1 AHRQ Data Tools Interview Guide

Form Approved
OMB No. XXX
Exp. Date XX/XX/2021

AHRQ Data Tools Interview Guide

Purpose of the Interview Guide

The purpose of this Interview Guide is to document the process, facilitation techniques, and questions that will be used to elicit user feedback on the AHRQ’s statistical data tools. The goal of these interviews will be to obtain information that will inform harmonization of the look, feel, and usability of the AHRQ Data Tools.

Interview Process

Interviews will last approximately 1 hour and will be conducted by a member of the AHRQ Data Tools contract. The interviews will mostly likely be conducted remotely through web-based conference tools and/or the telephone.

Each interview will follow the same format:

1. Introduction

   1. Welcome:

   2. Ground Rules

2. Start Interview:

   1. Background questions – Ask questions about the person, their current organization, and their role

   2. Contextual questions – Determine the user’s familiarity with the tool(s) being discussed

   3. Tool Enhancement questions – Ask questions that will provide insights into how the tool(s)’s look, feel, and usability can be improved and harmonized.

Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 60 minutes per response, the estimated time required to complete the survey. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to: AHRQ Reports Clearance Officer Attention: PRA, Paperwork Reduction Project (0935-0179) AHRQ, 5600 Fishers Lane, Mail Stop 07W41A, Rockville, MD 20857.

Interview Script/Facilitator Form

(60 minutes total)

Introduction

(start at _____   min  end at _____)

Welcome—Explain purpose of the interview

• Thank you for agreeing to do this interview. My name is [First Name, Last Name], and I am a User Experience (UX) Researcher working with the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

• AHRQ is 1 of 11 agencies within the U.S Department of Health and Human Services or HHS. The Agency's mission is to improve the quality, safety, efficiency and effectiveness of health care for all Americans.

• The purpose of this interview today is to collect feedback on the user and customer experience of the [AHRQ Data Tools/specify all, or specific, tool(s) the participant is familiar with].

• The information gathered during this interview will be used to inform and guide harmonization of all the AHRQ Data Tools.

• This interview will last about 1 hour. Is this still a good time for you for an interview of that length?

• If you think it will be helpful, please let me know if you would like a moment to open up the AHRQ data tools to give you a reference point as we conduct the interview.

• This session is pretty straightforward — we’ll ask questions to answer about your history, experience, feelings, and goals using the [Tool Name/AHRQ Data Tools] site.

• This is a 1 one 1 interview, but we do have a couple of note-takers listening in to make sure we capture the most important details during this conversation.

Ground rules/Expectations

• Confidential/Anonymized: We request that you be completely open with us. Everything you tell us will be confidential and will be used internally, only. Additionally, your feedback will be completely anonymized to protect your privacy, meaning we won't connect your name with anything that you say.

• No Compensation: Please confirm you are aware that there is no compensation associated with this interview and that you are not being compensated in any way for participating in this interview.

• Questions: At any time during our conversation, please feel free to let me know if you have any questions or if you would rather not answer any specific question. You can also stop the interview at any time for any reason.

• Openness: Please remember that we want to know what you think and feel and that there are no right or wrong answers.

• Permission to Record: Now, with your permission, I’ll record the session. This will be for research purposes only, will only be used internally, and will be confidential. May I start recording?

• Ok, Let’s get started.

Background Questions

(start at _____  min  end at _____)

1. Could you share with us a little background information—the name of your organization, your role there?

• What is the name of your organization/university?

• What is your role and what are your responsibilities there?

• How long have you been in this role?

2. Thinking about your general use of AHRQ Data Tools:

• Just to confirm, you are familiar with [Tool(s)/AHRQ Data Tools] and what [it/they] offer?

• Which of the AHRQ Data Tools do you most interact with and why?

  • If the participant is being interviewed for more than one AHRQ Data Tool, ask the question above.

  • If the participant is only being interviewed for one of the AHRQ Data Tools, ask: Are you familiar with any of the other AHRQ Data Tools?

• How would you characterize the “type” of user you are of [Tool(s)/AHRQ Data Tools]?

  • For example, “power user?” “Occasional users—don’t use all that often?” “New user?” “Experienced/long-time user?”

• For whom do you think this site is designed for, geared to. Please describe.

• Please describe the types of data you work with? How do you use data in your role?

• Is there a primary type of data you work with most often?

• What data formats do you prefer to work with?

3. Thinking about your experience with [Tool(s)/AHRQ Data Tools], and in your opinion:

• OVERALL, how would you describe your experience with [Tool(s)/AHRQ Data Tools] from a customer experience perspective—as a user/customer?

• How long have you been using it?

• How does your organization or facility [enter/retrieve/view] data from [Tool(s)/AHRQ Data Tools]? (e.g. manually, import, combination, etc.)

• What part(s) of [Tool(s)/AHRQ Data Tools] are most useful for you? What’s working for you—what works well?

4. Thinking back to when you first began using [Tool(s)/AHRQ Data Tools], can you tell us a little about your initial experience with [Tool(s)/AHRQ Data Tools]. (Easy, difficult?)

• As you used the [Tool(s)/AHRQ Data Tools], have your impressions/opinions remained the same or changes?

• PROBE: if yes, can you provide a few examples?

• PROBE: if you encountered problems, or ran into issues—how did you resolve them? Workarounds? Help Desk, EPA resource?

• “Lessons Learned?” “Tips?”

• Thinking about ease of use…on a scale of 1 to 5 where 1 is Not Easy/Difficult and 5 is Easy! How would you rate [Tool(s)/AHRQ Data Tools]?

• For you now, as an experienced user

• For a new user (your opinion and/or based on your initial experience)

Contextual Questions

(start at _____  min  end at _____)

5. Now, let’s talk little bit about how you use the [Tool(s)/AHRQ Data Tools] and your experiences around that. Please feel free to walk me through or demonstrate anything you feel would be better shown than explained:

• Are there any parts of [Tool(s)/AHRQ Data Tools] that don’t work well—again, in your opinion and/or experience?

  • What’s frustrating, confusing, pain points, roadblocks?

• Anything missing--does [Tool(s)/AHRQ Data Tools] have the feature/function set you need and want?

• Anything you “wish” [Tool(s)/AHRQ Data Tools] had or that you could do with it? Suggestions, improvements?

• If the participant uses multiple AHRQ Data Tools: Is there functionality you see in another AHRQ Data Tools that you wish was replicated in [Tool(s)/AHRQ Data Tools]?

6. Almost done. Last set of questions.

• [Tool(s)/AHRQ Data Tools] has been around for a while…technology has advanced. EPA has an opportunity to “modernize” the [Tool(s)/AHRQ Data Tools] platform.

  • For example: Microsoft issues new releases of its Office Suite, but it keeps the core functionality…just with enhancements, improvements. It’s still familiar…just there are added features, benefits.

  • Or iPhones are another example. Newer releases include MORE…or improved.

  • But the transition to “new” includes support for the previous versions for a period of time so users aren’t without what they use and are used to.

• Similar to the above, as part of the re-engineering efforts, we will be bringing [Tool(s)/AHRQ Data Tools] more “up-to-date” and make the tools easier to use. What are your thoughts on this?

• We’ll also be creating a more “modern look and feel” for [Tool(s)/AHRQ Data Tools], a more “harmonized/branded” design.

  • Your thoughts on this?

  • How would you like to imagine users describing the new [Tool(s)/AHRQ Data Tools], user experience?

• Communicating and navigating change can be challenging. Your thoughts on how best to approach this change—to address any concerns current and especially long-time users may have?

  • If YOU were in charge of developing this next version of [Tool(s)/AHRQ Data Tools], a “comprehensive submission platform” … how would you describe it? What are the “must have’s” from your perspective?

  • Top 3 Must Haves?

Closing

(start at _____ min  end at _____)

7. What is the most important message that you want us to take away from this interview?

8. Is there anything else that you would like to add about any of the topics that we've discussed or other areas that we didn't discuss but you think are important?

9. If you think of any additional information and/or feedback, please send them to me.

That completes the interview. Thank you for your time, participation and valuable feedback in this interview. The information that you provided to us will be very helpful in this project.