Justification

DOCUMENTATION FOR THE GENERIC CLEARANCE

OF HOMEPAGE REDESIGN FOCUS GROUP COLLECTIONS

TITLE OF INFORMATION COLLECTION:

(the collection that is the subject of the 10-day review request)

Homepage Redesign Focus Group Research

[ ] SURVEY [X] FOCUS GROUP [ ] SOFTWARE USABILITY TESTING

DESCRIPTION OF THIS SPECIFIC COLLECTION

Specify all relevant information, including

1. intended purpose,

2. need for the collection,

3. planned use of the data,

4. date(s) and location(s),

5. collection procedures,

6. number of focus groups, surveys, usability testing sessions

7. description of respondents/participants.

Purpose of the Research, Need for the Collection, and Planned Use of the Data

This focus group study will evaluate the informational needs of FSA’s target audiences (high school students, parents of high school students, current college students, potential adult students, and borrowers in repayment), evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed megamenu/homepage designs provided by FSA for both mobile devices and PCs, and identify issues and opportunities for improvement. 

Specific objectives of the research include the following: 

• Understand and confirm whether or not participants are seeing and internalizing the website’s purpose and top calls to action.

• Recognize the website design’s (aesthetics and interface) immediate impact and appeal to the participants.

• Recognize whether or not participants appropriately understand the website’s available functionalities.

• Recognize whether or not participants appropriately understand the website’s navigation (e.g. where do participants think the mega menu items would lead them to? What topics will be covered under a specific menu link?).

• Identify specific student aid/loan tasks that are most important to the participants and whether the website’s design appropriately accommodates these tasks (e.g. can they quickly and easily figure out how to use the website’s navigation to get there?).

• Objective: Allow participants to provide feedback on what they liked most and liked least about the website’s design and recommendations for improvements.

• Allow participants to provide specific feedback on certain features such as the website carousel and the “I want to…” box.

Dates, Locations, and Collection Procedures

The sessions will be conducted on December 8-10, 2015. The research will be conducted via five in-person focus groups (each 120 minutes in length).

Description of Respondents/Participants

The research will be conducted among five core audiences: student loan borrowers in repayment, current college students, potential adult college students, high school seniors, and parents of high school seniors.

Total Sample: 5 Focus Groups with 5-8 Participants per Group

1 Borrowers in repayment

1 Current college students

1 Potential adult college students

1 High school seniors

1 Parents of high school seniors

Borrowers in repayment must be currently repaying any federal student loans.

Current college students must currently attend either a two-year or four-year college or university, graduate school, or trade/professional/career school.

Potential adult college students must, in the next year, be seriously considering enrolling and attending part time or full time at a college, university, or career school.

High school seniors must be currently enrolled in high school and intending to enroll in a college, university, or career school in the next year as a first-year student.

Parents of high school seniors must be the parent or guardian of a child planning to enroll in a college, university, or career school in the next year as a first-year student.

The data will be completed one time.

Attached is a copy of the focus group moderator’s guide and written exercise sheet.

AMOUNT OF ANY PROPOSED STIPEND OR INCENTIVE

Both our ability to recruit and the participant's likelihood to show up to the two-hour focus group session (held at a local professional focus group location) depend on an adequate incentive amount. We recommend an incentive payout to participants of $75 each.

BURDEN HOUR COMPUTATION (Number of responses (X) estimated response or participation time in minutes (/60) = annual burden hours):

Category of Respondent	No. of Respondents	Participation Time	Burden
Borrowers in Repayment	8	120 minutes	16
Current College Students	8	120 minutes	16
High School Seniors	8	120 minutes	16
Parents of High School Seniors	8	120 minutes	16
Potential Adult Students	8	120 minutes	16
Totals	40		80 hours

BURDEN COST COMPUTATION

Category of Respondent	No. of Respondents	Hourly Rate	Response Time	Total
Borrowers in Repayment	8	$37.50	120 minutes	$600
Current College Students	8	$37.50	120 minutes	$600
High School Seniors	8	$37.50	120 minutes	$600
Parents of High School Seniors	8	$37.50	120 minutes	$600
Potential Adult Students	8	$37.50	120 minutes	$600
Totals	40	$37.50		$3,000

STATISTICAL INFORMATION

If statistical methods are to be used, fully describe the methodology, sample selection, expected response rates, and any other concepts needed to provide a full understanding of those methods.

Since this is a qualitative study, statistical methods will not be used.

REQUESTED APPROVAL DATE: November 13, 2015

NAME OF CONTACT PERSON: Kaegy Pabulos

TELEPHONE NUMBER: (202) 377-3160

MAILING LOCATION: 830 First Street, 31E1, NE, Washington, DC 20202

ED DEPARTMENT, OFFICE: Office of Federal Student Aid

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