FTC Request re Usability Testing for Consumer.gov and Consumidor.gov

Request for Approval under the “Generic Clearance for the Collection of
Routine Customer Feedback” (OMB Control Number: 3084-0159)
TITLE OF INFORMATION COLLECTION: Feedback Sessions for Consumer.gov and
Consumidor.gov
PURPOSE:
The FTC is requesting feedback on the design of Consumer.gov and Consumidor.gov. Feedback
would include an analysis of navigation, presentation, and content.
Participants will be interviewed and asked to interact with the current design of the site. Their
feedback will be used to evaluate possible improvements to the site.
DESCRIPTION OF RESPONDENTS:
The site includes easy-to-understand tips to help consumers understand their rights and avoid
frauds and scams, all written in a plain and simple style for readers with lower levels of literacy.
We will conduct the test Consumer.gov with 8 native English-speaking respondents and 8 native
Spanish speaking respondents who are in the process of learning English. We will test
Consumidor.gov with 8 native Spanish respondents who prefer to communicate in Spanish.
TYPE OF COLLECTION: (Check one)
[ ] Customer Comment Card/Complaint Form
[X] Usability Testing (e.g., Website or Software
[ ] Focus Group

[ ] Customer Satisfaction Survey
[ ] Small Discussion 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: Jennifer Leach
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 [ ] No [X] N/A

Gifts or Payments:
Is an incentive (e.g., money or reimbursement of expenses, token of appreciation) provided to
participants? [X] Yes [ ] No
There will be a $75 incentive. Participation will take approximately 90 minutes per person
(including a 15-minute in-person screening). There will be out-of-pocket costs to the respondent
(i.e. transportation cost to site, taking time off work, etc.). In addition, other organizations pay
respondents for these types of studies.
BURDEN HOURS
Category of Respondent
Individuals

No. of
Respondents
24

Participation
Time
90 minutes

Burden
36 hours

Totals

FEDERAL COST: The estimated annual cost to the Federal government is $42,000.
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 target audience for the site is consumers with low levels of literacy – in particular, English
language learners and clients of legal services attorneys. Potential candidates will be recruited
from local adult education programs teaching English as a second language (ESL) and through
local legal services contacts. Participants can opt into the screening conversation or opt to
abstain. Candidates will be screened in person by an ESL teacher or legal services attorney and
asked if they are willing to participate in a 60-minute session.
The sessions will not ask for any personally identifiable information. Responses will be stored
anonymously.
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
2. Will interviewers or facilitators be used? [X] Yes [ ] No