2018 BRDIS Cognitive Interviews
DRAFT PROTOCOL
January 23, 2018
This protocol is a guide – the questions presented here will not necessarily be asked exactly as worded in the protocol or in this order. It is important to note that not all questions will be asked in every interview.
Note: As much information about interview participants and enterprise/establishments should be obtained prior to the interview as possible.
1. Introduce observers and their background
2. Purpose of visit:
Thank you very much for your time. Let me start by telling you a little about what we will be doing today. We revising the content of our mailed survey requests. We are in the process of redesigning portions of this letter in order to better meet our data users’ needs. We would like to get your input on the different versions of the letter, in order to make them as informative and easy to read as possible.
3. Permission to audio record discussion? Have R sign consent form.
Before we get started, I would like to audio record this interview so I don't have to rely on my memory later. This session is confidential. Only persons connected with this project will have access to your recording. If that is all right with you, please sign this consent form. It also tells you about the confidentiality of this session.
Before we start with more specific questions, I would like to ask you a few questions about this company and your role in it.
What is your role in the company? What are some of your responsibilities?
How long have you worked in your current position?
Have you completed other government surveys? If so, which ones?
How many times have you completed the R&D survey?
Can you briefly describe the process you went through in completing the survey?
Are you able to complete the survey on your own, or do you need to request data from others?
If yes: Which areas of your company do you reach out to?
‘R&D Performed by Others, Paid for by Company’
Now I would like to go through our draft questions with you. I would like you to review each item and then I will ask you some questions about it. Please feel free to write on this copy if you want.
Let’s start at question 2-12:
How would you answer this question?
Could you tell me what this question is asking for in your own words?
Ok, let’s move on to question 2-13 (New Geography Question):
How would you answer this question?
Could you tell me what this question is asking for in your own words?
What sort of situations were you thinking off when you answered this question? Can you give me any examples?
Would you consult any records or anyone else in your organization in order to answer this question?
Does this wording match how it is recorded in your records?
And now let’s go to question 2-14: (New geography question)
How would you answer this question?
Could you tell me what this question is asking for in your own words?
What sort of situations were you thinking off when you answered this question? Can you give me any examples?
Would you consult any records or anyone else in your organization in order to answer this question?
Does this wording match how it is recorded in your records?
Would you say that someone in your role would be an appropriate person to answer this question?
How long would you estimate it would take to complete these questions?
Do you have any suggestions to improve these questions?
Do you think this is best order in which to place these questions on the survey?
‘R&D Performed by Others, Paid for by Others’
Next, we have a similar set of questions to look at. I would like you to review each item and then I will ask you some questions about it. Please feel free to write on this copy if you want.
Let’s start at question 3-8:
How would you answer this question?
Could you tell me what this question is asking for in your own words?
Ok, let’s move on to question 3-9 (New Geography Question):
How would you answer this question?
Could you tell me what this question is asking for in your own words?
What sort of situations were you thinking off when you answered this question? Can you give me any examples?
Would you consult any records or anyone else in your organization in order to answer this question?
Does this wording match how it is recorded in your records?
And now let’s go to question 3-10: (New geography question)
How would you answer this question?
Could you tell me what this question is asking for in your own words?
What sort of situations were you thinking off when you answered this question? Can you give me any examples?
Would you consult any records or anyone else in your organization in order to answer this question?
Does this wording match how it is recorded in your records?
Would you say that someone in your role would be an appropriate person to answer this question?
How long would you estimate it would take to complete these questions?
Do you have any suggestions to improve these questions?
Do you think this is best order in which to place these questions on the survey?
‘ALL Employees Domestic and Foreign’
Now, we have a set of questions asking about employee counts. I would like you to review each item and then I will ask you some questions about it. Please feel free to write on this copy if you want.
Let’s look at question 5-2:
How would you answer this question?
Could you tell me what this question is asking for in your own words?
Ok, let’s move on to question 5-3 (New Geography Question):
How would you answer this question?
Could you tell me what this question is asking for in your own words?
What sort of situations were you thinking off when you answered this question? Can you give me any examples?
Would you consult any records or anyone else in your organization in order to answer this question?
Does this wording match how it is recorded in your records?
And now let’s go to question 5-4: (New geography question)
How would you answer this question?
Could you tell me what this question is asking for in your own words?
What sort of situations were you thinking off when you answered this question? Can you give me any examples?
Would you consult any records or anyone else in your organization in order to answer this question?
Does this wording match how it is recorded in your records?
Would you say that someone in your role would be an appropriate person to answer this question?
How long would you estimate it would take to complete these questions?
Do you have any suggestions to improve these questions?
Do you think this is best order in which to place these questions on the survey?
‘R&D Employees Domestic and Foreign’
Now let’s skip to question 5-6:
How would you answer this question?
Could you tell me what this question is asking for in your own words?
Ok, let’s move on to question 5-7 (New Geography Question):
How would you answer this question?
Could you tell me what this question is asking for in your own words?
What sort of situations were you thinking off when you answered this question? Can you give me any examples?
Would you consult any records or anyone else in your organization in order to answer this question?
Does this wording match how it is recorded in your records?
And now let’s go to question 5-8: (New geography question)
How would you answer this question?
Could you tell me what this question is asking for in your own words?
What sort of situations were you thinking off when you answered this question? Can you give me any examples?
Would you consult any records or anyone else in your organization in order to answer this question?
Does this wording match how it is recorded in your records?
Would you say that someone in your role would be an appropriate person to answer this question?
How long would you estimate it would take to complete these questions?
Do you have any suggestions to improve these questions?
Do you think this is best order in which to place these questions on the survey?
All of the questions so far have asked you to write in a state or country. If you needed a full list of countries, where would you expect to find that?
If this were online, how would you expect to enter the state or country? If needed: A blank field to type the state/country, a drop-down box, a checklist…
Let’s move on to our last set of draft questions. These questions would make up their own section within the form. I’d like to go over them one at a time. Please feel free to write on this copy if you want.
Q1
How would you answer this question?
Could you tell me what this question is asking for in your own words?
Can you give me some examples of ‘property, plant, and equipment?’ ‘Goodwill?’ ‘Identifiable intangible assets?’
This question asks you to report the net value, is that easier or more difficult to report than gross value?
Do you have any suggestions to improve this question?
Q2
How would you answer this question?
Could you tell me what this question is asking for in your own words?
How would you define ‘accumulated depreciation and amortization?’
Do you have any suggestions to improve this question?
Q3
How would you answer this question?
Could you tell me what this question is asking for in your own words?
How would you define ‘impairment costs and discontinued operations?’
Do you have any suggestions to improve this question?
Q4
How would you answer this question?
Could you tell me what this question is asking for in your own words?
What does ‘acquired through additions, acquisitions, and mergers’ mean to you?
Do you have any suggestions to improve this question?
Q5
How would you answer this question?
Could you tell me what this question is asking for in your own words?
How would you define ‘worldwide expenditures?’
Are the includes and excludes helpful or unhelpful?
If respondent would have answered ‘0’ to this question: Since you answered ‘0’ for this question, how would you proceed?
Do you have any suggestions to improve this question?
Q6
How would you answer this question?
Could you tell me what this question is asking for in your own words?
Would you have this breakout of expenditures available to you?
Do you have any suggestions to improve this question?
Q7
How would you answer this question?
Could you tell me what this question is asking for in your own words?
Would you have this level of breakout of these expenditures available to you?
Do you have any expenditures that would fall under the ‘other’ category? Can you give me an example?
Do you have any suggestions to improve this question?
Q8
How would you answer this question?
Could you tell me what this question is asking for in your own words?
What does ‘capitalized software’ mean to you? ‘Know-how?’ ‘Customer relationships?’ ‘In-process R&D?’
Would you have this level of breakout of these expenditures available to you?
Do you have any expenditures that would fall under the ‘other’ category? Can you give me an example?
Do you have any suggestions to improve this question?
Q9
How would you answer this question?
Could you tell me what this question is asking for in your own words?
Can you think of any examples of expenditures your company would have?
Are the includes helpful or unhelpful?
Would you be able to break this figure out by domestic and foreign expenditures?
If respondent would have answered ‘0’ to this question: Since you answered ‘0’ for this question, how would you proceed?
Do you have any suggestions to improve this question?
Q10
How would you answer this question?
Could you tell me what this question is asking for in your own words?
Would you have this level of breakout of these expenditures available to you?
Did you include these when answering question 5 or question 8?
Do you have any suggestions to improve this question?
Thinking about this entire set of questions we just went over:
Would you consult any records or anyone else in your organization in order to answer these questions?
Does the wording match how it is recorded in your records?
Would you say that someone in your role would be an appropriate person to answer these questions?
How long would you estimate it would take to complete this section?
Thinking about the form as a whole (provide copy of whole form), where do you think this section best fits in?
Do you have any other comments, questions or suggestions about anything we discussed today?
Thank you for your help today!
| File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
| Author | Heidi M St.Onge |
| File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
| File Created | 2021-01-21 |