Template - MySSAccess Focus Group

Request for Approval under the “Generic Clearance for the Collection of Routine Customer Feedback” (OMB Control Number: 0960-0788)

T ITLE OF INFORMATION COLLECTION: Focus Group Testing for MySSAccess, MySocialSecurity Landing Page, and Online Statement

PURPOSE: The public expects the opportunity to communicate with the Social Security Administration (SSA) through the channel of their choosing. SSA is committed to meeting public expectation by providing secure, reliable, and efficient eAuthentication for those who want to use our eServices applications. We are currently in the planning/pretesting phase of a project to implement secure registration and eAuthentication (MySSAccess), a landing page that provides links to SSA’s online services, and access to the electronic version of the Social Security statement. SSA would like to assess the experiences of some members of the public who will be using this application. We are requesting to elicit input from participants via focus groups.

SSA designed the MySSAccess application to issue a single User ID (username & password), authentication and management system so that individuals could use this system to conduct business with us online in a secure environment. MySSAccess involves the use of a third party data source to verify identity and prevent, detect, and reduce fraud. End users include members of the public. MySocialSecurity allows registered and authenticated users access to a personalized customer experience of individualized Social Security-related information in a secure and efficient manner. Users will be able to view and print their Social Security statement. The statement includes the users earnings record history and estimated Social Security benefits.

Goals and Objectives:

We are seeking feedback to determine:

• How well did the application’s screens support the task participants were asked to perform?

• How difficult or easy were the screens to use? Were there any tasks that were difficult to understand?

• How understandable were the terminologies and how difficult or easy was it to find certain information?

• How confident did participants feel using this application and how do participants’ experience compare with their experience creating other online accounts?

• Will participants be able to view their individualized Social Security related information? For example, will users be able to view and print their Social Security statement after authenticating into this application?

• What are participants’ first impressions of MySocialSecurity? Would they rather receive the paper or the electronic version? Would they recommend this application to others and what additional features would they like to see on this application?

DESCRIPTION OF RESPONDENTS:

We will recruit the participants for the focus groups via an SSA-approved contractor. We will conduct a series of focus group discussions with 45 participants. The contractor will moderate the focus group discussions and provide both audio recordings and a written report of the focus groups.

USE OF FOCUS GROUP RESULTS:

SSA will use the results of these focus groups to assess users’ level of ease navigating information on this application. SSA will also use the findings from these focus groups to enhance their online authentication system, MySocialSecurity landing page, and the online statement.

DESCRIPTION OF RESPONDENTS: Individuals 21 years and above, comfortable with using the Internet, a representative mix in terms of race, gender, income and education. See the screening guide for more information about participant selection.

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: Faye Lipsky, SSA Reports Clearance Officer, Office of Regulations & Reports Clearance

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? [X ] Yes [ ] No

Gifts or Payments:

Is an incentive (e.g., money or reimbursement of expenses, token of appreciation) provided to participants? [X] Yes [ ] No

Payment amount will not exceed $100.

BURDEN HOURS

Category of Respondent	No. of Respondents	Participation Time	Burden
Individuals	45	105 minutes	79 hrs
Totals	45	105 minutes	79 hrs

FEDERAL COST: The one-time cost to the Federal government is $80,143.

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 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?

Administration of the Instrument

1. 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

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

How will we conduct the focus testing?

We will conduct a series of usability sessions/focus groups to evaluate the current design of the SSA MySSAccess registration/eAuthentication screens, the MySocialSecurity landing page, and the online Social Security statement. An SSA-approved contractor will moderate the focus group discussions.

Where will we conduct the focus testing? In the Baltimore-Washington area.

When will we conduct the focus testing? In fiscal year 2012.

NAME OF CONTACT PERSON: Deb Larwood

PHONE NUMBER: 410-966-6135

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