Template SSA Mobile Website

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

TITLE OF INFORMATION COLLECTION: SSA Mobile Website Customer Satisfaction Survey

DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITY:

Background: In May 2012, the White House asked all Federal agencies to develop a digital Government strategy to serve the public more efficiently by increasing the availability of agency services electronically. As part of that strategy implementation, the Social Security Administration (SSA) has developed a mobile version of our website. Our hope is to provide the public with a mobile website that is easy to understand and navigate, with the goal of offering mobile-friendly content to the widest possible audience.

Prior to releasing the mobile version to the public, SSA is requesting approval to conduct research to garner insight from the user’s experiences with the mobile site. Our objective is to garner feedback to determine the following:

• What is the overall reaction of users to the idea of a mobile Social Security site?

• Do users find that the mobile website allows them to find the information they need quickly and easily?

• What recommendations do users have for making the site easier to navigate and understand?

Methodology: We are proposing to conduct:

• four mini-focus groups with a total of 20 public participants

• field office intercepts* with 20 public participants

• round table discussion with 10 advocates**

*Similar to an in-depth interview, an intercept is a one-on-one interview to collect independent reactions about products, services, advertisements, or concepts. An SSA-employee moderator will conduct the intercepts in a local field office with volunteer participants.

**Advocates will consist of AARP representatives, attorneys, or any representative of an organization that serves populations with an interest in Social Security issues, such as the disabled, elderly, and retirees.

TYPE OF COLLECTION:

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

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

[X] Focus Group [X] Other: Intercepts

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, Reports Clearance Officer, Social Security Administration

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, $50 per mini-focus group participant. [ ] No, respondents will not be paid for their participation.

BURDEN HOURS

Category of Respondent	No. of Respondents	Participation Time (minutes)	Burden (hours)
Advocates	10	90 min	15
Mini-focus groups	20	90 min	30
Field office intercepts	20	30 min	10
Totals	50		55

BURDEN HOUR COMPUTATION (Number of responses (X) estimated response time

(/60) = annual burden hours):

FEDERAL COST: The estimated annual cost to the Federal Government is $9,000.

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

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?

The participant selection criterion for this research is as follows:

• Regular users of the Internet

• Smart phone savvy

• Mix of race, ethnicity, and sex/gender

• Not a retired or current SSA employee, State Disability Determination Services employee, contractor, or family member of an SSA employee or contractor.

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

[X] In-person

[ ] Mail

[ ] Other, Explain - Survey Sheet/Questionnaire

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

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

USE OF RESULTS:

SSA will use the results of the focus groups, advocate meeting, and field office intercepts to assess user experience and satisfaction with the mobile site. Ultimately, these results will enable SSA to determine if the site provides sufficient information and is optimally presented and organized. The findings will also help SSA improve its online services to the public.

See attached copy of the proposed focus group questions, scenarios, and screenshot of the proposed mobile website

NAME OF CONTACT PERSON: Debbie Larwood

PHONE NUMBER: 410-966-6135