includemaintaining

Includemaintaining is a term used to describe the ongoing integration and upkeep of diverse participants, perspectives, and resources within a system, project, or organization. The goal is to prevent drift toward exclusivity and to ensure that changes remain aligned with inclusive aims.

The concept spans several domains, including software development, organizational governance, education, and public policy. In software, includemaintaining emphasizes continuous accommodation of accessibility standards, multilingual support, and evolving user needs alongside code maintenance. In organizations, it refers to inclusive decision-making, equitable participation, and sustained representation in leadership and work groups.

Core principles include continuous participation, accessible processes, transparent communication, accountability of decision-makers, and sustainable resources. Practices commonly associated with includemaintaining include inclusive onboarding, accessible documentation, regular representation audits, participatory design sessions, and mechanisms for feedback and dispute resolution.

Benefits include broader stakeholder engagement, better alignment with user needs, and improved resilience. Common challenges involve resource constraints, balancing competing needs, measuring inclusivity, and avoiding tokenism. Successful implementation relies on clear ownership, ongoing metrics, and governance that supports revisiting and updating inclusion criteria.