Template Description SSA Redesigned Home Page Focus Groups

Request for Approval under the “Generic Clearance for the Collection of Routine Customer Feedback” (OMB Control Number: 0960-0788)

TITLE OF INFORMATION COLLECTION: Redesigned SSA Home Page (www.socialsecurity.gov) – Focus Groups

SSA SUB-NUMBER: A-02

DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITY:

In an ongoing effort to improve user navigation, accessibility, and overall web experience with its website, the Social Security Administration (SSA) is requesting approval to conduct research to garner insight from the public about user experience with our redesigned home page.

Research Objective:

We aim to provide the public with an Internet site that is easy to understand and navigate. The goal of the research is to determine if users can find the information and services they are seeking easily and efficiently.

Methodology: We are proposing to conduct two focus groups, one with personal computer (PC) users and one with mobile users. We plan to recruit 10 participants per focus group. Focus groups bring together participants to discuss their perceptions, opinions, beliefs, and attitudes about specific products, programs, or services.

TYPE OF COLLECTION: (Check one)

[ ] Customer Comment Card/Complaint Form [ ] Customer Satisfaction Survey

[ ] Usability Testing (e.g., Website or Software) [ ] Small Discussion Group

[X] Focus Group [ ] Other: __________________

CERTIFICATION:

I certify the following to be true:

1. The collection is voluntary.

2. The collection is low-burden for respondents and low-cost for the Federal Government.

3. The collection is non-controversial and does not raise issues of concern to other Federal agencies.

4. The results are not intended to be disseminated to the public.

5. Information gathered will not be used for the purpose of substantially informing influential policy decisions.

6. 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.

Name: Faye Lipsky, Reports Clearance Officer, Social Security Administration

To assist review, please provide answers to the following question:

Personally Identifiable Information:

1. Is personally identifiable information (PII) collected? [ ] Yes [X] No

2. If Yes, is the information that will be collected included in records that are subject to the Privacy Act of 1974? [ ] Yes [ ] No

3. If Applicable, has a System or Records Notice been published? [ ] Yes [X] No

Gifts or Payments:

Is an incentive (e.g., money or reimbursement of expenses, token of appreciation) provided to participants? [X] Yes, $75 per participant. [ ] No, respondents will not be paid for their participation.

BURDEN HOURS

Category of Respondent	No. of Respondents	Participation Time (minutes)	Burden (hours)
Individuals	20	90	30
Totals	20	90	30

BURDEN HOUR COMPUTATION (Number of responses (X) estimated response time

(/60) = annual burden hours):

FEDERAL COST: The estimated annual cost to the Federal Government is $25,000.

If you are conducting a focus group, survey, or plan to employ statistical methods, please provide answers to the following questions:

The selection of your targeted respondents

1. 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

If the answer is yes, please provide a description of both below (or attach the sampling plan). 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?

The participant selection criterion for this research is as follows:

• Potential new and previous website visitors comprised of the following:

• Must not be retired or currently employed by SSA, or a State Disability Determination Services employee, contractor, or family member of an employee or contractor;

• Should be a regular user of the Internet;

• Mix of race/ethnicity, sex/gender, income, and education;

• Must be fluent in English.

• Segmentation (Mobile Users) – Recruit a mix of:

• Age 25-49 who do not receive Social Security benefits

• Age 25-49 who do receive Social Security benefits

• Segmentation (PC Users) – Recruit a mix of:

• Age 50-70 who do not receive Social Security benefits

• Age 50-70 who do receive Social Security benefits

Administration of the Instrument

1. How will you collect the information? (Check all that apply)

[ ] Web-based or other forms of Social Media

[ ] Telephone

[X] In-person

[ ] Mail

[ ] Other, Explain - Survey Sheet/Questionnaire

2. Will interviewers or facilitators be used? [X] Yes [ ] No

How will we conduct the research?

We will conduct two in-person focus groups. We will use an SSA-approved contractor for the facility rental, to recruit participants, pay incentives, and write the research report.

Please make sure that all instruments, instructions, and scripts are submitted with the request.

USE OF RESULTS:

SSA will use the results of these focus groups to assess the level of satisfaction users have with the redesigned home page, as well as their level of ease finding information and services on the SSA website. Ultimately, these results will enable SSA to determine if the website provides sufficient information, and is optimally presented and organized. The findings will also help SSA improve its online services to the public.

See attached copy of the proposed focus group questions and scenarios, as well as the proposed screen shots

NAME OF CONTACT PERSON: Debbie Larwood

PHONE NUMBER: 410-966-6135