1.2 Methods
A human-centered and systems design approach for Congress.
Our research followed a human-centered design methodology, an approach to product and service innovation that combines two elements: 1) an understanding of the human experience of a system — the capacities, behaviors, drivers, and needs — and 2) the development of technical solutions, which we design and test with real people. This approach allowed us to qualitatively understand the current state of correspondence systems and identify opportunities for improvement.
Human-centered design allows us to examine the constituent engagement process in a unique way: with the needs and experiences of congressional staffers at the forefront.
While the vast majority of research done on Congress to date has relied on self-reporting and academic surveys, this approach emphasizes on-the-ground observation and in-context conversation. Spending time embedded with congressional staffers as they processed constituent correspondence, for example, allowed us to capture a rich firsthand perspective on the process, assess both reported and observed gaps and opportunities, and surface themes that emerge across staff roles, offices, and systems.
RESEARCH PARTICIPANTS
We intentionally recruited participants who represent a diverse spectrum of staff roles, party affiliations, and district locations to help us understand what might change congressional teams’ relationship to their constituents based on any of these factors.
We interviewed House and Senate staffers, ranging from chief of staff to legislative director, and from legislative assistant down to interns. Our research partner offices included a strong mix of Republicans and Democrats, junior and senior Members, party leaders, and niche issue advocates.
THE NUMBERS
100+ hours of field research
58 research participants
17 congressional offices
11 states, including
4district offices
FIELD ACTIVITIES
Contextual Inquiry
Our research team conducted qualitative, conversational in-person interviews with staffers in both D.C. and district offices in an effort to map the de facto processes involved in constituent engagement. We explored the steps of their operations, tools they used, and staff pain points. We targeted our conversations around process and best practices, as well as the cultural context unique to Congress. This helped us understand mental models for using constituent input in decision-making and teams’ capacity for innovation.
Process Observation
In order to observe tactical aspects of constituent engagement, members of the research team shadowed frontline staff in D.C. offices as they answered calls, responded to mail, and sifted through social media. Insights from these shadowing sessions allowed us to understand the nuances of working on Capitol Hill during periods of high and low call volume, for example, and to identify where potential solutions may fit into existing processes.
Observing operations on the ground in district offices was important for developing a 360-degree perspective of constituent engagement, particularly the role of helping constituents resolve problems with government programs in the form of “casework” (e.g., veterans’ benefits and immigration application challenges).
Section 2: Process
This article is part of From Voicemails to Votes (PDF), a report conducted by The OpenGov Foundation on the mindsets, capacities, tools, and operations of Congressional offices with regard to constituent engagement. More about the project here.
