FR3076_20240618_omb

Supporting Statement for the
Board Public Website Usability Surveys
(FR 3076; OMB No. 7100-0366)
Summary
The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Board), under authority
delegated by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), has to extended for three years,
without revision, the Board Public Website Usability Surveys (FR 3076; OMB No. 7100-0366).
The Board uses the ad hoc FR 30761 to seek input (1) from users or potential users of the
Board’s public website2 and social media tools, (2) about the Board’s outreach, and (3) about
other communication tools used by Board. The FR 3076 is offered to a diverse audience of
individuals including consumers, bankers, media, government employees, educators, and others.
Responses to the FR 3076 are used to help improve the usability and offerings on the Board’s
public website and other online public communications. The FR 3076 comprises two parts:
surveys and focus groups. The frequency of the surveys and content of the questions varies as
needs arise for feedback on different Board resources3 and from different audiences. The
FR 3076 surveys may be conducted up to 12 times per year. In addition, the Board may conduct
up to four focus group sessions per year.
The estimated total annual burden for the FR 3076 is 420 hours.
Background and Justification
The Board’s Division of Board Members communicates through the Board’s public
website with Congress, other government agencies, the public, economic educators, economists,
financial institutions, financial literacy groups, and community development groups.
Additionally, the Board is required by law to post some information on its website. 4
Communication of vast amounts of information can take the form of video, photos, and social
media. The Board strives to ensure that all online communications provide an up-to-date,
accurate, comprehensive, clear, easy to use, and easy to understand body of information to
support the Board’s missions, strategic objectives, and public outreach initiatives.
A 2012 Presidential Memorandum stated that “to enable data-driven decisions on service
Certain criteria apply to information collections conducted via the Board’s ad hoc clearance process. Such
information collections shall (1) be vetted by the Board’s clearance officer, as well as the Division director
responsible for the information collection, (2) display the OMB control number, (3) inform respondents that the
information collection has been approved, (4) be used only in such cases where response is voluntary, (5) not be
used to substantially inform regulatory actions or policy decisions, (6) be conducted only and exactly as described in
the OMB submission, (7) involve only noncontroversial subject matter that will not raise concerns for other Federal
agencies, (8) include a detailed justification of the effective and efficient statistical survey methodology (if
applicable), and (9) collect sensitive personally identifiable information (PII) only to the extent necessary (if
collecting sensitive PII, the form must display a current Privacy Act notice). In addition, for each information
collection instrument, respondent burden will be tracked and submitted to OMB.
2 See https://www.federalreserve.gov/.
3 Different Board resources include web content or proposed web content, a new web application search function, a
major change in offerings of data formats or restructuring of content on the website.
4 See, e.g., 12 U.S.C. § 225b(c).
1

performance, agencies will be required to use analytics and customer satisfaction measurement
tools on all .gov websites.”5
The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) also issued a statement that “agencies
should ensure that they collect, analyze, and report on a minimum baseline set of performance
and customer satisfaction measures. It’s important to collect a variety of metrics—not just visits
or page views—to get a holistic picture of how well you’re delivering your digital services and
information.”6 The Open, Public, Electronic, and Necessary (OPEN) Government Data Act
requires agencies to engage with the public regarding agency data by soliciting input from the
public about expanded offerings and formats of data and platforms designed to deliver the data to
create additional value and access from the data of the agency.7
In accordance the Presidential Memorandum, GSA recommendation, and OPEN
Government Data Act, the Board surveys and engages with website visitors about their web
experience and needs to gain insight to help improve the usability and offerings of the Board’s
website. More specifically, the survey enables the Board to conduct periodic reviews and
evaluations of web materials and develop and evaluate web materials under consideration for
outreach.
Since the last clearance cycle, the FR 3076 has only been used once. As part of a project
to streamline, update, and provide data access to the public, the Board conducted focus groups
and a survey of the Data Download Program (DDP) website users to find out what features,
formats, and usage preferences they have related to downloading, plotting, and charting Board
downloadable data. The survey and focus groups took place in Q2 and Q3 of 2022. The
respondents included voluntary opt-in users of the DDP on federalreserve.gov through an online
survey mechanism and email invitations to potential focus group members.
This information is not available from other sources.
Description of Information Collection
The FR 3076 is used to gather qualitative and quantitative information directly from users
or potential users of the Board’s website such as the Congress, other government agencies, the
public, economic educators, economists, financial institutions, financial literacy groups, and
community development groups and more. Participation is voluntary.
The FR 3076 may seek information from users or potential users of various Board web
pages, including press releases, data releases and downloads, reports, supervision manuals,
brochures, new web pages, audio, video, and use of social media. Information gathered may also
include general input on users’ interests and needs, feedback on website navigation and layout,
distribution channels, or other factors which may affect the ability of users to locate and access
content online.
5

See https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/sites/default/files/omb/egov/digital-government/digitalgovernment.html.
6 See https://digital.gov/2013/07/15/digital-metrics-for-federal-agencies/.
7 44 U.S.C. § 3506(d)(6). See https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-22-104574.

2

Qualitative collections conducted using the FR 3076 include data gathering methods such
as focus groups and individual interviews. Quantitative surveys conducted using the FR 3076
include surveys conducted online or via mobile device, telephone, mail, e-mails, or a
combination of these methods. The Board may contract with an outside vendor to conduct focus
groups, interviews, or surveys, or the Board may collect the data directly.
As the Board’s public website continues to evolve, the Board may seek input from users
or potential users of the Board’s public website on questions such as:
• Did you find the content and layout relevant and of value?
• How did you find the content you were looking for?
• Was the navigation useful?
• How did you learn about the content?
• How did you access the content? (e.g.: paper copy distributed at an event, online, or
mobile device). If online or through a mobile device, was the document printed, viewed
on a tablet, or on a computer screen?
• What suggestions do you have for improving the format and appearance of online
presentation? (e.g.: readability - font size, charts, and graphs; organization of
information; and navigating - indexing, search tools, and links)
• What other information would be of value to enhance the online tool or information?
Respondent Panel
The FR 3076 panel comprises individual users and potential users of the Board’s public
website.
Frequency and Time Schedule
The FR 3076 is conducted as needed. The time schedules for the collection and analysis
of data and distribution of results for each survey is determined during the planning phase prior
to the start of the data collection.
Public Availability of Data
Before data collection begins, the voluntary respondents are given an explanation of the
purpose of the survey and how the data will be used. Such information may be provided on the
survey instrument or through communication from the Board or a contractor or partner working
with the Board. The data may be grouped with responses from other surveys. The Board does not
anticipate releasing or publishing the data but may share the data with Federal Reserve Banks,
contractors, or other outside parties that the Board may collaborate with in producing or
disseminating publications, or in evaluating online communication efforts.
Legal Status
The Board uses its website and social media to communicate important information to the
public about a variety of different issues. The Board is required to provide certain information on
its website. For example, under section 2B of the Federal Reserve Act the Board is required to

3

provide certain reports, audits, and other information that “the Board reasonably believes is
necessary or helpful to the public in understanding the accounting, financial reporting, and
internal controls of the Board and the Federal reserve banks” (12 U.S.C. § 225b(c)). In addition,
the OPEN Government Data Act requires agencies to engage with the public about agency data
by assisting the public in expanding the use of the data and hosting initiatives designed to create
additional value from the data of the agency, among other means (44 U.S.C. § 3506(d)(6)).8 The
Board also uses its website to provide the public with information about a variety of other
matters, including information about the Board, its actions, and the economy. The responses to
the FR 3076 help the Board determine how to most effectively communicate this information to
the public in order to fulfill its statutory responsibilities. The FR 3076 is voluntary.
The information collected by the FR 3076 is not considered to be confidential.
Consultation Outside the Agency
There has been no consultation outside of the Federal Reserve System.
Public Comments
On November 14, 2023, the Board published an initial notice in the Federal Register (88
FR 78021) requesting public comment for 60 days on the extension, without revision, of the
FR 3076. The comment period for this notice expired on January 16, 2024. The Board did not
receive any comments. The Board adopted the extension, without revision, of the FR 3076 as
originally proposed. On April 3, 2024, the Board published a final notice in the Federal Register
(89 FR 23016).
Estimate of Respondent Burden
As shown in the table below, the estimated total annual burden for the FR 3076 is 420
hours. It is anticipated that the information collection will involve as many as 12 surveys per
year. In addition, the Board anticipates conducting up to 4 focus group sessions per year. The
burden estimates are based on the average number of responses anticipated. These reporting
requirements represent less than 1 percent of the Board’s total paperwork burden.
Estimated
number of
respondents9

FR 3076
Surveys
Focus groups

Estimated
annual
frequency

Estimated
Estimated
average hours annual burden
per response
hours

100

12

0.25

300

20

4

1.50

120
420

Total

8

See https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-22-104574.
As this collection only affects individuals, there are no small entities as defined by the Small Business
Administration.
9

4

The estimated total annual cost to the public for the FR 3076 is $13,020.10
Sensitive Questions
Respondents may be asked to provide information on their age and gender; information
on race, if needed, would be collected under guidelines issued by the OMB. Such information
might be needed in a survey in order to assess the extent to which a sample of respondents
reflected views from different demographic groups in the population.
Estimate of Cost to the Federal Reserve System
The estimated cost to the Federal Reserve System for collecting and processing this
information collection is $28,200.

10

The average consumer cost of $31 is estimated using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS),
Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2023, published April 3, 2024,
https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ocwage.t01.htm .

5