Job No.10-795
July 2010
PRODUCT SAFETY
FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSION OUTLINE – CONSUMERS
I. Introduction (10 minutes)
A. Purpose of meeting: To talk about issues relating to the safety of products consumers have in their homes and that are part of our everyday lives. Let me assure you once again that this is not a sales meeting of any kind. I don’t have anything to sell you. This is a form of market research and all I’m interested in is your opinions.
B. About focus groups:
1. Form of market research, not selling anything
2. Discussion will last about 2 hours
3. Audiotaping/Videotaping
4. One-way mirror; associates viewing, notes may come in
5. All comments will be kept anonymous and confidential
6. Have courage of convictions; don’t let group sway you
7. No right or wrong answers, only your opinion
8. Don’t have to raise hands; but speak one at a time
9. Work for independent market research company
10. Please silence your cell phones or pagers
C. Respondent introduction:
1. Name
Marital status/children
Where live in area/length of time lived in the area
4. Icebreaker
II. Warm-up: Awareness of How and Where to Submit a Safety Complaint (15 minutes)
A. One of the questions we asked when we invited you here tonight was whether you or anyone in your household has been injured by an unsafe consumer product. For the purpose of our discussion I am going to define consumer products as any product other than automobiles, food items or medicine.
1. When a situation like this occurs, would you report it to somebody?
a. Why or why not?
2. Who would you report the complaint to?
a. Doctor or health professional
b. Public safety (police/fire)
c. Product manufacturer
d. Government agency (local, state, or federal)
e. IF NOT MENTIONED, PROBE: the Consumer Product Safety Commission
f. Other party
g. Wouldn’t report
3. How would you submit your complaint report?
a. Telephone
b. Email
c. Regular mail
d. Online
4. What information do you think you would need to provide?
a. How much information would be needed?
b. Within what time period would you submit the complaint?
5. What would you expect to happen as a result of submitting your complaint?
6. How much time would you expect filing a complaint should take?
III. Submitting a Safety Complaint via the CPSC Public Database (30 minutes)
A. Recent legislation has required that the Consumer Product Safety Commission create a searchable database of safety complaints from consumer products. This online database provides the public with a way to report incidents that have resulted from products or potential safety problems with products
As part of the development process of this database, we are holding these focus groups to give consumers a sneak preview in order to get their reactions and impressions of how the database works. In a few minutes we are going to walk down the hall where each of you will have the opportunity to use a computer to access the database.
Since hopefully, no one in your household was injured today using a product, we will provide you with one of three different scenarios that you will use to submit your incident report.
Review scenarios/Instructions
B. I want you to try to imagine that you are at your computer at home or work or wherever you would normally be when you would report this type of incident. Please keep in mind that this is not a test. Don’t feel you have to be the first one done and don’t feel that we expect you to know how the database works. We want you to use the database as you would at home or at work. Pretend I am not here. If you have questions, I can’t answer them now, but we will discuss them later. If you have problems, I can’t solve them right now, but I do want you to tell me about them when we return to the conference room.
This is a brand new system so there may be things that you find confusing or difficult to do. Just do the best you can and later we will discuss the things you liked or disliked, what was easy or difficult, and what was clear and what was confusing.
Participants Submit Safety Complaint
IV. Discussion of Safety Complaint Submission Experience (45 minutes)
A. Before we begin the discussion I would like you to take a few minutes and jot down some of your reactions to the database. I am going to pass around a booklet that has screenshots of the different steps of the report filing process. Answer the questions on each page and write down your comments. (HAVE RESPONDENTS WRITE DOWN COMMENTS BEFORE DISCUSSING)
B. Submit a Complaint
1. What were your overall reactions to this section?
a. What did you like? What did you dislike?
2. Was it clear to you which products and services are covered by the database?
3. What is your reaction to the different methods for reporting a complaint?
4. Is the online registration something you would use? Why or why not?
a. What are the advantages of registering?
b. Do you have any concerns about registering?
5. Did you have any problems selecting the appropriate form?
6. Did you understand all the questions that you were asked?
7. Did you find any parts confusing?
C. What Happened
1. What were your overall reactions to this section?
a. What did you like? What did you dislike?
b. What did you feel was important to fill out? What did you feel you could ignore?
2. Did you find anything confusing or hard to understand about the instructions asking for details about the incident?
a. Was it clear to you how to report a product you think is unsafe and how to report a product that actually caused injury.
b. Did you have enough space to enter all the information you felt necessary to adequately describe the incident?
3. Is the information being asked in logical order?
4. On a number of the screens there were plus-signs. What are those for?
a. Did you use them? Why or why not?
D. People and Injuries
1. What were your overall reactions to this section?
a. What did you like? What did you dislike?
2. Did you find anything confusing or hard to understand about the instructions or entry fields asking for details about the individuals involved?
a. Is information being asked in a logical sequence?
3. Are there enough choices for injury information?
a. Any concerns providing this information?
b. What is your reaction to the medical terms used?
i. Are these choices clear and easy to understand?
ii. Are there choices missing? Does the list seem complete?
E. Product Details
1. What were your overall reactions to this section?
a. What did you like? What did you dislike?
2. Did you find anything confusing or hard to understand about the instructions or fields asking for details about the product involved?
a. Is information being asked in a logical sequence?
3. What is your reaction to the amount of information being requested?
4. If you were submitting the report at home, how long would it take you to gather this information?
a. Would you take the time to enter this information?
b. How easy is it to locate the model number of a product?
i. How do you find this information?
c. Were you aware that it was not necessary to provide this information?
d. What would you expect to enter into the free-form product description box?
5. Are there enough choices in the drop-downs?
6. What is your reaction to submitting photos of the product?
a. Were there enough instructions on how to submit the photos?
b. Is this something you would consider doing?
7. Looking at the product category and product type boxes, did you understand what information was being requested?
a. Was there any difficulty finding or entering the information?
1. What were your overall reactions to this section?
a. What did you like? What did you dislike?
2. Was it clear what information is required and what is optional?
a. Any concerns providing this info?
G. Review Report
1. What were your overall reactions to this section?
a. What did you like? What did you dislike?
2. Did you find anything confusing or hard to understand about the instructions for reviewing and submitting the report?
H. Consent and Submit
1. What were your overall reactions to this section?
a. What did you like? What did you dislike?
2. Did you find anything confusing or hard to understand about the instructions for submitting the report?
3. Any concerns about including and/or releasing your name?
4. What is your reaction to having 5 days to amend your report?
a. Is that enough time/too much time?
5. What do you expect to happen once the report has been submitted?
6. Would you like to receive feedback from CPSC after submitting your report?
a. If yes: What would you like them to tell you?
V. Additional Suggestions for Improving the Database (10 Minutes)
| File Type | application/msword |
| File Title | WB&A__________ |
| Author | Preferred Customer |
| Last Modified By | Steve Pankey |
| File Modified | 2010-07-20 |
| File Created | 2010-06-29 |