Mini-Supporting Statement FOD Focus Group

Request for Approval under the “Generic Clearance for the Collection of Routine Customer Feedback” (OMB Control Number: 1615-0126)

TITLE OF INFORMATION COLLECTION

Field Operations Directorate Focus Group on Customer Satisfaction

PURPOSE

The Field Operations Directorate (FOD) has requested that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Office of Policy and Strategy, Research and Evaluation Division (OP&S/RED) facilitate an assessment of the customer satisfaction of visitors to USCIS field offices. A small scale pilot study at selected sites will first be implemented to inform a larger study with all field offices nation-wide. A pilot study can help avoid time, money, and other resources being wasted because it will provide valuable insight into what may happen in the larger, main study by making necessary modifications before full deployment. The proposed pilot study will involve a focus group discussion in order to:

• Identify issues and develop optimal solutions addressing problems recruiting participants, with study instructions, or with the setting for data completion.

• Test the adequacy of the questions in the survey to accurately assess customer satisfaction with services at field offices.

• Develop a research protocol to collect data that is realistic and workable in the context of field office operations.

• Establish administrative and procedures that need to be in place for the success of the main study.

The pilot study will be conducted at 5 field sites:

• Northeast region: Washington and Baltimore

• Central region: Chicago

• Southeast region: Miami

• Western region: San Francisco

At each pilot site, potential respondents will be asked to participate in a focus group discussion (or interview) after completing a survey. The discussion will address their perceptions about the survey items and how they were recruited to participate. Data will be collected by RED staff on at least 20 participants at each site - with half meeting Spanish language eligibility criteria - for a total of 60 pilot study participants.

DESCRIPTION OF RESPONDENTS

Customers visiting one of the selected offices who can read, write, and speak in English or Spanish will be eligible to participate in the pilot study.

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: S. Lisbeth J. Little______________________________________________

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

Personally Identifiable Information:

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

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

9. 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? [ ] Yes [ X] No

BURDEN HOURS

Category of Respondent	No. of Respondents	Participation Time	Burden
Individuals Completing a survey for the focus group Focus group discussion	100	45 minutes 15 min. 30 min.	75 25 50
Totals	100	45 minutes	75

FEDERAL COST: The estimated annual cost to the Federal government is ___$50,000______

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

10. 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?

[ ] Yes [ X] 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?

Eligible participants for the study are customers at the field offices who can read, write, and speak in English or Spanish¹.

Recruitment procedures:

• A Field Office Volunteer (as selected by the Field Office’s normal solicitation process) will be poised at the exit of the Interviewing and/or InfoPass area. This person will be a bilingual individual who will be available to address questions on the study.

• The volunteer will hand out a package that includes a cover sheet and a survey that will be discussed during the focus group. Packages will be distributed to every customer ensuring all have an opportunity to participate

• The cover sheet explains the purpose of the study and who is eligible to participate (cover sheet attached).

• When an individual reads the cover sheet, that person will have the opportunity to “self-select” to participate in the study. The cover sheet includes a screening question to participate in the study. If customers perceive they are eligible to participate based on their answer to the screening question, they are invited to participate in a focus group discussion.

• If a customer decides to participate in the focus group, the cover sheet instructs them to first complete the survey in the package (survey attached).

• If a customer decides not to participate, they are thanked for their time.

Data collection:

• An observation protocol (attached) will be used by RED staff to observe recruitment and data collection process.

• Once they complete the survey, participants will participate in the group discussion (see focus group questions attached).

• In the group discussion and with their completed surveys, participants will be asked about the questions in the survey – if they were clear; had difficulty understanding any question(s); and suggestions to improve questions. They will also be asked about their thoughts when they were recruited.

• A two day data collection at each site is planned. One day will be devoted to data collection among English speaking respondents; the other day to Spanish speaking respondents.

¹ All data collection materials of approved documents will be translated into Spanish.

Administration of the Instrument

11. 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

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

RED staff – a social science researcher – with extensive experience conducting focus groups in English and Spanish will be facilitating the focus group discussion. This person is bilingual in English and Spanish.

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

Attachments:

1. Cover sheet

2. Pilot survey

3. Observation protocol

4. Focus group questions

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