Customer Satisfaction Survey WZ - Part B

2

Part B: Collection of Information Employing Statistical Methods

B. 1.1 Potential Respondent Universe

All visitors to the HUD USER website in October to early November 2014 will find opportunities to complete the online survey during their visit to the website.

B. 1.4 Expected Response Rate

It is estimated that there are 640,206 visits to the website each month, of which approximately 225,186 are unique visitors. The target number of responses will be approximately 10,500, about five percent of visitors. This number is based on the industry standard. Experience with prior surveys and existing literature suggests that web assessment surveys typically have response rates from five to twenty percent, depending on the type of audience (see Appendix C). The 2005 HUD USER website satisfaction survey yielded a similar response rate, as did a similar survey performed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) home page in 2002.¹

B.2.1 Procedure for Data Collection

The website survey will be live for a period of six weeks or until a target number of 10,500 responses is reached, but it will not exceed ten weeks. The website visitor will be shown the survey only once during this time period. The survey questions will be based on whether the visitor is a first time visitor, frequent visitor, or visits the Office of University Partnerships pages. An invitation will be shown requesting feedback from the visitor (see Appendix D). There will be an option to decline the survey as well as to respond at another time. If a visitor accepts the invitation to the survey, he/she will be shown the survey. Those declining to complete the survey will not be shown the survey at future visits, unless they also decline cookies that allow tracking of the visit during the survey period. Visitors opting to complete the survey at another time will be presented the survey at subsequent visits.

B.3 Describe Methods to Maximize Responses Rates

The questionnaires shown in Appendix A have been developed to provide maximum response rate among potential participants. To achieve high response rates, several steps will be taken:

First, the web survey is designed to be user friendly. Navigation through the survey is simple and average response time will be less than two minutes.

Second, to reduce the burden on respondents, all users will be surveyed just once. This will be achieved through the use of cookies.

Third, for the survey of all users, the questions will be customized to user type at the website. Questions pertinent only to their visit will be displayed to the users. For example, those visiting the website for the first time will be shown an abbreviated version of the survey.

These procedures are consistent with contemporary strategies in the field of web survey research (see Appendix C). Many visitors to the HUD USER website have a personal and professional interest in the success of their ability to retrieve credible housing research publications and datasets, which should enhance their willingness to respond.

B.4 Describe Tests of Procedures

Once OMB approves the data collection, the survey will be tested with 10 to 15 respondents selected by PD&R staff.

B.5 Statistical Consultants and Information Collection Agents

The HUD User Customer Satisfaction Website Assessment surveys have been developed by a HUD contractor, Sage Computing of Reston, VA.

1 Minutes of The Board of Regents Meeting on September 10-11, 2002. National Library of Medicine. National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services