Recruit itment Messagin ing: From analy lysis to desig ign - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Recruit itment Messagin ing: From analy lysis to desig ign - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Redesignin ing th the Americ ican Community Survey Recruit itment Messagin ing: From analy lysis to desig ign Jonathan Schreiner American Community Survey Office, U.S. Census Bureau DC-AAPOR/WSS Review-Preview Summer Conference June 12,


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Redesignin ing th the Americ ican Community Survey Recruit itment Messagin ing: From analy lysis to desig ign

Jonathan Schreiner American Community Survey Office, U.S. Census Bureau

DC-AAPOR/WSS Review-Preview Summer Conference June 12, 2019 – Washington, D.C.

This presentation is released to inform interested parties of ongoing research and to encourage discussion

  • f work in progress. Any views expressed on statistical, methodological, operational, or technical issues

are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the U.S. Census Bureau.

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ACS Self-Response Mail Contact Strategy

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All Mailable Sample Addresses Nonrespondents Nonrespondents

First Mailing Second Mailing Third Mailing Fourth Mailing Fifth Mailing

Letter Instruction Card (internet) FAQ Brochure Multilingual Brochure Reminder Letter Paper Questionnaire Letter Instruction Card (choice) FAQ Brochure Return Envelope Reminder Postcard Reminder Letter

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Holistic Design

  • “Research has been successful in identifying specific design

features that tend to have larger versus smaller effects [on response rates], but generally leaves unanswered how all elements of a design fit together.”

(Dillman, Christian and Smyth 2014)

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What if we start from “scratch”?

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All Mailable Sample Addresses Nonrespondents Nonrespondents

First Mailing Second Mailing Third Mailing Fourth Mailing Fifth Mailing

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Paper Questionnaire

7 14 4 18

? ? ? ?

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Presentation Outline

Step 1: Develop a “Strategic Framework” for messaging

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Step 2: Evaluate current materials Step 3: Design new materials Overview of next steps

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2 4 3 1

Step 1: Develop a Strategic Framework for messaging

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Step 1: Develop a Strategic Framework for messaging

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Step 1: : Develop a Strategic Framework for messaging

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What do we know about the ACS audience? What do the experts think

  • f ACS

messaging? What does the literature tell us about messaging?

STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK

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Four Lessons Learned

1) Limit volume of messaging

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Oliver, Heimel & Schreiner (2017) “Strategic Framework for Messaging in the ACS Mail Materials”

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Four Lessons Learned

1) Limit volume of messaging 2) Follow Plain Language guidelines

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Oliver, Heimel & Schreiner (2017) “Strategic Framework for Messaging in the ACS Mail Materials”

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Four Lessons Learned

1) Limit volume of messaging 2) Follow Plain Language guidelines 3) Each mailing needs to have a clear purpose and highlight different reasons to participate

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Oliver, Heimel & Schreiner (2017) “Strategic Framework for Messaging in the ACS Mail Materials”

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Four Lessons Learned

1) Limit volume of messaging 2) Follow Plain Language guidelines 3) Each mailing needs to have a clear purpose and highlight different reasons to participate 4) Leverage the Census Bureau brand

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Oliver, Heimel & Schreiner (2017) “Strategic Framework for Messaging in the ACS Mail Materials”

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Step 2: : U Use the Strategic Framework report to Evaluate the Current ACS Materials

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Lesson 1: Limit volume of messaging

Mailing 1: 129 messages in these 5 mail pieces

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Lesson 2: : Follow Plain Language guidelines

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Mail Piece FRE Score Interpretation Grade Level Mailing 1 Letter “fairly difficult to read” 10 th -12th Multilingual Brochure “difficult to read” College FAQ Brochure “difficult to read” College

Flesch Reading Ease Scores of ACS Mail Materials

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey Office

Schreiner, Oliver & Poehler (forthcoming)

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Lesson 3: : Each mailing should have a clear purpose and highlight different reasons to participate

Repetition across mail materials

1st mailing letter

2nd mailing letter 3rd mailing letter

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4th mailing post card 5th mailing letter

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Lesson 3: : Each mailing should have a clear purpose and highlight different reasons to participate

Repetition across mail materials

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Lesson 4: : Leverage the Census Bureau brand

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Graphic Used Envelopes X Instruction Cards X FAQ Brochure X Multilingual Brochure X Letters X X Survey Form X Post Card X

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Four sponsors? 1

1) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 2) Economics and Statistics

Administration

3) U.S. Census Bureau 4 3 2 4) OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR

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Lesson 4: : Leverage the Census Bureau brand

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Lesson 4: : Leverage the Census Bureau brand

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Step 3: : Apply Findings to Design New Materials

To address the four lessons learned, ACS is testing two main changes the messaging strategy for our letters.

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Change 1: Apply a Strategic Messaging Plan

  • Fewer, more focused messages per mailing
  • Increased comprehension
  • Less repetition across mailings
  • More appeals to respond

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First Mailing Second Mailing Third Mailing

Trust Benefits Burden Reduction

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Change 2: Redesign ACS letters

  • New Design
  • Reduce text
  • Focus messaging
  • Add white space
  • Use plain language
  • Improved branding
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Version 1

  • Clear branding
  • Use color and to draw

attention

  • F-pattern headings to ease

readability, call attention

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Version 2

  • Use color and icons to draw

attention

  • Tag line to add additional

message and branding

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Version 3

  • Color “Side bar” provides

additional information

  • Text reduced and focused

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Consistent design across mailings

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Letter 1 Letter 2 Letter 3

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Next xt Steps for the Strategic Framework

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Develop Strategic Framework Develop revisions to ACS mail materials Field Testing Analyze results and make recommendations STEP 1  STEP 2  STEP 3  STEP 5 STEP 6 Inventory and Analyze Current Messaging Qualitative evaluation STEP 4

In progress

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Thank you!

Jon Schreiner jonathan.schreiner@census.gov (301) 763 9286

  • Oliver, Heimel & Schreiner (2017) “Strategic Framework for Messaging in the ACS

Mail Materials”https://www.census.gov/library/working-papers/2017/acs/2017_Oliver_01.html

  • Dillman, Christian & Smyth (2014) “The Tailored Design Method”
  • Schreiner, Oliver & Poehler (forthcoming) “Assessment of Messaging in the 2018

American Community Survey Mail Contact Materials”

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Appendices

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Appendix A –

  • More complete list of lessons learned by SF area.

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What do we know about the ACS audience

  • Some people distrust the government
  • ACS is unknown, but many know the Census Bureau
  • Messages that convey community-level benefits are viewed favorably
  • Messages about the confidentiality do not have high believability

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This slide summarizes results from the following Decennial Census and ACS mindset and motivation studies: Segmentation and Mindset Study (2007), Census Barriers, Attitudes, and Motivators Surveys I (2008), Census Barriers, Attitudes, and Motivators Surveys II (2010), Collaborative research with Reingold, Inc. (2013-2014), and Collaborative research with Gallup (2014).

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What do the Experts think of f ACS Messaging?

2016 NAS CNSTAT Workshop & Social and Behavioral Sciences Team

  • Each contact needs a clear purpose
  • Messaging between mailings is distinct, but mutually supportive
  • Community-level benefits
  • Emphasize culturally relevant messages of empowerment
  • Attach ACS to the Census Bureau
  • Social norms

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What does the Lit iterature tell us about Messaging?

  • Multiple mail contacts should feel like a single, continuous

conversation between the Census Bureau and the ACS recipient

  • Each contact should highlight different reasons to participate
  • Limit the number of messages per contact
  • Establish trust early with messages that are believable
  • Convey the benefits of ACS data to the recipient’s community
  • Reduce respondent’s perceptions of burden
  • Use plain language to communicate

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This slide summarizes literature from a number of fields, including Communications, Behavioral Sciences, Marketing, Sociology, Survey Methodology, Psychology, and Plain Language.

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Appendix B

  • Current Materials Coding Methodology

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Coding Methodology

  • Developed a list of potential messages in ACS materials
  • Strategic Framework & Current Materials
  • 74 codes for messaging in 4 categories:
  • Trust
  • Benefits
  • Reduce Burden
  • Instructions & Information and Required Elements

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Codebook Example

Code Theme 1.0 Trust: Recipients must believe that the survey is legitimate and that the messages are truthful 1.2 Confidentiality/Data Security 1.2.1  By law, Census must protect your data 1.2.2  Census employees face fines and prison if they violate law

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4.5 (Required information) 1.1.1 (Sponsorship) 4.1.1 (Part of a random sample) 2.3.7 (Highlight importance) 2.2.2 (National level benefit) 4.4.1 (Call to action)

A message from the Director, U.S. Census Bureau ... Your household has been randomly selected to complete a very important national survey, the American Community Survey. The U.S. Census Bureau conducts this survey to give our country an up-to-date picture of how we live—

  • ur education, employment, housing, and more. Using the enclosed

instructions , please complete the survey online as soon as possible at:

Example of f a Coded Letter

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Appendix C – Cut slides

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Lesson 5: : State data security and confidentiality in simple terms

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Paraphrasing

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Fir irst le letter: “This survey collects critical information used to meet the needs of communities across the United States. For example, results from this survey decide where new schools, hospitals, and fir ire statio ions are needed.” Se Second le letter: “Local communities depend on information from this survey to decide where schools, hig ighways, hospitals, and other important services are needed.”

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Repetition: Data Security & Legal Obligation

Word Count Analysis: Content of each mail piece that communicates data security or legal obligation Letter: 28% MLB: 41% FAQ: 34%

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Placement matters

ACS-13L)(2017) (6-2017)

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Next xt Steps for the Strategic Framework

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Develop Strategic Framework Develop revisions to ACS mail materials Field testing Analyze results and make recommendations STEP 1  STEP 2  STEP 3 STEP 5 STEP 6 Inventory and Analyze Current Messaging Qualitative evaluation STEP 4