Interviews with Committee Chairs and

Vice-Chairs - One way to get quality time with

MembersSusan SwiftAPLIC Conference

Regina, September 9, 2014

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Needs Assessment and Service Evaluation Conduct face to face interviews with

Committee Chairs and Vice-Chairs

Once per Parliament - in 2011 and 2014

Purpose get feedback on our services, and their current and evolving needs

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Methodology

letters to each of the Chairs and Vice Chairs requesting a meeting and explaining why we want to meet with them

Legislative learner followed up to schedule half hour appointments

Committee Clerks invited to accompany us and coordinated with their schedules

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Methodology

Consulted with researchers assigned to specific committees to establish questions

Sent questions in advance of the meeting

Legislative learner accompanied as the note taker

Follow up letters to participants citing concrete changes

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Standard Questions

Standard set of questions for all can you think of a time when

the Service failed to meet your expectations? the Service did an especially good job for your

committee? any changes that would make our papers

easier to use? what should we be thinking about now to

make sure we continue to meet your changing needs?

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Standard Questions

Beyond your Committee role are your constituency office and Queen’s Park staff

aware of our services? Have you had any feedback on the quality of services they receive?

what has been your experience with the customized work we have done for you?

News and current awareness How do you keep up on current events and

emerging issues in your riding, provincially, nationally?

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Standard Questions

How important are our news products in your news gathering (Provincial Press Plus and Toronto Press Today)?

What other resources do you use to keep yourself informed about emerging issues?

Committee Specific Questions Based on specific needs of a particular

Committee e.g., PAC v. Estimates, witness bios

Ask questions about specific types of work researchers may be doing for that Committee and whether they value it, e.g., particularly labour intensive work – agency backgrounders, summaries of recommendations

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Differences 2011/2014

2011 9 Standing; 2 Select interviewed 17 of 22 1 responded in writing = 81% participation rate Committee Clerk

accompanied us Members came prepared

2014 9 Standing; 1 Select interviewed 12 of 20 - one

from each committee = 60% participation rate Committee Clerk

accompanied us Members not as prepared Asked non-Committee

related questions

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What we learned

We’re meeting their expectations Listening to the language they used we learn

what they value Answers come back quickly – timely response

and delivery Research is thorough Non-partisan Professional

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What we learned

Helped to keep them organized Objective, thorough and factual Researchers are approachable and responsive

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What we learned

Some disappointments Specific instances cited Issues around the Regulations Committee in

2011; addressed in 2014 interviews Comments about specific products Papers need to be short, easy to absorb and use

What more we could be doing Executive summaries in reports

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What we learned

Find ways to ensure our reports are not lost in piles of paper

Move to electronic Committee portal for all docs Increase use of graphics

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Why do the interviews

Validate that you are on the right track – regulations committee update

Helps you to articulate and validate your value proposition – why are we important to the Members – what do they value about what we do?

Can guide promotions; support budget Learn about what matters to them

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What we learned

They use TPT and “all the Members are using it”

Majority of Member from outside Toronto use our Provincial Press Plus; a good number from Toronto use it too

PPP is very useful for when Committees travel

Twitter is a primary source of news and information for Members

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Why do the interviews

All of this information helps inform your service and product decisions (e.g., TPT and PPP)

Learn about the missteps and address them Build relationships with the Members, Clerks Practical tips for improving services,

publications

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Why do the interviews

Learn what they don’t know about you – then you can do something about it Not sure what is appropriate to ask us Didn’t understand researchers have different

specialties Didn’t know why we were taking notes Not always clear about the role of researcher –

who’s going to write the report?

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Why do the interviews

Learn about Needs of New Members they don’t know about our services – another

Member told me to use you Provide examples of how they can use us – they

don’t have the context yet Committee chair needs a briefing on work of the

committee and where it fits in Regulations and other legal committees – can be

intimidating

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Why do the interviews

Gives you an idea about their pain points and how the deal with them

Gives you credibility with staff and facilitates making changes

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