OVERVIEW OF THE CENSUS BUREAU’S SURVEY DATA COLLECTION OPERATIONS

OVERVIEW OF THE CENSUS BUREAU’S SURVEY DATA COLLECTION OPERATIONS AND FIELD STAFF Presentation to the Quarterly Public Meeting of the Occupational Information Development Advisory Panel Social Security Administration September 22, 2011

WHO WE ARE Census Bureau Headquarters Regional Offices Nationwide Decentralized Field Staff National Processing Center Telephone Centers 2

SIZE AND CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CENSUS BUREAU’S FIELD STAFF Number Employee Type Intermittent Part-Time / Full Time Average Number of Surveys Average Length of Service (Years) Average Hours Worked (Monthly) Average Hourly Salary FRs 8,718 7,293 1,425 3.2 5.5 58.2 15.06 SFRs 611 62 549 8.3 11.5 123.4 20.07 3

WHAT WE DO Nation’s headcount every 10 years – Constitutional mandate Household Demographic Surveys Economic Censuses and Census of Governments every 5 years Economic surveys and Governments surveys 4

DATA COLLECTED IN THE CENSUS BUREAU’S HOUSEHOLD DEMOGRAPHIC SURVEYS Income Employment, Unemployment, Labor Force Health Education Consumer Expenditures Housing Crime Victimization Poverty Community and Local Area Demographics and Characteristics 5

CENSUS BUREAU HOUSEHOLD DEMOGRAPHIC SURVEYS SIZE AND SCOPE Data gathered from approximately 2.1 million sample addresses, group quarters and other facilities and address listed each year Approximately 45 million miles driven by field staff each year 6

RECRUITING, SELECTING, AND HIRING FIELD STAFF Generating interested applicants Testing to identify qualified applicants Preparing certificate of qualified applicants Making contingent job offer Background security check and criminal history investigation I-9 Take the Census Oath of Confidentiality 7

KEY CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CENSUS BUREAU’S FIELD STAFF Part-time employees Work out of their homes Highly variable work schedule – evenings and weekends A “people” person and a good listener Drawn to challenges, persistent, does not take “no” for an answer Self-starter, well-organized, detail-oriented Local knowledge and “street smarts” 8

OTHER ATTRIBUTES OF THE CENSUS BUREAU’S FIELD STAFF Older workers Many “second job” workers and workers with other commitments e.g. family and school The “public face” of the Census Bureau Incredibly conscientious and dedicated 9

TRAINING Initial Training Pre-Classroom Use of Laptop Computer Generic Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Survey – specific Classroom Training Administrative Survey Procedures 10

TRAINING Initial Observation Translating classroom training to actual data collection experience Ongoing Training Monthly memos Refresher Training Periodic training to keep knowledge and skills up-todate and sharp Prepare for changes in procedures and instruments Use of laptop computer Personal safety and security Vehicular safety 11

GAINING RESPONDENT PARTICIPATION AND COOPERATION “Selling the Survey” How survey data are used. Who uses the survey results. “What’s in It for the Respondent” Confidentiality Privacy 12

GAINING RESPONDENT PARTICIPATION AND COOPERATION Uses of “advance letters” to alert / notify the respondents Making the best first impression The first critical seconds on the doorstep or the telephone: Complete, concise and persuasive introduction 13

QUALITY CONTROL QUALITY ASSUARANCE Striving for best possible response rates consistently General Performance Review Field observation Reinterview Falsification deterrent Critical content verification 14

SURVEY PROCESS DATA “PARADATA” Pace of the interview Response / Accuracy / Completeness Timing of First Contact / Interview Identify performance outliers Identify trends and patterns Should work in harmony with survey goals and should complement each other 15

SURVEY PROCESS DATA “PARADATA” Manage and monitor surveys for improved statistical results and operational performance “Speed Limits” – Too fast and too slow Rates of item response / nonresponse Interviews completed by proper mode Consistent entries of contact history 16

SURVEY PROCESS DATA “PARADATA” Linked to beneficial responsive management and operational strategies and approaches Easy to understand, easy to use, accurate, and timely Should make “sense” to the data collection staff and motivate performance in the “right direction” 17

MONITORING OPERATIONAL DATA DAILY COST, PROGRESS, PRODUCTIVITY Daily submission of completed work Cases completed each day Hours, miles, other costs Daily productivity Hours / case Miles / case Daily submission of payroll data Daily support for procedures and technical requirements 18

PROVIDING A CONSTANT STREAM OF FEEDBACK TO FIELD STAFF Setting response, timing, and cost expectations Daily monitoring and interaction with field staff Daily payroll submission by field staff Key results from each data collection assignment Establish performance standards and conduct formal periodic performance appraisals 19

FIELD ASSIGNMENTS Compact geographically Achievable Consistent in size and scope Reassignment / Future assignment of cases to staff who had previous success obtaining a complete interview 20

OVERVIEW OF KEY STEPS IN DATA COLLECTION PROCESS Identify data / information need Determine data collection methodology and approach Draw sampling frame and select sample Develop data collection instrument Test questions Develop training 21

OVERVIEW OF KEY STEPS IN DATA COLLECTION PROCESS Develop data processing and tabulation system Develop quality control and quality assurance systems Determine timing and timeline for data collection and processing Establish operational and quality standards and expectations Develop administrative support systems TEST EVERYTHING 22

MANY, MANY CHALLENGES FACED IN CONDUCTING DATA COLLECTION General public concerns about confidentiality, privacy, and identity theft Reluctance to share / provide personal information, especially with the government Mobility and movement of the population Busy schedules: Ever narrowing window of opportunity to contact respondents by personal visit or telephone Cell phones replacing telephone land lines Caller ID and other means of screening incoming telephone calls 23

MANY, MANY CHALLENGES FACED IN CONDUCTING DATA COLLECTION Barriers to contact and enumeration including gated communities and security buildings Increasing number of languages spoken by households Complex households and housing units Households not willing to participate in long interviews and / or surveys that include multiple interviews 24

CURRENT SURVEY ISSUES Maintaining and sustaining response rates Cost containment and remaining cost competitive Improving measurement and monitoring of survey operational, financial, and time performance Expanding measurement and monitoring of data quality through paradata Making improvements in field staff retention Reacting to weather and natural disasters 25