Tobacco Retailer Education Program: In-depth Interviews to Inform the Development of Educational Materials

OMB# 0910-0674

Exp. 3/31/2016

Tobacco Retailer Education Program: In-depth Interviews to Inform the Development of Educational Materials

IN-PERSON DISCUSSION GUIDE

Research Objective: Conduct individual interviews with clerks and managers to understand their reactions to two program variants (Section II); assess the clarity, comprehension, and usability of specific educational materials (Section IV); and identify tobacco facts that are persuasive (Section III). (Note: The sections were ordered as such to “break up” the interview.)

NOTES TO REVIEWER:

Question probes are italicized. These are suggestions for the interviewer to follow, and will be used or modified as deemed relevant and necessary in the natural flow of discussion.

Interviewer instructions are highlighted in yellow.

Materials are in all caps and bolded.

[Variations for MANAGERS and CLERKS are noted in blue font.]

SECTION I: Introduction & Warm-Up (10 minutes)

[Interviewer introduces self and reviews ground rules with the participant]

• Thank you for coming here today. Your participation is very important.

• My name is __________ and I’m part of an independent research company. This means that I didn’t create anything you see today, and I have no opinions about what you’re going to see. I’m here to listen to you and what you have to tell me.

• The purpose of this interview is to get your thoughts on retailer education materials designed to teach people like yourself about federal tobacco regulations

• Your thoughts are very important to us and your time today is appreciated.

• We will have about 90 minutes for our discussion.

As we begin, I want to review a few ground rules for our discussion.

• Your participation is voluntary and you have the right to withdraw from the study at any time.

• I want to give you my full attention and not have to take a lot of notes, so our session today will be audio recorded. The audio files will be transcribed. At the end of our discussion, I have to write a report and will refer to the recordings and transcripts when writing the report. Additional project staff may see or hear the tapes at a later date. Neither I nor anyone else involved with the project will share personal information with any third party without your permission unless it is required by law.

• IF APPLICABLE: You have probably noticed the video camera in the room too. It’s here so that other members of the research team who couldn’t be here today can learn from you as well.

• IF APPLICABLE: You have probably noticed the video camera in the room too. It’s streaming our session, but it is not recording. This allows other members of the research team who couldn’t be here today learn from you as well.

• Please turn your cell phone off or to silent mode.

• If you need to go the restroom during the discussion, please feel free to do so.

• Most importantly, there are no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ answers. We want to know your opinions and what you think about the things we will be discussing. Just a reminder, we are not selling anything and I do not work for the people who are sponsoring this research, so don’t hold back from giving me your honest opinions.

• Do you have any questions before we begin?

• Why don’t we start with you telling me a little bit about yourself:

1. How long have you been working at [insert store name]?

2. Do you work full or part-time? Do you work anywhere else?

3. When it comes to selling tobacco products (cigarettes, chewing tobacco, dip, etc.), what do you know about the federal regulations (IF NEEDED: that is, the “rules” made by the federal government that tobacco retailers are supposed to follow)?

   1. How did you learn about these regulations?

SECTION II: Reactions to Two Program Variants (20 minutes)

[NOTE: The purpose of this section is to help gauge, upon first impression, whether one program variant is more attractive, engaging, and memorable. There are two program variants: “Make Real Change” and “Not on Our Watch.” Participants will see the variants in random order. Additionally, “Not on Our Watch” has two renderings that are very similar, one with a shield graphic and one without; participants will be randomly assigned to see only the “shield” rendering or the “no shield” rendering.]

Now I’m going to share a couple ideas for presenting information about federal tobacco regulations to get your first impressions. Remember, I’d like to hear your honest feedback, and there are no wrong answers.

[MANAGERS: Let’s say you get the mail one day at work. You sit down and begin to sort through it and see these.] [CLERKS: Let’s say you came in to work one day and saw these materials displayed.] [Show BREAK ROOM POSTER and OVERSIZED POSTCARD for the first program variant.]

4. What are your first thoughts on these materials?

   1. What do you like or dislike?

5. What would you do with them?

   1. How long would you spend looking at them?

   2. [MANAGER: Would you show them to anyone else?] [CLERK: Would you ask your manager or another employee about them?]

   3. [MANAGER: Where would you put them before moving on to another task?]

6. What is the main message they’re trying to tell you?

   1. What do you think “Make Real Change”/ “Not on Our Watch” means?

7. Okay, I’m going to take these materials away now. [Remove materials from sight.] Can you tell me what you think you’ll remember about these materials tomorrow? IF NEEDED: It can be anything – a word, idea, feeling, color, shape, or image.

Now, I have a second set of materials to show you. Pretend like you never saw the first set – I’ll ask you to compare them later, so just focus on what I’m about to show you. Same thing – let’s say you get the mail one day and work, begin to sort through it and see these. [Show BREAK ROOM POSTER and OVERSIZED POSTCARD for the second program variant and repeat questions 4-7 above.]

[Display materials from BOTH program variants just shown.] Okay, great. Thanks for your feedback! Now that you have seen both sets of materials, I’m going to ask you to compare “Make Real Change” and “Not on Our Watch.” Even if you liked both of them – or didn’t like either of them – try to answer the questions as best you can.

8. Which one would be more likely to grab your attention? Why?

9. [MANAGER ONLY: Which one would you be more likely to display in your store? Why?]

10. Which one is more likely to make you think about your role in protecting youth from tobacco?

11. Which one is more likely to encourage you to follow federal tobacco regulations? Why?

12. Which one are you more likely to remember?

[Clear materials from comparison.] Alright, we are almost done with this section of the interview, I just have one more thing to show you. [Show alternate version of BREAK ROOM POSTER and OVERSIZED POSTCARD for “Not on Our Watch” – either with or without shield, depending on version already presented.]

13. So, what do you think about this one? [Do not probe; see if participant notices the absence/presence of the shield.]

14. Yep, they are different – this one has/does not have a shield! –or– Actually, there is one difference – this one has/does not have a shield. Does the shield make a difference either way, good or bad?

15. Compared to this version… [Show earlier version]

    1. Is the message communicated the same or different?

    2. If different, how so?

       1. Is one more appealing? If yes, which one and why?

       2. Are you more likely to remember one over the other? If so, which one and why?

    3. Which version do you prefer?

    4. [MANAGER: Which version would you be more likely to display in your store?] [CLERK: Which version would you be more likely to see in your store?]

SECTION III: Reactions to Tobacco Facts (20 minutes)

[NOTE: The purpose of this section is to help identify facts that will help motivate tobacco retail managers and clerks to follow federal regulations. The facts are intended to provide compelling reasons to care about the regulatory information and may subsequently be featured on specific educational materials. Each participant will be asked to review eight different tobacco facts (each presented on a separate card with a blank background) and then rank order the cards according to different criteria.]

The next thing I’d like to do is get your feedback on some statements related to tobacco use. [Hand participant the TOBACCO FACT CARDS.] There is one statement on each card. Please read each of the cards carefully, and let me know when you’re done.

16. Before we get started, does each statement make sense? Is there anything confusing? What about your co-workers, is there any language that might be unclear or confusing to them?

When participant is done: Okay, I’m going to ask you to rank order the cards several different ways.

17. First, think about which statement provides the most compelling reason why youth tobacco prevention is a serious matter? Then, put the cards in order so that the top card has the most serious statement and the bottom card has the least serious.

    1. Probe on rationale behind order, including believability.

18. Now, think about which statement is most likely to make [MANAGER: employees at your store] [CLERK: employees like you] feel personally responsible for protecting youth from tobacco? Please order the cards so that the top card is most influential and the bottom card is least influential.

    1. Probe on rationale behind order.

19. Last one and we’ll be done with this section. How likely are you to remember these statements? Please order the cards so that the top card is most memorable and the bottom card is least memorable.

    1. Probe on rationale behind order.
       
       
       

SECTION IV: Usability of Specific Educational Materials (35 minutes)

[NOTE: The purpose of this section is to evaluate specific educational materials to assess the clarity, comprehension, and usability of each one. Participants will see five different types of materials from the same program variant according to the program variant they saw first in Section II. The materials will include:

• Break room poster (also shown in Section II)

• Oversized postcard (also shown in Section II)

• Regulation Fact Sheet

• Regulation Cards

• Age Verification Tool –or– Customer-Facing Register Signage

[The materials will be presented in random order.]

This is the last section of the interview. Earlier you shared your initial reactions to “Make Real Change” and “Not on Our Watch.” Now, I’d like you to review several materials, one at a time, paying close attention to the information that appears and the format in which it is presented. [Show stimuli one at a time in random order].

[If AGE VERIFICATION TOOL or CUSTOMER-FACING REGISTER SIGNAGE, ask questions 20-21 BEFORE showing stimuli.]

Before I show you this one, I need you to talk me through how you verify someone’s age when they are buying tobacco products.

20. What are the steps you go through to verify someone’s age?

21. What tools or tricks do you use to help you quickly determine if someone is of age? How do you decide who needs to be checked and who doesn’t?

[If BREAK ROOM POSTER, OVERSIZED POSTCARD, REGULATION FACT SHEET, REGULATION CARDS, or AGE VERIFICATION TOOL, ask the following questions. You may ask participants to make comparisons to stimuli they have already been shown.]

22. DO NOT ASK FOR BREAK ROOM POSTER and OVERSIZED POSTCARD: What are your first thoughts about [these cards/this sheet/this tool]?

23. [MANAGER: If this came in the mail, would you share it with your employees?] [CLERK: If you saw this in your store, would you use it?] [NOTE: Looking for a yes/no reaction here. Use the following items to examine further.]

24. Is it clear what this is asking you to do? Please explain.

25. Is there anything confusing about this?

1. Is there anything (language, wording, format) that you think other people working at stores like yours may have trouble understanding?

2. Is there any missing information or information that would be helpful to include?

26. How useful would it be to have [this poster/ this postcard/ this fact sheet/these cards/this tool] in your store? Would you say Not At All Useful, Somewhat Useful, or Very Useful?

    1. Is there anything useful about this format compared to the others I’ve shown you today? Please explain.

    2. What would motivate you to use [this poster/this postcard/this fact sheet/these cards/this tool] in your store? What would stop you from using [this poster/this postcard/this fact sheet/these cards/this tool] in your store?

1. [MANAGER: Where is the ideal place to put it so that employees will use it?] [CLERK: Where is the ideal place to put it so that you will use it?] What other types of things would you be likely to find nearby it?

2. What would you change about this to make it easier [MANAGER: to motivate employee to use] [CLERK: to use]? What about the size?

3. Are there other materials [MANAGER: you have provided to your employees in the past] [CLERK: your manager has provided to you in the past] that are similar to this? If so, please describe.

27. Looking at this one last time, is there anything that you’re seeing now that you didn’t catch the first time? If so, what is it?

[If CUSTOMER-FACING REGISTER SIGNAGE, ask the following questions. You may ask participants to make comparisons to stimuli they have already been shown.]

28. What are your first thoughts about this sign?

29. [MANAGER: If this came in the mail, would you put it up in your store?] [CLERK: If this came in the mail, would you be in favor of putting it up?] [NOTE: Looking for a yes/no reaction here. Use the following items to examine further.]

30. What is the main message it is trying to tell customers? Is it clear what this is asking customers to do?

31. Is there anything confusing about this?

    1. Is there anything (language, wording, format) that you think customers may have trouble understanding?

    2. Is there any missing information or information that would be helpful to include?

32. How useful would it be to put this sign up in your store? Would you say Not At All Useful, Somewhat Useful, or Very Useful?

    1. Where is the ideal place to put it so that customers will see it before they get to the cash register? What other types of things would you be likely to find nearby it?

    2. What would you change about this to make it really grab a customer’s attention? What about the size?

1. Are there other materials in your store (now or in the past) that are similar to this? If so, please describe.

33. Looking at this one last time, is there anything that you’re seeing now that you didn’t catch the first time? If so, what is it?

SECTION V: Wrap-Up & Closing (5 minutes)

34. What, if anything, new did you learn today after going through these materials?

35. Are there other types of materials we haven’t discussed today that would help educate managers, clerks, or customers about the federal tobacco regulations (e.g., window clings, bathroom clings)?

Thank you very much for participating in this interview. I appreciate you sharing your time and valuable feedback. Is there anything that you would like to share that you didn’t have the chance to share yet?

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