Customer Focus Group Concept Testing

Attachment E-1 Focus Group Concept Testing Guide

Form Approved

OMB Control No. _________

Expiration Date _________

Focus Group Concept Testing Guide

The purpose of this focus group is to test concepts and messages about raising awareness and utilization of the CDC/NIOSH Health Hazard Evaluation Program services. Participants will be pre-screened so that the group includes persons who monitor or ensure workplace safety or health for employees at their worksite.

Introduction: Welcome (15 minutes)

A. Purpose: The purpose of our discussion is to find out what you think about the following concepts and messages. These concepts and messages are meant to raise awareness and utilization of Health Hazard Evaluation (HHE) Program services. We will also discuss ways to provide information about services offered by the HHE Program.

B. Disclosures

• Observation

• Audio taping

• Measures for safeguarding privacy

C. Ground rules

• Need to hear from everyone; one at a time please

• No right or wrong answers

• Moderator is impartial, please be candid

D. Participant introduction

• Your first name only

• What type of business/industry you work in

• What you like best about your workplace

Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 2 hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to: Maryam Daneshvar, CDC Acting Reports Clearance Officer, 1600 Clifton Road, MS-D74, Atlanta, GA 30333.

Issue A: Icebreaker

(15 minutes)

The purpose of this section is to get participants into the frame of mind of thinking and talking about workplace health hazards, which will lead into testing the concept of providing information about Health Hazard Evaluation Program services to employees.

1. When you see the phrase “health hazards in the workplace” what do you think of?

Moderator to write “health hazards in the workplace” on flipchart and record responses

Listen for topics such as:

Types of hazards (e.g., chemical, physical or biological)

Types of outcomes (e.g., lung, skin, heart disease, etc.)

Probe:

Which of these concern you most?

2. How concerned are you about health hazards in your current workplace?

Probe:

What makes you concerned or not concerned about health hazards in your current workplace?

3. What are ways to prevent health hazards in the workplace?

4. How familiar are you with Health Hazard Evaluation Program services?

Probe:

What have you heard about it?

What information about it would you want?

What would you need to make a decision about whether or not to utilize such a service?

Issue B: Concept Testing: Workplace Health Hazard Outreach Methods

(15 minutes)

The purpose of this section is to get participants’ reaction to several methods for providing information about the Health Hazard Evaluation Program to employees.

1. I’d like to have you evaluate several possible methods for providing information about the Health Hazard Evaluation Program. On this worksheet please mark how interested you would be in each method. I’ll give you a few minutes to complete this and then we’ll discuss it.

Moderator to pass out worksheet

2. What methods are you very interested in?

Probe:

What makes you interested in these?

3. What methods are you not at all interested in?

Probe:

What makes you not interested in these?

How could it be changed so you would be interested?

4. What other kinds of methods could be helpful to you?

Issue C: Message Testing: Outreach Products

(60 minutes)

The purpose of this section is to get “top of mind” reactions to specific products with messages about Health Hazard Evaluation Program services.

For each item, moderator to show item and read headline and body copy to respondents. Then pin/tape item to wall. Order of items should be rotated between groups.

Before we talk about this I’d like you to write down what you think is the main idea on your notepad.

1. What did you write down on your notepad as the main idea?

Probe:

What do you think of that?

Was this a new idea or something that you’ve heard before?

2. Was the main idea clear?

Probe:

Were there any words that were unusual or unfamiliar?

What other words can be used in their place?

3. Who do you think this is for?

Probe:

Is it for people like you or someone else?

4. Does this motivate you to take action?

5. Now let’s look at the photo/graphic. What do you think of it?

Probe:

Is the picture/graphic appropriate?

What do you think the picture/graphic is trying to show you?

Would you rather see different people in the photo?

6. Now that you’ve seen all of these concepts, which one catches your attention the most?

Probe:

What makes it most effective?

Which of these materials would best educate employees in your workplace about services provided by the HHE Program?

Issue E: Conclusion

(5 minutes)

A. Check for additional questions.

B. Thank and dismiss participants.

Worksheet

Please indicate how interested you are in using each of the following to learn more

about Health Hazard Evaluation Program services.

	Not at all interested	Somewhat interested	Very interested
One page fact sheets or flyers
Brochures or pamphlets
Posters or other items to display in the workplace
On-site presentations by HHE staff
Toll-free hotline
TV or radio advertisements
Newspaper articles
Web pages or Web sites
Teleconferences or conference calls
Presentations or displays at professional associations or meetings
Magazine or journal articles
Video, DVD or on-line video clips
Materials in languages other than English (please specify language: _____________)