0920-1050 GenIC Request Template - CDC Usability and Digital Content Testing

Request for Approval under the “Generic Clearance for the Collection of Routine Customer Feedback” (OMB Control Number: 0920-1050)

Instruction: This form should be completed by the primary contact person from the Program sponsoring the collection.

DETERMINE IF YOUR COLLECTION IS APPROPRIATE FOR THIS GENERIC CLEARANCE MECHANISM:

Instruction: Before completing and submitting this form, determine first if the proposed collection is consistent with the scope of the Collection of Routine Customer Feedback generic clearance mechanism. To determine the appropriateness of using the Collection of Routine Customer Feedback generic clearance mechanism, complete the checklist below.

If you select “yes” to all criteria in Column A, the Collection of Routine Customer Feedback generic clearance mechanism can be used. If you select “yes” to any criterion in Column B, the Collection of Routine Customer Feedback generic clearance mechanism cannot be used.

Column A	Column B
The information gathered will only be used internally to CDC. [ X ] Yes [ ] No	Information gathered will be publicly released or published. [ ] Yes [ X ] No
Data is qualitative in nature and not generalizable to people from whom data was not collected. [ X ] Yes [ ] No	Employs quantitative study design (e.g. those that rely on probability design or experimental methods) [ ] Yes [ X ] No
There are no sensitive questions within this collection (e.g. sexual orientation, gender identity). [ X ] Yes [ ] No	Sensitive questions will be asked (e.g. sexual orientation, gender identity). [ ] Yes [ X ] No
Collection does not raise issues of concern to any other Federal agencies. [ X] Yes [ ] No	Other Federal agencies may have equities or concerns regarding this collection. [ ] Yes [ X ] No
Data collection is focused on determining ways to improve delivery of services to customers of a current CDC program. [ X ] Yes [ ] No	Data will be used to inform programmatic or budgetary decisions, for the purpose of program evaluation, for surveillance, for program needs assessment, or for research. [ ] Yes [ X ] No
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. [ X ] Yes [ ] No

Did you select “Yes” to all criteria in Column A?

If yes, the Collection of Routine Customer Feedback generic clearance mechanism may be appropriate for your investigation. You may proceed with this form.

Did you select “Yes” to any criterion in Column B?

If yes, the Collection of Routine Customer Feedback generic clearance mechanism is NOT appropriate for your investigation. Stop completing this form now.

TITLE OF INFORMATION COLLECTION: CDC Usability and Digital Content Testing

PURPOSE:

The purpose of the comprehensive CDC Usability and Digital Content Testing information collection is to gather reactions and preferences among larger groups of users to improve the CDC.gov website, @CDCgov social media platforms and CDC YouTube videos. This will allow for rapid (within 2-3 weeks) usability and digital content collections to meet CDC's communication needs, including during outbreaks and emergency responses. During emergency responses such as the annual respiratory disease response (e.g. COVID, flu and RSV), rapid results are integral to informing necessary changes to CDC’s web and digital content.

In addition, the ability to rapidly conduct short, 20-minute tests of recently updated content and design elements, helps identify problems quickly and allows for immediate corrections before issues become major problems. Working iteratively allows for continuous and on-going data-driven improvements, leading to a better user experience and higher satisfaction with CDC’s website and digital content.

Conducting these short, 20-minute tests of content and design elements will enable CDC to improve its website and digital content in smaller, faster increments.

When the need arises, such as during emergency responses, to test an element (e.g., new design, improved content), CDC will use one of the following tests at a time to gather reactions from participants:

• Content Feedback usability test, to assess readability of content and ways to improve value

• Design Feedback usability test, to assess customer ease of use and overall satisfaction with visual design, web module styles, templates and layouts, navigation and findability, information architecture, presentation including length of content, and headings and formatting.

• A/B Comparison usability test, presenting different design options to see which option users prefer

• Data visualization usability test, verifying that the visual representation of data in graphics, charts, maps, and infographics accurately conveys the intended information and insights

As an example, CDC would use the A/B Comparison usability test if two potential designs were being considered for social media messages, to see which option users preferred. On a separate occasion, a Content Feedback usability test would be applied to check that the rewritten content on a CDC website is clear and actionable the first time CDC customers see the information.

In select cases, CDC will use questions (Audience Screener Questions) shown in Attachment E-Instruction and Activities to determine whether an individual would be eligible to take a test intended for a specific audience. These questions are factored into the Burden Hour estimate.

For additional information please refer to the following: 

 

List of Attachments 

1. A-Fast Track Form (this form) 

2. B-PRA – Part 2 

3. C-Testing Plan 

4. D-Consent Form

5. E-Instruction and Activities 

DESCRIPTION OF RESPONDENTS:

Participants will be Individuals or Households who look for health information and resources online.  

TYPE OF COLLECTION: (Check one)

Instruction: Please sparingly use the Other category

[ ] Customer Comment Card/Complaint Form [ ] Customer Satisfaction Survey

[x] Usability Testing (e.g., Website or Software) [ ] Small Discussion Group

[ ] 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.

Name: Laura Pechta__________________________________________

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

Personally Identifiable Information:

1. Is personally identifiable information (PII) collected? [ ] Yes [x] No

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

3. 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? [x] Yes [] No

If Yes: Please describe the incentive. If amounts are outside of customary incentives, please also provide a justification

CDC does not require an incentive or compensation for usability testing and does not request the UserTesting vendor we use for usability testing to provide one. UserTesting (vendor) uses an opt-in panel format and independently provides minor compensation to its contributors for their time when completing tests. CDC’s UserTesting subscription pays for number of users who need access to the UserTesting platform, types of testing (e.g., unmoderated or live testing), length of tests, and UserTesting features.

BURDEN HOURS

Category of Respondent	No. of Respondents	Participation Time	Burden
Individuals or Households	12000	20/60	4000
Totals	12000		4000

FEDERAL COST: The estimated annual cost to the Federal government is $119,040.

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

1. 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 Yes: Please provide a description of both below (or attach the sampling plan)

If No: Please provide a description of how you plan to identify your potential group of respondents and how you will select them or ask them to self-select/volunteer.

CDC has a subscription to a usability testing tool through our vendor, UserTesting. CDC will develop respondent inclusion criteria and then UserTesting will assign respondents to test sessions. UserTesting has created participant panels of people who opt in to participate in future tests. Using their self-reported interests and traits (e.g., age, gender, web expertise, social media use, etc.), UserTesting assigns the users to test sessions.

With this subscription, CDC sets up the test in the UserTesting site:

1. We request participants from the panel of users using audience filters and screener questions (e.g., age, United States, web expertise, profession, etc.)

2. UserTesting randomly selects participants from their broad panel of 1.6 million users across 30 countries that meets the requested audience and displays a dashboard message to those users

3. These potential participants see dashboard of all potential tests they can take that includes the amount UserTesting will compensate them (determined by length of a test) and first question. Users then select the test if they wish to participate (see Figure 1)

4. Once the desired number of participants complete the test, the test stops and our CDC team gets results.

Administration of the Instrument

1. How will you collect the information? (Check all that apply)

[X] Web-based or other forms of Social Media

[ ] Telephone

[ ] In-person

[ ] Mail

[ ] Other, Explain

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

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

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