IC Template for Flapjack UX

Request for Approval under the “Generic Clearance for the Collection of
Qualitative Feedback on the Service Delivery of the Consumer Financial
Protection Bureau” (OMB Control Number: 3170-0024)
1. TITLE OF INFORMATION COLLECTION:
Project Flapjack Usability Test
2. PURPOSE:
The Flapjack Usability Test is part of the overall effort to redesign CFPB's public facing website,
consumerfinance.gov. Fors Marsh Group will conduct usability tests periodically (e.g., once
every two months) on behalf of the Flapjack Team. The goal is to receive the Public's feedback
on the refreshed website (e.g., navigation logic structure, visual cues, feature functionalities, and
content clarity…etc). This will allow the Flapjack Team to make necessary changes and
optimizes user experience on the refreshed cf.gov.

3. DESCRIPTION OF RESPONDENTS:
Respondents will be individuals who previously signed up to participate in studies conducted by
Fors Marsh Group. The characteristics of respondents will vary based on sections of the
redesigned site that will be tested.
4. TYPE OF COLLECTION (ADMINISTRATION OF THE INSTRUMENT):
a.

How will you collect the information? (Check all that apply)
[ ] Web-based or other forms of Social Media
[ x ] In-person
[ ] Small Discussion Group
[ ] Other, Explain ______________________

[ ] Telephone
[ ] Mail
[ ] Focus Group

b. Will interviewers or facilitators be used?
[ x ] Yes [ ] No [ ] Not Applicable

5. FOCUS GROUP OR SURVEY:
If you plan to conduct a focus group or survey, please provide answers to the following
questions:
a. Do you have a customer list or something similar that defines the universe of potential
respondents and do you have a sampling plan for selecting from this universe?
[ x ] Yes [ ] No [ ] Not Applicable
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b. If the answer is yes, please provide a description below. If the answer is no, please
provide a description of how you plan to identify your potential group of respondents and
how you will select them?
Fors Marsh Group will solicit respondents from their existing panel/database. Respondents
will receive an invitation to participate in the study, which contains a link to an online
screener. Fors Marsh will determine whether a respondent is qualified based on its online
screener responses and Flapjack’s candidate criteria request (e.g., age group, occupation,
education status…etc.).
Respondents will be informed of OMB Number and PRA Statement via the online screener.
In addition, all respondents must sign an informed consent form prior to participating in the
study; the consent form contains the OMB Number and can also include PRA Statement, if
necessary.
6. PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION:
a. Is personally identifiable information (PII) collected? [x ] Yes [ ] No
CFPB is not directly collecting individual’s personally identifiable information. Per the
Privacy Office, the survey output presented by Fors Marsh Group provides general
demographic information (e.g., age group) that could be considered as personally
identifiable information.
b. If Yes, is the information that will be collected included in records that are subject
to the Privacy Act of 1974? [ x ] Yes [ ] No [ ] Not Applicable
If applicable, what is the link to the Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA)?
Consumer Experience Research PIA - pp. 4-5 specifically calls out User Testing
http://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/201406_cfpb_consumer-experience-research_pia.pdf

c. If Applicable, has a System or Records Notice (SORN) been published?
[ ] Yes [ ] No [ x ] Not Applicable
If Yes, provide Federal Register citation for the SORN __ FR ______.
Per the Privacy Office, a SORN is not applicable since CFPB is not directly collecting
PII.

7. INCENTIVES:
a. Is an incentive provided to participants? [ x ] Yes [ ] No
b. If Yes, provide the amount or value of the incentive? $75.00.
c. If Yes, provide a statement justifying the use and amount of the incentive.
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While sessions will last about 60 minutes, participants are required to arrive 15
minutes early to sign in, and to ensure sessions begin on time. Upon completion
of the session, participants are required to sign out. Thus, they are in the office for
about 75-90 minutes. Further, many participants have to travel 30-60 minutes to
and from the facility. In our experience, a $75 incentive for a 60-minute session
allows for successful recruitment by reducing the amount of time required to
recruit (i.e., it is more difficult and takes longer to recruit participants when we
offer a lower incentive) and simultaneously increasing the attendance rate.
8. BURDEN ESTIMATES:
Information Collection

Number of
Respondents

Online screener
In-person survey
Totals

Frequency

Number of
Annual
Responses

Response
Time
(hours)

Burden
Hours

1,500

1

1,500

.08

120

630

1

630

1.0

630

2,130 ////////////////////////////

750

1,500* //////////////////////

*The estimated 630 respondents participating in the focus groups are a subset of those who took the screener.
Therefore, the total estimated number of respondents is 1,500

9. FEDERAL COST: The estimated annual cost to the Federal government is

$1,600,000.00

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10. CERTIFICATIONS:
CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO 5 CFR 1320.9, AND THE RELATED PROVISIONS
OF 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3) :
By submitting this document, the Bureau certifies the following to be true:
(a) It is necessary for the proper performance of agency functions;
(b) It avoids unnecessary duplication;
(c) It uses plain, coherent, and unambiguous terminology that is understandable to
respondents;
(d) Its implementation will be consistent and compatible with current reporting and
recordkeeping practices;
(e) It indicates the retention period for recordkeeping requirements;
(f) It informs respondents of the information called for under 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3):
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
(g) It was developed by an office that has planned and allocated resources for the efficient
and effective management and use of the information to be collected;
(h) It uses effective and efficient statistical survey methodology; and
(i) It makes appropriate use of information technology.

CERTIFICATION FOR INFORMATION COLLECTIONS SUBMITTED UNDER A
GENERIC INFORMATION COLLECTION PLAN
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By submitting this document, the Bureau certifies the following to be true:
The collection is voluntary.
The collection is low-burden for respondents and low-cost for the Federal Government.
The collection is non-controversial and does not raise issues of concern to other federal
agencies.
The results are not intended to be disseminated to the public.
Information gathered will not be used for the purpose of substantially informing influential
policy decisions.
The collection is targeted to the solicitation of opinions from respondents who have
experience with the program or may have experience with the program in the future.
The data collection is not statistically significant, the sample is not intended to be
representative, and the results will not be used to make inferences beyond the survey
sample.
The results will not be used to measure regulatory compliance or for program
evaluation.

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