Get in touch
get in touch

Government & Crisis Management

Giving citizens a voice and access to pandemic insights

UK Covid-19 Inquiry – Public Platform

The UK Covid-19 Inquiry was established to examine the UK’s response to and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, drawing lessons for the future. Led by Baroness Hallett, the Inquiry divided its work into thematic modules, each supported by preliminary hearings, full hearings, and Core Participant engagement. Transparency and accessibility were central to the Inquiry’s mission, requiring a digital platform that could support:

  • Publication of official documents and evidence.
  • Regular updates and news.
  • A nationwide Listening Exercise, giving citizens a direct voice.

Challenge

The Inquiry faced several challenges in delivering its digital service:

  • Time constraints and the availability of stakeholders for input.
  • The need to balance legal obligations with usability and accessibility requirements.
  • Ensuring public trust by enabling citizens to share experiences of the pandemic while safeguarding sensitive and emotional content.
  • Designing for a diverse set of users — including journalists, legal teams, Core Participants, and the wider public — many of whom faced digital access barriers.

Our Approach

Apprilis supported the Inquiry’s digital delivery team through a structured discovery, alpha, and beta process, working in an agile way with steadfast delivery deadlines.

  • Discovery:
    • Conducted research with around 20 users via remote interviews, supported by counselling services due to the sensitive subject matter.
    • Partnered with the Inquiry’s polling agency to gather insights from over 1,000 members of the public.
    • Reviewed findings from previous inquiries (Grenfell, Manchester Arena, IICSA, Undercover Policing) and from the earlier Covid-19 consultation (20,000+ submissions).
    • Identified key user needs, including the ability to: share their pandemic story, search and filter documents easily, and stay informed on Inquiry outcomes.
  • Alpha:
    • Developed and tested prototypes of the news, document library, and Listening Exercise functions.
    • Engaged with harder-to-reach and marginalised groups, including those affected by long Covid.
    • Tested with both Core Participants and members of the public through interviews, pop-up research, and unmoderated feedback.
    • Identified and addressed major usability issues, particularly around language clarity and content structure.
  • Accessibility & Inclusion:
    • Engaged a specialist recruitment agency to include users with lower digital skills and a variety of access needs.
    • Partnered with an accessibility testing provider during the Beta phase to ensure full compliance and inclusivity.
  • Agile Delivery & Collaboration:
    • Worked in two- and three-week sprints, with daily stakeholder engagement via Jira and Confluence.
    • Held regular ‘show and tell’ sessions with Inquiry leaders and maintained constant communication with key contacts.
    • Supported team wellbeing with mental health initiatives and social activities, ensuring resilience during a high-pressure project.

Impact

  • Delivered a multi-functional Inquiry website featuring:
    • A news hub for updates.
    • A document library for transcripts, evidence, and reports.
    • An accessible Listening Exercise platform, enabling citizens to share experiences of the pandemic.
  • Produced clear, user-tested content guidelines, improving the accessibility and comprehension of Inquiry communications.
  • Ensured the website was fully accessible, bilingual (including Welsh), and compliant with digital service standards.
  • Created a service that balanced legal obligations, sensitivity, and usability, setting a new benchmark for future public inquiries.

Key Outcomes

  • Citizens, journalists, and legal teams gained transparent, easy access to Inquiry updates and evidence.
  • Over 1,000+ citizens engaged in early research, shaping the design of the Listening Exercise.
  • Content clarity improvements reduced barriers to public understanding and engagement.
  • A robust, agile delivery approach ensured deadlines were met without compromising on inclusivity or stakeholder confidence.

Ready to explore further?

Delivering comprehensive and collaborative services worldwide for lasting impact

explore our services