Form DOE-887(73)-Softwa Industrial Technologies Program Software Survey

ATTACHEMENT 2: SURVEY FOR INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGIES
PROGRAM END USER SOFTWARE RECIPIENTS
Note to Interviewer: This survey addresses the distribution of DOE software tools to
industrial end users on a single topic (either Process Heat, Steam, Pumps,
Compressed Air, Fans, or Motors) as indicated in the list of prospective
interviewees. For each prospective interviewee, the list provides the person’s name,
company name, and topic addressed by software.
Good . I am calling today on behalf of the U.S. Department of
Energy to conduct a survey about your experience with software tools addressing provided by the Industrial Technologies Program. The questions in this survey
will take approximately 15 minutes for you to answer, and the results will be used to help
improve the program for future software recipients. Your answers will not be linked to
your name or company and will be reported only in the aggregate. We greatly appreciate
your taking the time to help us with this study.
Note to Interviewer: If respondent spontaneously says that he/she did not receive
software on this topic, remind him/her of the specific software that he/she received
and the associated date(s). [Information is in Sample List.] If respondent
remembers receiving software, mark Question 1 as “received” and proceed to
Question 2. If respondent does not recall receiving software, mark Question 1 as
“not received” and then say “We still have some questions to ask you regarding
your company’s energy management practices.” Proceed to ask questions 2-4 and
7-9. If respondent says that he/she received the software but never opened it, mark
Question 1 as “never opened” and follow the same steps described above for those
who do not recall receiving software.
Background Information
We will begin by asking for some background information regarding you and your
company.
1.

Please confirm that you received DOE software addressing
between Oct. 1, 2005 and Sept. 30, 2006. The DOE software tool(s) in this
area is/are .
_____

Note to Interviewer: See list of software tools for the name of the appropriate
software. Acceptable answers for Question 1 are “received,” “not received,” and
“never opened.” If receipt of software is confirmed, enter “received” and proceed
to Question 2. If respondent does not remember receiving software, remind him/her
of the specific software that he/she received and the associated date(s). If
respondent still does not remember receiving software, enter “not received” and
then say “We still have some questions to ask you regarding your company’s energy
management practices.” Proceed to ask questions 2-4 and 7-9. If respondent says

that he/she received the software but never opened it, enter “never opened” and
follow the same steps described above for those who do not recall receiving software.

2.

Please confirm your name.

_____________________________

3.

Please confirm your company name.

______________________________

4.

What is your title or position with the above-named company?

Note to Interviewer: Do not read possible answers to respondent. Check box to
indicate the answer given or write answer given in “Other” category.
(a) Plant Manager
(b) General Manager
(c) Maintenance Manager
(d) Purchasing Manager
(e) Energy/Utility Manager
(f) Plant/Facility Engineer
(g) Process Engineer
(h) Project Engineer
(i) Chief Electrician
(j) Maintenance Supervisor
(k) Maintenance Staff
(l) Plant/Facility Technician
(m) Other (please specify) _____________________________________
5.a.

_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____

For how many manufacturing plants do you influence energy consumption?_____

Note to Interviewer: If answer to above question is “0”, end interview here and
thank respondent. If answer to above question is “1”, proceed to Question 5.b. In
subsequent questions, you will ask about a single plant (rather than multiple plants)
and you will skip Question 18. If answer is more than 1, proceed to Question 5.c. In
subsequent questions, you will ask about multiple plants (rather than a single plant)
and you will ask Question 18.
5.b.
What is the approximate annual cost of purchased energy for that plant? Is it:
Less than $100,000 ____ $100,000 to $2.5 million ____ Greater than $2.5 million ____
Don’t know _____
Note to Interviewer: Proceed to Question 6.
5.c.

How many of those plants have approximate annual energy costs in the following
categories:
Less than $100,000 ____ $100,000 to $2.5 million ____ Greater than $2.5 million ____
Don’t know _____
6.

What are the principal products of your manufacturing plant(s)?

_____

Note to Interviewer: If respondent’s answer to Question 6 matches one of the
industry descriptions in the one-page Industrial Classification Index that you have
been given, enter the corresponding two-digit Standard Industrial Classification
(SIC) code. If there is not a match, select the most appropriate description from the
Index, ask respondent to verify, and then enter the SIC code.
Note to Interviewer: In Questions 7 – 9, acceptable answers are “yes,” “no,” and
“don’t know.”
7.

8.

9.

Does your company have a formal energy management plan that helps
guide your energy-related decisions?

_____

Have there been any corporate or facility mandates to reduce energy
intensity by a targeted percentage, either annually or by a specific date,
at the plan(s) for which you influence energy consumption?

_____

Does your company have a corporate or facility energy manager?

_____

Value of Software Tool Received
Now I’m going to ask you some questions about the value of the software that you
received on . Please answer using this five-point scale:
1= Strongly Disagree; 2= Disagree; 3=Neither Agree nor Disagree;
4= Agree; 5=Strongly Agree; DK=Don’t Know; NA=Not Applicable
Note to Interviewer: If the topic is Steam, add the following statement here: “If you
received more than one software tool addressing Steam, your answers should reflect
your experience with all those tools combined.”
Additional Note to Interviewer: If respondent says at this point that he/she never
opened the software that was received, change answer to Question 1 to “never
opened”, thank respondent, and end interview.
10.

Overall, the DOE software was beneficial.

_____

11.

The software tool covers most equipment types and sizes at my plant(s).

_____

12.

The software addresses most system design configurations at my plant(s). _____

13.

Navigation and data input are easy.

_____

Please use this five-point scale to answer the following multi-part question.
1= Not at All; 2=Slightly; 3= Moderately; 4= Substantially; 5= Very Substantially
14.

How much could the usefulness of the DOE software tool be increased by:
(a) Converting to web-based software tools
(b) Providing improved guidelines and instructions
(c) Providing guidance on collection of data needed in software
calculations
(d) Providing technical support on using software
(e) Offering SI (metric units) version of the software
(f) Integrating this software with other energy analysis software
(g) Adding capability to simulate systems dynamically
(h) Allowing more flexibility in system design options
(i) Including more energy saving options for the system analyzed

_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____

Application of Software Tool to Meet User Needs
Now I’m going to ask you some questions about how you applied the software that you
received.
15.

Since receiving the DOE software tool, have you identified any -related energy-saving or energy-cost saving measures for your
plant(s) that were addressed by the software? (Yes, No, DK)
_____

Note to Interviewer: If “No” or “Don’t Know”, end interview here and thank
respondent.
16.

By approximately what percentage could total annual energy costs at your
plant(s) be reduced by implementing the measures that you identified?
_____

Note to Interviewer: If respondent asks, Question 16 applies to reduction of energy
costs alone, without factoring in the cost of the measures taken to achieve that
reduction.
17.a.

Have you implemented any of the measures that you identified or are you
in the process of implementing any of those measures with an expected
completion date within the next 12 months? (Yes, No, DK)
_____

Note to Interviewer: If “No” or “Don’t Know”, end interview here and thank
respondent. If “Yes,” proceed to Question 17.b.
17.b.

Approximately what percentage of the potential annual energy cost

reduction that you identified has been achieved, or will be achieved,
by those measures?

_____

Note to Interviewer: If respondent indicated in Question 5.a that he/she influenced
only a single plant, skip to Question 19.
18.a.

You indicated earlier that you influence energy consumption at more than
one plant. At approximately how many of those plants have you
implemented measures, or are in the process of implementing measures
that will be completed within the next 12 months?
_____

18.b. Of those plants, how many have annual energy costs of:
Less than $100,000 ____ $100,000 to $2.5 million ____ Greater than $2.5 million ____
Don’t Know _____
Please answer the following question about the measures that have been implemented in
your plant(s) since you received the DOE software, or that will be completed within the
next 12 months.
19.

Using the following scale, how likely is it that you would implement any
of those measures without the DOE software that you received?
_____

1= Very Unlikely; 2= Somewhat Unlikely; 3= Neither Likely nor Unlikely;
4= Somewhat Likely; 5= Very Likely; DK=Don’t Know
Note to Interviewer: If the answer to the above question is 1 or 2, skip to Question
21.
20.a.

Did the DOE software result in more actions being taken than would have
been the case if you had not received the software? (Yes, No, DK)
_____

20.b.

If “yes,” approximately what percentage of the annual energy cost
reduction that has been achieved, or will be achieved, is due to the
additional measures taken as a result of the software that you received.

____%

Please use this five-point scale to answer the following multi-part question.
1= Not at All; 2=Slightly; 3= Moderately; 4= Substantially; 5= Very Substantially;
DK= Don’t Know
21.

How much was the decision to implement energy-saving or energy-cost saving
measures at your plant(s) influenced by information that the DOE software
provided on each of the following topics:
(a) How to identify energy-saving measures
(b) The cost of energy-saving measures
(c) Prospective energy savings
(d) Prospective cost savings
(e) Prospective payback period

_____
_____
_____
_____
_____

(f) Environmental benefits
(g) Other topic (please specify) ________________________________

_____
_____