Template_Usability Testing of Federal Forms to Reduce Burden, Enhance Data Quality, and Improve Access to Resources

Request for Approval under the “Generic Clearance for Improving
Customer Experience: OMB Circular A-11, Section 280
Implementation”
(OMB Control Number: 3090-0325)
TITLE OF INFORMATION COLLECTION: Usability Testing of Federal Forms to Reduce
Burden, Enhance Data Quality, and Improve Access to Resources.
PURPOSE OF COLLECTION: The Office of Evaluation Sciences and FormsGov team will
conduct usability testing to quickly learn which instructions in a form generates improved
response and completion rates. The purpose of this survey is to quickly learn if changes to
instructions – embedding instructions in the survey vs consolidated up front instructions improve responses. The goal is for rapid iterative feedback to see if this small change is working
well or not working well. Comparing responses across users with embedded vs standard
instructions will allow us to understand if this is affecting usability and responses.
To understand if changes in instructions can improve outcomes, a sample form was created with
common challenging questions. Given the goal is to conduct usability testing to improve
instructions, questions were included which were common in type across major forms and
agencies, and purposefully complex in nature. No other agencies, to our knowledge, are conducting
rigorous large scale usability testing on form instructions. To be clear, the purpose of this effort is
not to use or save the responses to these forms in anyway. GSA will not retain the underlying data
or use the underlying data in any way, except to understand more about the presentation of
instructions in forms.
OES will share a detailed summary of the findings for internal government/USG review, OIRA
review, and to inform future iterations for form testing by GSA or other agencies. GSA will share
detailed design document and analysis plan materials with interested agencies as well.
TYPE OF ACTIVITY: (Check one)
[
] Customer Research (Interview, Focus Groups)
[
] Customer Feedback Survey
[ x ] User Testing
ACTIVITY DETAILS
1. How will you collect the information? (Check all that apply)
[x] Web-based or other forms of Social Media
[ ] Telephone
[ ] In-person
[ ] Mail
[x] Other, Explain
The information will be collected via a brief form, posted and housed on GSA websites.
2. Who will you collect the information from?

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The population of interest for this project is the general public. The study sample will include
members of the general public visiting a variety of different government websites, and willing to
volunteer a few minutes of time to complete a form. The sample will be recruited using links to
the survey posted on websites such as usa.gov, challenge.gov, and citizenscience.gov, among
others. Recruitment will also occur through USAGov email communications, similar to our earlier
collaboration with USAGov. Although it is likely that response rates will be low, the large number
of visitors to several of these sites makes it likely that we can obtain a sample of adequate size.
Based on the previous USAGov project, we expect that a response rate of around 1% of visitors
is reasonable. The links will be open to the public via these sites.
3. How will you ask a respondent to provide this information?
(e.g., after an application is submitted online, the final
screen will present the opportunity to provide feedback by
presenting a link to a feedback form / an actual feedback form)
A brief form (attached).
4. What will the activity look like?
Describe the information collection activity – e.g. what happens
when a person agrees to participate? Will facilitators or
interviewers be used? What’s the format of the interview/focus
group? If a survey, describe the overall survey
layout/length/other details? If User Testing, what actions will
you observe / how will you have respondents interact with a
product you need feedback on?
Individual will click on the form testing link and be routed to one of two form versions. They
will be randomly assigned, allowing us to determine if differences across the form are driving
differences in responses. Randomization is done at the level of the individual clicking on a
website link, by the Forms.gov interface using Google Optimize. The form is estimated to take
four minutes.
5. Please provide your question list.
Paste here the questions or prompts presented to participants in
your activity. If you have an interview / facilitator guide,
that can be attached to the submission and referenced here.
Please make sure that all instruments, instructions, and scripts
are submitted with the request.
Attached
6. When will the activity happen?
Describe the time frame or number of events that will occur
(e.g., We will conduct focus groups on May 13,14,15, We plan
to conduct customer intercept interviews over the course of
the Summer at the field offices identified in response to #2
based on scheduling logistics concluding by Sept. 10th, or
“This survey will remain on our website in alignment with the
timing of the overall clearance.”)
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Once approved, GSA will post the link on GSA websites and initiate the user testing. The target
is late May 2022 to start the pilot. The pilot will run for 4-8 weeks, or until 15,000 users
complete the form (which ever is sooner).
7. Is an incentive (e.g., money or reimbursement of expenses,
token of appreciation) provided to participants?
[ ] Yes [x ] No
If Yes, describe:
BURDEN HOURS
Category of Respondent
Form respondent

No. of
Respondents
15,000

Participation
Time
4 minutes

Burden
Hours
1000

Totals

15,000

4 minutes

1000

CERTIFICATION:
I certify the following to be true:
1. The collections are voluntary;
2. The collections are low-burden for respondents (based on
considerations of total burden hours or burden-hours per
respondent) and are low-cost for both the respondents and the
Federal Government;
3. The collections are non-controversial and do not raise issues
of concern to other Federal agencies;
4. Any 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 near future;
5. Personally identifiable information (PII) is collected only to
the extent necessary and is not retained;
6. Information gathered is intended to be used for general
service improvement and program management purposes
7. Upon agreement between OMB and the agency aggregated data may
be released as part of A-11, Section 280 requirements only on
performance.gov. Summaries of customer research and user
testing activities may be included in public-facing customer
journey maps.
8. Additional release of data will be coordinated with OMB.
Name: Kelly Bidwell
All instruments used to collect information must include:
OMB Control No. 3090-0325
Expiration Date: 04/30/2025

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HELP SHEET
(OMB Control Number: 3090-0325)
TITLE OF INFORMATION COLLECTION: Provide the name of the collection that is
the subject of the request. (e.g. Comment card for soliciting feedback on
xxxx)
PURPOSE: Provide a brief description of the purpose of this collection and
how it will be used. If this is part of a larger study or effort, please
include this in your explanation.
TYPE OF COLLECTION: Check one box. If you are requesting approval of other
instruments under the generic, you must complete a form for each instrument.
CERTIFICATION: Please read the certification carefully. If you incorrectly
certify, the collection will be returned as improperly submitted or it will
be disapproved.
Personally Identifiable Information: Agencies should only collect PII to the
extent necessary, and they should only retain PII for the period of time that
is necessary to achieve a specific objective.
BURDEN HOURS:
Category of Respondents: Identify who you expect the respondents to be in
terms of the following categories: (1) Individuals or Households;(2) Private
Sector; (3) State, local, or tribal governments; or (4) Federal Government.
Only one type of respondent can be selected per row.
No. of Respondents: Provide an estimate of the Number of respondents.
Participation Time: Provide an estimate of the amount of time required for a
respondent to participate (e.g. fill out a survey or participate in a focus
group)
Burden: Provide the Annual burden hours: Multiply the Number of responses
and the participation time and divide by 60.

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