Customer Service Collections for DHS - Batch B (FEMA)

OMB control no. 1601-0029

Exp.: 12/31/2026

Interview Guide

Project Name	Online LOMC Redesign User Testing
Date	TBD

Purpose and Objectives

• The purpose of this study is to evaluate the experience of users as they interact with new designs for the Online Letter of Map Change (OLOMC) website pages and collect feedback to confirm design direction or inform improvements.

• Collecting this feedback will help the design team with:

  • Behavioral observations and insights into the proposed designs that may help to improve the design and user experience

  • Users’ ability to navigate the LOMC process and successfully request a LOMC

  • Understanding the amount and type of information that users prefer throughout the application process (e.g., what information is helpful before, during, and after requesting a LOMC)

  • Users’ understanding of content, process, and resources

Agenda

• Introduction: welcome, purpose, guidelines, what to expect

• Overview: Content Overview

• Activity: Content Understanding

• Overview: LOMC application

• Activity: LOMC application

• Overview: Card sorting

• Activity: Card sorting

• Overview: General feedback

• Activity: General feedback

• Conclusion

Introduction (2-5 min)

Hi, [insert name], my name is [insert name].

We also have [insert name] in the meeting who is here to help capture notes and your feedback.

This feedback session was approved under Federal Government OMB: 1601-0029, expiring 12/31/2026. It's estimated to take 1 hour. All responses are voluntary. Feel free to provide any comments about this usability testing during the session. Today we’re asking you to serve as an evaluator of a potential website design. We’ll do this by showing you designs of website pages and asking questions. Our goal is to understand how you view the page designs and what improvements could be made.

I am here to record your reactions and comments. During this session, I would like you to think aloud as you look over things. From time to time, I may ask you to clarify what you have said or ask you for information on what you were looking for or what you expected to see.

There is no right or wrong answer. If you have any questions, comments, or areas of confusion while you are working, please let me know.

If you ever feel that you cannot move on with the information that you have been given, please let me know. I will ask you what you might do in a real-world setting and then either put you on the right track or move you on the next activity.

Also, please don’t worry that you are going to hurt our feelings. The purpose of the activities is to improve the site, so I need to hear your honest reactions.

We would like for you to screenshare so that we can follow along as you look through the different pages.

Is that okay?

I will be recording this session for reference. I am capturing your voice and what you see on screen. Your name will not be associated or reported with data or findings from this evaluation.

Are you okay with the recording?

I may ask you other questions as we go and we will have wrap up questions at the end.

Do you have any questions before we begin?

Ok, great. We’re done with questions, and we can start looking at things.

[Start Screen Recording]

Activity: Content Understanding (15 min)

For our first activity, we will be reviewing the home and about pages specifically in regards to the content. We will ask you to skim through the content on each page and when you are finished we will ask you a series of questions pertaining to them. You should spend about 5-10 minutes of time reviewing each page.

URL: Placeholder

We will start with the home page.

• What is the purpose of the site?

• What is your level of understanding of this site?

  • I do not understand.

  • I somewhat understand.

  • I understand the site.

• Would you add anything to the home page?

Next, please review the About page.

• Did the About page explain the site’s purpose?

• Were there any technical terms on the About page that were unclear?

• How confident would you feel requesting a letter of map change?

• How easy was it to find the information you needed on the page?

  • Very Difficult

  • Difficult

  • Neither difficult or easy

  • Easy

  • Very Easy

Activity: LOMC Application (15 min)

Okay, for the next activity, we’re going to ask you to look at a series of pages that represent part of a process. The purpose of this is to find out how you find information and get your feedback about the pages and whether it’s clear where to go.

This activity should take roughly 15 minutes.

Similar to the last activity, we’re going to provide a link that we’ll ask you to open.

These pages are mostly static. However, some areas that you click will take you to another page in alignment with the request for this activity.

If you click somewhere on the page and nothing happens, that’s okay. Like I said earlier, there is no wrong thing to do. I may ask you some questions about what you were looking for when you clicked there and then we’ll move on.

[name] is putting a link in the chat that includes the pages.

URL: [placeholder]

Okay, go ahead and open the link.

Prompt: Alright, so imagine you want to request a Letter of Map Change. How would you do that?

Look and click through the pages until you arrive at the end.

And again, as much as possible, it will help us if you can try to think out loud as you go along.

1. Were the instructions in the application clear?

2. What are your general impressions?

Activity: Card Sorting (5-10 min)

The next thing you will work on is a card sorting activity. Card sorting is used to find out how you think content should be organized on the website.

[name] is putting a link in the chat.

URL: [placeholder]

Okay, go ahead and open the link.

Take a quick look at the list of items on the left. I’d like you to sort them into the groups provided on the right. There is no right or wrong answer. Just do what comes naturally to you.

If you think an item would be better in a group that was not provided, drag an item from the left into an unused space on the right, then click the title to rename your new group.

If you don’t think an item is useful for completing an application, add it to the “I don’t think this information is useful” group.

To view the instructions at any time during the activity, click on the “View instructions” link in the top right-hand corner or just ask me.

This activity should take roughly 10 minutes to complete.

Activity: General Feedback (10 min)

Okay, lastly we would like to collect some overall feedback about the pages you’ve seen today.

This should take about 10 minutes.

[name] is putting a link in the chat.

URL:

Okay, go ahead and open the link.

Now I’m going to ask you a few questions. Please record your answers on the survey form.

1. How would you rate your overall impressions of the pages you’ve seen? (likert scale)

2. What do you feel were the most interesting or useful parts of the pages you saw?

3. What do you feel could be added to the site to improve it?

4. Is there any additional feedback or comments you would like to share?

Conclusion (2-5 min)

Alright, that was the last activity.

Do you have any questions for me now that we are done?

[Stop screen recording]

Thank you for providing your feedback today. This will be helpful with improving the overall website.