its development. Whilst we envision a solution that can be used in a wide variety of contexts, we are particularly keen to see solutions that will enable BSL users in the Public Sector to easily and equitably access interpreters .
Who are the end users of the solution likely to be?
BSL users
Freelance BSL interpreters
BSL Interpreting Agencies
Public sector bodies who book interpreters services
Has the Challenge Sponsor attempted to solve this problem before?
No. However, large public sector organisations such as Police Scotland and various NHS boards have developed their own bespoke systems to meet their needs, supported by procurement frameworks and in-house services.
Are there any interdependencies or blockers?
There are currently many actors with operating under competing agendas: agencies and interpreters, who rely on profit-centric business models; public sector organisations, that require the best quality of service at the lowest cost; and BSL users who are entitled to equal access and high quality representation through interpreting services. A centralised booking system may be problematic within the current marketplace due to these completing agendas. For example, tensions could arise if agencies and freelancers transparently shared their pricing and terms and conditions on a shared platform. Any solution should be considerate of the sector and communities’ requirements, and be sensitive to these.
Any solution would require buy-in from agencies, interpreters, and organisations through its design for usability, quality and efficiency. The user needs, as outlined in the research, must be central to the design of a solution. Development of this solution would need to adhere to the Scottish Approach to Service Design and the Digital Scotland Service Standards.
A new solution could be prototyped within a high-demand, low-risk sector. For example, with local authorities and community bookings of low complexity.
Will a solution need to integrate with existing systems/ equipment?
Depending on the nature of the proposed solution, it may need to be integrated with the existing booking systems of agencies and large public sector organisations. The costs of any such integration have not been identified.
Any technologies or features the Challenge Sponsor wishes to explore or avoid?
Whilst we’re looking for a product that could be used by various bodies, it is important that what’s developed is not a ‘centralised’ booking system that requires all public bodies to use it. If suitable for the nature of the proposed solution, we’re keen to see solutions that use an Open Government Licence to allow for extensions and technical developments, and use data analytics to make future improvements.
What is the commercial opportunity beyond a CivTech contract?
The solution is likely to apply to other instances where people do not have an equal experience, for example interpreter services for other languages or other accessibility needs.
Who are the stakeholders?
BSL users
Freelance BSL interpreters
BSL Interpreting Agencies
Public sector bodies who book interpreters services
Interpreter registration bodies
Deaf organisations
Who’s in the Challenge Sponsor team?
Capacity would be provided from the Equality Unit, including access to existing research from QMU and Snook.