Script for consumer interview [pretesting]
Topic of interview: [TOPIC]
Intended audience: [consumer/caregiver]
Location: [enter location]
Date: [enter date]
Testing materials
Audio recording equipment and batteries
Interviewer clock
Pens and notepads as needed
Packet of testing materials (1 per interviewee) that contains:
2 copies of consent form (interviewer keeps 1 signed copy)
Protocol for interviewer
2 copies of materials (one for interviewer and one for interviewee)
Procedures for obtaining informed consent
Have interviewee read and sign the informed consent form. Give interviewee an unsigned copy of the form to keep.
Checklist of Materials
Participant signed the consent form
Provided interviewee with consent form (1 copy for interviewer/1 for interviewee)
Participant completed incentive receipt form and received incentive
Type up notes in tables
Testing goals
Pretesting will use draft materials, given to interviewee at the start of the interview. This information product focuses on [CONDITION OR TREATMENT].
Consumer will be given the guide. Interviewer will navigate consumer through materials as needed to focus on specific points or sections – namely, the following:
Understanding of text: Can users understand and correctly interpret information as shown? What text changes may be needed? How do users understand and interpret the findings?
Understanding of pictures and graphics: Is information presented in a way that users can understand and use? Can users understand and correctly interpret information as shown? What changes to format or layout may be needed? What text changes may be needed?
Consumer interview (90 minutes total)
Approximate time |
Topic |
Elapsed time |
3 |
Introduction (welcome; background; ground rules; practice) |
3 |
20 |
Think aloud / Overall impressions |
23 |
3 |
Cover |
26 |
7 |
Inside Cover (who is guide for, who is this guide not for) |
33 |
12 |
Understanding your [CONDITION]. (p.1) |
45 |
12 |
Understanding [TREATMENT]. (p.2) |
57 |
20 |
Making a decision about [TREATMENT] (p.3-5) |
77 |
2 |
Sources (Back Cover) |
77 |
12 |
SUMMARY |
89 |
1 |
Closing |
90 |
Introduction (start at _____ – 3 min – end at _____)
Welcome and Background—explain purpose of the interview
Thank you for agreeing to do this interview. My name is [NAME] and I’ll be talking with you today. [INTRODUCE NOTE-TAKER]
I work for a company called [ORGANIZATION NAME].
Our discussion today is part of a project sponsored by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, or AHRQ. AHRQ is a government agency that works on issues related to health care quality.
Today we’ll be talking about some materials that are being developed for people with [CONDITION]. AHRQ sponsored the development of these materials, and the Eisenberg Center at the Baylor College of Medicine in Texas created them.
I’ll be asking you to look at paper materials and give us your feedback. Based on the feedback we get from you and others, we will make recommendations to the Eisenberg Center and AHRQ about how to improve the materials. Eventually, these materials will be available to the public on AHRQ’s web site– free of charge.
Any questions?
Go over ground rules
We’ll be here about an hour and a half.
Everything you tell me will be confidential. To protect your privacy, we won’t connect your name with anything that you say.
Please give us your honest feedback. I didn’t write these materials. My job is just to collect comments about them and take these comments back to the authors. So please speak openly about your thoughts and impressions. If something is unclear or confusing to you, it’s bound to be confusing to other people too.
These materials are not finished yet, so there’s still time to improve them – and the people who wrote them think they need some improvement. You can help by telling us exactly what you think of these handouts- good or bad. We’ll take your comments back to the team that’s working on these handouts and they will use what you say to help make the handouts better.
I
would like to audiotape our discussion today so that I can make sure
I capture all of your feedback. As I mentioned before, your name or
identity will not be associated with your comments. Is it all right
with you if I audiotape the interview?
TURN
ON AUDIOTAPE
Overall impressions (20 min – end at ______)
Process of Interview
As I mentioned, today we’ll be talking about some materials that were created for people with [CONDITION]. Before materials like these are made available to the public, we like to have a small group of people look at them first so we can find out about any potential problems and fix them. The way we do this is by having you look at the materials and tell us what you are thinking as you look at them. In other words, we want you to talk out loud about any thoughts, feelings, reactions or questions you have.
{Hand stimulus material to participant.]
Here are the materials. Go ahead and take a look, and let me know what you’re thinking.
Provide instruction on which section to read only if participant requests it. Otherwise, allow participant to move through the text as they are naturally inclined, recording sections that they skip, struggle with or study.
Continue this method through the remainder of the interview. Always begin with observation of where the participant’s attention is drawn. Probe for additional comment and meaning when participant offers brief answers. Ask for explanation. Record all questions that arise.
Allow participant to look through entire handout, moving through text as they are naturally inclined. Note sections they skip, struggle with, or study. What do they read first? Where do they spend more time or less time?
REMINDER LIST OF PROBES for use throughout the interview:
Remember to tell me your thoughts and reactions as you’re looking at the handout.
Can you tell me what you’re thinking about now?
What are you looking at now? What are your thoughts?
And you say that because…
How so?
In what way?
Can you show me which part you were looking at when you got that reaction?
Tell me more about that
Where are your eyes going? What are you looking at?
What do you see first?
Remember, there aren’t any right or wrong answers. I just want to know your honest opinion. That’s what will help in making improvements to this handout.
{Probe on significant non-verbal communication, smiles, eye-rolling, etc. Don’t over-probe non-verbal communication—i.e., don’t probe to the point that it makes participant self-conscious}
Overall impressions
What are your first reactions when you look at the brochure?
IF NOT ALREADY COVERED: What did you look at first? What did you look at next?
What parts of the brochure caught your attention? Can you tell me a little more about that?
What do you think about the way it looks? (Do you have any comments or suggestions about the appearance, including the layout, design, colors, graphics, and so on?)
Do you think that this handout was written for someone like you? Why or why not?
Cover (3 min – end at ______)
Based on the title, “[TITLE]”, what do you expect this brochure will be about?
What kind of information do you think you will find?
What topics might it cover?
What are your reactions to the picture on the cover?
What about this (DHHS, AHRQ, Effective Health Care) symbol? Have you seen this before? Why do you think that these symbols are there?
IF PARTICIPANT SAYS SYMBOLS DENOTE SPONSORSHIP: How does that make you feel about the brochure?
Inside Cover (Guide for / not for) (7 min – end at ______)
Who is This Guide For?
If someone asked you who is the guide for, what would you say?
Do you think it is written for someone like you? Why or why not?
Why do I need a guide on [TOPIC]?
What are your reactions to this section?
What is Not Covered in this Guide?
If someone asked you what isn’t covered in this guide, what would you say?
Where did the information in this guide come from?
If you had to explain to a friend where the information in this guide comes from, what would you say?
Does this section make you feel confident that the information in the brochure is accurate? Why or why not? What would you want to know about the research study to be able to trust the information?
Is this important information to include? Why or why not?
Overall Inside Cover
Are there any words or explanations on this page that you think would be confusing to people?
Is there anything you had to read more than once?
Understanding your/your child’s [CONDITION] (p. X) (12 min – end--)
Was this the kind of information you expected to find under this heading?
What is [CONDITION]? (top p. 1)
How well does this section explain what [CONDITION] is? Is anything missing? Is anything inaccurate?
How helpful is this section in explaining what causes [CONDITION]? Why or why not?
How was this [CONDITION] explained to you? What words would you use to describe how [PROBLEM, SYMPTOM] affects your/ your child’s [CONDITION]?
What causes [CONDITION] (LOCATION)
Based on the information you read here, how would you describe what causes [CONDITION] in your own words?
Do you think this section is helpful explaining what causes [CONDITION]? Why or why not?
How does [CONDITION] affect [OUTCOME]? (middle p. X)
What do you think the authors’ main points are here?
How important is [OUTCOME] to you?
Is there a cure for [CONDITION]? (bottom, p. X)
What are your reactions to this paragraph?
What do you think the authors mean by “cure?”
Understanding your/ your child’s [CONDITION] Overall (p. X)
In your own words, what are the main points on pages 1?
Is there anything that you think other people would find confusing or have a hard time understanding in these sections on page 1?
Was there any place where you had to read the information more than once to understand? {Show me where}
Understanding [TREATMENT] (p.X) (12 min – end at ______)
Was this the kind of information you expected to find under this heading?
What is [TREATMENT]? (top p. X)
Based on what you read here, how would you describe what [TREATMENT] is in your own words? ** If multiple treatments, go bullet by bullet or section by section.
Why do people use [TREATMENT]? (middle, p. X)
What do you think the author’s main points are here?
[SPECIFIC TREATMENT TOPIC]? (middle, p. X)
What are your reactions to this paragraph?
If you were interested in reducing [SYMPTOM], how would you decide which treatment to use?
{last bullet} Have you heard of these medicines/treatments before you looked at this handout? Based on what you read here, how would you describe what these medicines/treatments are?
How does [TREATMENT] work? (bottom, p. X)
What are your reactions to this paragraph?
Understanding [CONDITION] Overall (p. X)
In your own words, what are the main points on page X?
Is there anything that you think other people would find confusing or have a hard time understanding in these sections on page X? Is there anything could be left off? Anything missing?
Was there any place where you had to read the information more than once to understand? {Show me where}
Making a decision about [TREATMENT] (p. X-X) (20 min – end at __)
Was this the kind of information you expected to find under this heading?
What are the benefits to [TREATMENT]? (top, p. X)
{Go bullet by bullet} What are your reactions to this information? How would you describe the information in this section in your own words?
What are the risks of [TREATMENT]? (bottom, p. X)
What are your reactions to the information in this section?
{If used: safe} What do you think the authors meant by the term “safe?”
{If used: risk} What do you think the authors meant by the term “risk?”
{If used: side effect} What do you think the authors meant by “side effect?” What are some examples of side effects?
{If used: harms} What do you think the authors meant by the word “harms”? How would you describe the term harms in your own words?
What is the difference, if any, between “harms” and “side effects”? What are examples of harms? What are some examples of side effects?
Are you aware of any other side effects that you think should be listed here?
What are the costs? (top, p. X)
What are your reactions to the information in this section?
Based on the information you read here, how would you describe the cost of [TREATMENT] in your own words?
Is this information on cost important to you? Why or why not?
What other information, if any, would you want to know about cost?
How much confidence do you have in the information that is here about cost? Do you believe it?
Do you think it is written for someone like you? Why or why not?
Ask your Doctor (p. X)/Tell your Doctor
Are there other things that someone should tell their doctor? If so, what?
Are there other questions that someone should ask their doctor? If so, what?
How comfortable do you feel asking the doctor these questions? How would you ask them in your own words?
Is this information helpful to you? Why or why not?
Are there other things that someone should tell their doctor when considering treatments for [CONDITION]? What?
Making a Decision about [TREATMENT] Overall (p. 3-5)
In your own words, what are the main points on pages 6-9?
Is there anything that you think other people would find confusing or have a hard time understanding in these sections on page 6-9?
Was there any place where you had to read the information more than once to understand? {Show me where}
Sources (Back Cover) (2 min – end at ______)
{Note if participants spontaneously notices this section. If time, probe. If not, skip section.}
Is this information important to you, or not?
Is there anything in this section that is confusing or unclear?
Summary (12 min – end at ______)
{If
not commented on previously, go to photographs on cover,
p. 5}
What
do you think about the photographs in the brochure?
If you were to use three words to describe the photograph, what would they be?
Would you be likely to use the information in the guide we looked at today? Why or why not?
What, if any, of the information in this booklet would be / would have been helpful to you in making a decision about [TREATMENT]?
What, if any, of the information in this handout would be / would have been helpful to you in talking with your doctor about treatment options?
Would you recommend that a friend or family member with [a child with] [CONDITION] look at this guide? Why or why not?
Where would you like to find a guide like this? Where would you like to find it (probe for online, doctor, pharmacist, or somewhere else)?
What, if any, of the information in this booklet was new to you?
Was there anything missing that we should add? Was there anything you would take out?
Any other advice on how to improve the content of this booklet?
Closing (1 min – end at ______)
Before we end, I’d like to give you chance to share any additional thoughts or comments about the information we talked about today.
Is there anything else you would like to add that you didn’t have a chance to say during our discussion today, or something that we didn’t talk about that you wish we had?
Thank you very much for participating in this discussion today. We appreciate your time.
Additional questions in specific sections depending upon content.
{Specific procedure} Have you heard of [SPECIFIC PROCEDURE] before? How would you explain it in your own words? Why do you think this information about [SPECIFIC PROCEDURE] has been included in the guide? Have you/has your child ever had a [SPECIFIC PROCEDURE]?
{potentially ambiguous SPECIFICS (e.g., quality of life, physical activity } What do you think the authors meant by [SPECIFICS]? What are some examples of [SPECIFICS?]
{Confusing or unclear Phrase} What is your reaction to this phrase? How would you describe it in your own words?
{Confusing or unclear term } Is this a term that you had seen before you looked at this brochure? How would you explain it in your own words?
{pronunciation info} Take a look at the second sentence. Is this information helpful to see? Is this pronunciation information helpful here?
{Agency or other reference, e.g., FDA} What are your reactions to the last sentence about [AGENCY/ADMINISTRATION/OTHER REFERENCE]?
{point to PICTURE} What do you think about this picture?
Does the picture help you to understand the information here?
Anything that’s here that you think shouldn’t be here?
Are there other pictures you would like to see instead?
{SYMPTOM/PAIN} Take a look at the next paragraph. What do you think are the authors’ main points in this paragraph? Which word would you choose to describe the pain from your [CONDITION]/your symptoms?
Is this a clear way of presenting information on [TOPIC or TYPES OF TREATMENT, e.g., types of surgery]? Why or why not?
If you were interested in [OUTCOME], which type of [TREATMENT] would you choose?
| File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
| File Title | PDP CAHPS focus groups |
| Author | kcarman |
| File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
| File Created | 2021-01-23 |