INDIVIDUAL ASSISTANCE FOCUS GROUP
MODERATOR GUIDE
Customer needs and expectations evolve over time; therefore, the importance of conducting periodic qualitative research is essential to accurately measuring customer satisfaction. Planning focus groups should include strategizing with other customer-facing segments of the organization to ensure topics, such as event timing, messages, customer selection, etc. are consistent with other customer initiatives.
The proposed focus groups, one-on-one interviews and on-line interviews will be utilized to redesign the current survey instruments and update where appropriate. To accomplish this, emphasis will be on acquiring customer feedback relative to the following:
To Begin:
We will start by asking you to briefly introduce yourselves and say where you are from - in a couple of minutes or less. Please tell the group:
Your first name and how long you have lived in _____.
If this disaster was your first disaster experiences.
Whether this disaster was your first experiences with FEMA.
Okay, now these…
As we already mentioned, we are here to examine recovery from disaster. What would the ideal recovery look like for you? What would the ideal recovery look like for your community?
Thank you. Now let’s go around the room. I want you to tell me…
On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 1 meaning “very little” and 10 meaning “a great deal”) the extent to which you feel you have recovered from the disaster.
On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 1 meaning “very little” and 10 meaning “a great deal”) how much you feel FEMA was involved in your recovery.
Everyone here received some sort of assistance from FEMA. Looking at the assistance you received from FEMA, would you say it was provided quickly and efficiently? Do you think it was enough to meet your recovery needs? Why or why not?
Did your expectations of what FEMA was going to do for you and the actual assistance they provided line up? That is, did you get the help you expected to get? Why or why not? [Probe: FEMA as cavalry, understanding of state and federal roles, ability to qualify for SBA loan, did you know that FEMA had limitations in what they could do-change in future behavior? What are the two major problems or challenges you have experienced in recovery?]
For SBA applicants: Did you experience any challenges in completing the SBA process [Probe: Start the application process but not finish it? Why? (Information access, over-whelmed, etc.) What could have helped you complete the loan application process?]
Given your experience with FEMA, what do you think FEMA could have done differently that would have made recovery easier and smoother? If you could choose one or two things that FEMA could do to help you recover from disaster, what would they be?
Given your experience with FEMA, what do you think you could have done differently that would have made recovery easier and smoother?
If
you or someone in your household needed help or support (due to any
disability) (e.g., walking, seeing, home health, medical,
transportation), did they get it? How quickly? Was help adequate?
Now, let’s shift to your experiences in talking to and communicating with FEMA. Did you find them easy to talk to? Why or why not? [Probe: Did you feel as though you had enough time to tell your story and that you were heard and understood? Did you feel rushed? Did you know how to get your questions answered? Was the information you received clear and comprehensive? Could it have been better?]
For applicants who applied online: Considering all of the online functions you used after the disaster, what are your thoughts on ways to make the process easier?
What are the two best things you have experienced in your recovery? Do you have an increased sense of trust and confidence in FEMA?
And finally, is there anything we have not discussed about your recovery that would like to share?
Internet/Mobile Device Users:
This next series of topics will provide qualitative information about your experiences with applying online, viewing status online, using mobile devices, downloading documentation, and other new technology to evaluate their overall level of satisfaction with the experience and how to improve that experience.
Usability Session – Computer lab with Internet availability topics:
Use internet search to find disaster assistance website(s)
From the website find information pertaining to your disaster
From the website find general disaster assistance information
How could the FEMA better communicate where to find information
Applying for Assistance & Finding Resources topics:
Display website and go to the find assistance ask each participant
What changes are needed to make the questionnaire easier to use
What types of assistance was needed but not provided in the results
Display search by Agency and Category and ask each participant to find specific information
What changes are needed to improve the search function
Show participants the FEMA online application form and discuss:
What changes are needed to simplify the online process
Thinking back to when you applied online – what did you find to be most difficult about completing the form
Display a sample (dummy account) referral screen including detail about each referral – Thinking back to when you applied on line what was most helpful to you in the referral information
Show participants the log on for status check (screen shots of dummy account)
Thinking back to when you did the online status check – what did you find to be most difficult about the process
What type of information did you need but were unable to find on your account
| File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
| Author | mbilling |
| File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
| File Created | 2021-01-27 |