Usability feedback for new Coast Survey - Supplemental and Part B Questions

1. Supplemental Questions for DOC/NOAA Customer Survey Clearance
   (OMB Control Number 0648-0342)

1. Explain who will be conducting this survey. What program office will be
   conducting the survey? What services does this program provide? Who are the customers? How are these services provided to the customer?

This survey will be conducted by NOS’ Office of Coast Survey (OCS), which provides navigation products and services that ensure safe and efficient maritime commerce on America’s oceans and coastal waters, and in the Great Lakes. OCS serves a wide array of customers, including shipping companies, the cruise line industry, the fishing industry, marine pilots, harbormasters, federal partners including the US Coast Guard and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, professional mariners, and recreational boaters. Many of our products and services (e.g. nautical charts) are available via download from our website, nauticalcharts.noaa.gov.

2. Explain how this survey was developed. With whom did you consult during the development of this survey on content? statistics? What suggestions did you get about improving the survey?

This survey was developed in consultation with Mobomo, LLC, a firm that we have contracted with in order to redesign our website. The focus of this survey is to validate our assumptions about the usability of our new website design. Questions were developed in order to ensure that customer were able to quickly and easily access our service and products from our redesigned website. The survey was first distributed internally with OCS and the survey questions were refined, based on the results of this initial trial.

3. Explain how the survey will be conducted. How will the customers be sampled (if fewer than all customers will be surveyed)? What percentage of customers asked to take the survey will respond? What actions are planned to increase the response rate? (Web-based surveys are not an acceptable method of sampling a broad population. Web-based surveys must be limited to services provided by Web.)

This survey will be conducted using Optimal Workshop’s Chalkmark (https://www.optimalworkshop.com/chalkmark) first click utility, which allows users to provide feedback on our website prototype to identify usability issues. OCS provided different groups of customers the opportunity to volunteer to provide feedback, though social media, sign-ups at trade shows, and outreach from our regional navigation managers. Approximately 50 individuals volunteered to participate.

Respondents will be provided a URL, which will allow them to access the Chalkmark activity. They will then be led through a series of 15 questions/tasks asking them to identify where on our new website they would click in order to access one of our services or products. The entire activity should take no longer than 10-15 minutes.

A preview of this survey can be found at https://s25n18q3.optimalworkshop.com/chalkmark/ocsv2.

As all customers targeted for this survey have volunteered, we are confident that the response rate will be high. Reponses to this survey will be anonymous. No demographic or personally identifiable information will be collected.

4. Describe how the results of this survey will be analyzed and used. If the customer population is sampled, what statistical techniques will be used to generalize the results to the entire customer population? Is this survey intended to measure a GPRA performance measure? (If so, please include an excerpt from the appropriate document.)

Based on the results of this survey, we may choose to adjust the design of our website to allow for easier access to our products and services. An “expected response” has been identified for each question/task. If the results show that a large number or customers do not choose the “expected response” we will likely reconsider how our website content is organized.

2. COLLECTIONS OF INFORMATION EMPLOYING STATISTICAL METHODS

1. Describe (including a numerical estimate) the potential respondent universe and any sampling or other respondent selection method to be used. Data on the number of entities (e.g. establishments, State and local governmental units, households, or persons) in the universe and the corresponding sample are to be provided in tabular form. The tabulation must also include expected response rates for the collection as a whole. If the collection has been conducted before, provide the actual response rate achieved.

This survey has not been conducted before.

Approximately 50 customers volunteered for this survey. Therefore, we expect that the response rate will be high (>75%).

Respondent Category	# of Potential Respondents	Expected # of Respondents (75%)
Chart Agent	3	2
Hydrographic Survey Company	2	1
Application Developer	5	3
USG Partner	2	1
Harbormaster	3	2
Professional Mariner	2	1
Recreational Boater	28	21
Total # of Potential Respondents	45	31

2. Describe the procedures for the collection, including: the statistical methodology for stratification and sample selection; the estimation procedure; the degree of accuracy needed for the purpose described in the justification; any unusual problems requiring specialized sampling procedures; and any use of periodic (less frequent than annual) data collection cycles to reduce burden.

Data collection will be completed using Optimal Workshop’s Chalkmark (https://www.optimalworkshop.com/chalkmark) first click utility, which allows users to provide feedback on our website prototype to identify usability issues. This survey will not be sampled and will not require statistical methodology. All responses will be considered. Based on the results of this survey, we may choose to adjust the design of our website to allow for easier access to our products and services. An “expected response” has been identified for each question/task. If the results show that a large number or customers do not choose the “expected response” we will likely reconsider how our website content is organized.

3. Describe the methods used to maximize response rates and to deal with nonresponse. The accuracy and reliability of the information collected must be shown to be adequate for the intended uses. For collections based on sampling, a special justification must be provided if they will not yield "reliable" data that can be generalized to the universe studied.

Respondents for this survey actively reached out to Coast Survey to volunteer to participate. Therefore, our expectation is that the response rate should be high.

An email will be sent out to respondents informing them of the availability of this survey and the survey will be available for approximately one week.

4. Describe any tests of procedures or methods to be undertaken. Tests are encouraged as effective means to refine collections, but if ten or more test respondents are involved OMB must give prior approval.

This survey was developed in consultation with Mobomo, LLC, a firm that we have contracted with in order to redesign our website. The focus of this survey is to validate our assumptions about the usability of our new website design. Questions were developed in order to ensure that customer were able to quickly and easily access our service and products from our redesigned website. The survey was first distributed internally with OCS and the survey questions were refined, based on the results of this initial trial.

5. Provide the name and telephone number of individuals consulted on the statistical aspects of the design, and the name of the agency unit, contractor(s), grantee(s), or other person(s) who will actually collect and/or analyze the information for the agency.

This survey will not be sampled and will not require statistical methodology. This survey was designed in consultation with Mobomo, LLC (Kevin Ingalls, kingalls@boostlabs, 301-560-7901 x7003). Mobomo will be responsible for data collection and reporting. Coast Survey (Lucy Hick, Lucy.Hick@noaa.gov, 301-713-2750 x176) will analyse the results in consultation with Mobomo.