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Towards a More User-friendly Reporting System for KOSTRA

- Municipality-State-Reporting in Norway

By Trine Dale, Bente Hole and Tore Nøtnæs

Statistics Norway

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Outline

• Problems in old KOSTRA

• Consequences of 2005-testing

• New online solution

• General findings in 2007-testing

• Concluding remarks

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Major problems in ”old” KOSTRA

• Reporting system rigid, old fashioned – demanded a lot of effort from respondents

• Not designed for multiple respondents to one questionnaire

• Bad questionnaire design

• Information flow not optimal

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Consequences

• Working group to decide further action established

• Recommendations:– Online solution highest priority

Temporary for 2006-reporting Permanent for 2007-reporting

– Layout + minimum functionality most important for 2006– Develop master questionnaire for 2007

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Usability testing

• Three tests – three municipalities– Large– Medium– Small

• Lab-tests at Stat. Norway

• Tests concentrated on:– Organisation of one questionnaire – Day Care Facilities (Q16)– Experiences with online solution

• One moderator + two observers on all tests

• Duration: 2 ½ - 3 hours

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Online vs offline reporting

• Offline still recommended solution

• Online introduced as possible, but in testing phase

– 1/3 used online

• General impression feedback: users positive

• Less calls for help

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General findings

• Roles still important

• Functionality should be more tailored and intuitive – Sort + search– Status symbols

• Still paper and pencil reporting for many

• Instructions should be tailored on theme level

• Content of and flow of information should be more coordinated and tailored

• TPs did not have active ”tip-text” strategy to understand buttons and icons

• Electronic signature should be possible

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Concluding remarks

• New online solution is a major improvement

• Still need for adjustments and better functionality

• Necessary to work on content – Information– Instructions– Error messages– Questionnaire and question design

• Better information on possibilities/advantages in new solution to get actual electronic reporting

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Towards a More User-friendly Reporting System for KOSTRA

- Municipality-State-Reporting in Norway

By Trine Dale, Bente Hole and Tore Nøtnæs

Statistics Norway

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