Debriefing Plan

The Census Bureau plans to conduct additional research under the generic clearance for questionnaire pretesting research (OMB number 0607-0725). We will be conducting respondent debriefings on the electronic data collection instrument, Surveyor, used to collect information for the 2007 Economic Census. The economic census, collecting key indicator data for the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), is conducted every five years via paper or electronically using Surveyor.

The purpose of the respondent debriefings is to identify what areas of improvement are still necessary to make Surveyor a more usable and desirable data collection tool. Extensive usability testing was conducted in 2005 and 2006 prior to implementation. Testing was submitted for OMB approval in letters dated October 22, 2003 and August 9, 2004. The respondent debriefings will cover many aspects of the software with emphasis on the newly-designed Workbook screen, the exporting and importing feature, and the role Surveyor played during the respondents’ economic census response process. Findings will be used to inform the redesign of the software. Enclosed are example screens from the 2007 Surveyor.

From July through September, 2008, we plan to conduct 50 - 60 in-person respondent debriefings with respondents who completed the 2007 Economic Census using Surveyor. In addition to in-person debriefings, we also plan to conduct 30 - 40 telephone debriefing interviews, some with respondents who completed the census using Surveyor and some with businesses that initially indicated interest in electronic reporting but reported via paper. The debriefing interview for these latter respondents will include probes about their mode choice. The interviews will be conducted with businesses that vary in size and industry. Debriefings will be conducted across the United States, but the exact locations for these interviews have not yet been determined.

Interviews will be conducted at the business site by staff from the Establishment Survey Methods Staff within the Census Bureau’s Office of Statistical Methods and Research for Economic Programs. Subject area specialists from the Census Bureau will accompany the usability researcher on most, if not all, of the interviews. They will assist with respondent debriefing, especially in cases where additional clarification of the subject matter is required. Interviews will be audio recorded with the participants’ permission, to aid researchers in accurately reporting findings and recommendations.

After businesses are recruited, participants will receive follow-up reminders about their appointments. Participants will be informed that their response is voluntary and that the information they provide is confidential and will be seen only by Census Bureau special sworn employees involved in the research project. We will not be providing monetary incentives to participants in this study.

We estimate that it will be necessary to interview only one respondent at each company. We estimate the length of the in-person respondent debriefings will average 1.5 hours. We estimate the length of the telephone respondent debriefings will average 45 minutes. Thus, the maximum estimated burden for this research is 120 hours.

The contact person for questions regarding data collection and statistical aspects of the design of this research is:

Amy E. Anderson

Establishment Survey Methods Staff

7K130F

U.S. Census Bureau,

Washington, D.C. 20233

(301) 763-7544

[email protected]