BRDIS Usability Testing Information Update Plan

This is an informational update to inform you of changes to a previous submission under the generic clearance for questionnaire pretesting research (OMB number 0607-0725) regarding plans to conduct usability testing with business respondents to support the development of the Business R&D and Innovation (BRDI) Survey, an annual survey co-sponsored by the Census Bureau and the National Science Foundation.

In a submission around March 4, 2008, we requested and received permission to conduct 40 usability interviews. However, we were only able to complete 6 interviews before the survey was finalized. This letter is an update to let you know that we will be conducting the remaining 34 interviews.

The usability testing will focus on reporting consistency between the paper and electronic form and the inevitable design changes when moving a form from paper to the Web. The usability testing of the website will focus on the following areas:

- Navigation: ensuring respondents can move easily among data fields and among screens;

- Submission of data/form completion: making sure respondents know how to submit their data online;

- Multiple modules: understanding how companies will interact with the multiple modules and how they will pass them across the company; and

- Data edits: ensuring the edits are clear and not burdensome.

During May-August, 2009, we plan to conduct several rounds of usability testing. We will attempt to obtain interviews with businesses that vary in size, complexity, and type of company. Interviews will be conducted at the business sites by staff from the Establishment Survey Methods Staff (ESMS) in the Economic Directorate of the Census Bureau. Subject area specialists will accompany the usability tester 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.

In these usability interviews, we will be debriefing respondents who completed their 2008 BRDI in Census Taker. We will ask them general questions about their experience, and then ask them to walk us through the instrument and discuss detailed issues. Attached is a copy of the screen shots and a draft protocol. Findings from the testing will be used to plan future revisions to the electronic instrument.

Participants will be recruited by ESMS members using a list of R&D companies provided by the Manufacturing and Construction Division. After they are recruited, participants will receive a follow-up reminder of their appointments by fax, telephone or e-mail. All interviews will be audio-recorded with the participants' permission, to facilitate accurate summarization of the results. Participants will be informed that their response is voluntary and that the information they provide is confidential and will be seen only by employees involved in the research project. We will not be providing monetary incentives to participants in this study.

We are not requesting any additional burden hours; this is just an informational update.

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

Kristin Stettler

Establishment Survey Methods Staff

OSMREP, Room 7K132A

U.S. Census Bureau

Washington, D.C. 20233

(301) 763-7596

[email protected]