Mortgage e-Closing Usability Study

INFORMED CONSENT FORM
You are being asked to participate in a research study. This form describes the purpose, procedures, benefits, risks and
precautions of the study. It also describes your right to withdraw from the study at any time. A member of the study staff is
available to read through this form with you and discuss all the information, if you wish.

Why is this study being done?

Fors Marsh Group is working with a US federal government agency, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, to help
determine the ideal design of a website designed for adults in the process of buying a home. You will be asked to interact with a
prototype of a new website. Receiving feedback on the website will lead to design insights that will help to develop a usable and
engaging product.

What do I need to know about this study?

Adults 18 and older are asked to participate in this study. Each session will last 60 minutes, and participants will work one-onone with a moderator. Your name and contact information will be collected in order to facilitate participation in the research
study and is done in accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974. (A Privacy Act Statement is available upon request.) The sessions
will be video recorded, and individuals’ names will not be used in any description of findings. In accordance with the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995, the questions asked as part of this study have been approved by the Federal government’s Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) under OMB control number 3170-0024. Without this approval, we could not ask these
questions.
You will be asked to interact with and provide feedback on a website. The moderator will ask questions while you complete
assigned activities using the website. You will then discuss your thoughts and opinions about the website with the moderator.
Other researchers may observe in another room.

What are the potential risks of being in the study?

There are minimal risks associated with this study. Participants will complete short questionnaires and provide feedback about
the website. Participants do not have to answer any questions that they do not want to answer. Any responses you provide will
be kept private. We will not provide information that identifies you to anyone outside the research team, except as required by
law. Your personal information, such as your name, will not be associated with any videos recorded or notes taken during the
session.

Does being in this study provide any benefit?

The study will help to improve the usability of the website.

Will it cost me anything to be in this study?

There are no costs to participate in the study, other than possible transportation costs to and from the facility. Participants in
the study will receive $75 for their participation.

Do I have to be in this study?
Participation is voluntary.

Who will have access to this study and/or contact information?

Only the researchers working on this project will have access to the information you provide in the study. CFPB may view the
recordings and notes. CFPB receives final results that are stripped of direct identifiers like name and email.

Who do I contact if I have questions about the study?

If you have questions or concerns about the study, you can contact
Jennifer Romano Bergstrom, Fors Marsh Group, [email protected], 571-858-3795.

I, _______________________________________, have read this form and agree to participate in this study.
Print Name
____________________________________________________________________________________
Participant’s Signature
Date
____________________________________________________________________________________
Researcher’s Signature
Date

1010 N. Glebe Road, Suite 510 | Arlington, Virginia 22201 | www.forsmarshgroup.com