Ask-Point

Ask-point is a term introduced in disability-and-HCI research to name a discrete moment in daily life at which a person with a disability must request help from a caregiver, family member, or other person — for example, reaching for a dropped object, opening a door, transferring from a chair, or retrieving an item from a high shelf. Ask-points are a unit of analysis distinct from coarse-grained metrics like 'hours of unsupervised time' because reducing even one or two high-frequency ask-points can produce disproportionate gains in autonomy and emotional dignity, whereas a device that solves a rare but important task may leave the daily rhythm of dependency untouched. The concept supports ask-point-centered co-design: mapping morning and evening routines to identify where assistance is requested, at what urgency, and with what privacy exposure, then targeting interventions at the points of peak dependence.