Developing Employer-Based Behavioral Traffic Safety Programs for Drivers in the Workplace (2022)

Below is the uncorrected machine-read text of this chapter, intended to provide our own search engines and external engines with highly rich, chapter-representative searchable text of each book. Because it is UNCORRECTED material, please consider the following text as a useful but insufficient proxy for the authoritative book pages.

112 SECTION 6: DEVELOPMENT OF BTSCRP WEBRESOURCE 1 AND GUIDE INTRODUCTION Task 6 was the culmination of the preceding five tasks. This task was dedicated to the development of guidance for planning, implementing, and evaluating employer-based behavioral traffic safety programs. That guidance features an interactive web-based tool, BTSCRP WebResource 1, along with a guide. The layout and flow of content in BTSCRP WebResource 1 is initially developed and communicated to web-page designers via a wireframe document. A wireframe is a basic, two- dimensional visual representation of a web-page layout. Wireframes typically depict only functionality, not the true style and visual elements of the final product. Thus, most wireframes are visually plain, grayscale instead of colors, incorporating placeholders for images, and “Lorem Ipsum” for text. As basic as they are, wireframes provide more information than a traditional flow chart, so web-page designers use wireframes to communicate how they plan to arrange and prioritize features, and how they intend for users to interact with the website. BTSCRP WebResource 1 itself incorporates theory, previous research, and lessons learned from practice, along with various planning aids such as an introduction to behavioral change theory, an overview of academic studies, an overview of measures of program effectiveness, and a logic model template to aid program development and implementation. In this way, BTSCRP WebResource 1 provides employers with an accessible and flexible means of learning about current practice and theory along with resources for planning, implementing, and evaluating an employer-based behavioral traffic safety program. The WebResource also provides researchers with access to detailed project materials and resources. The guide presents the layout and flow of content in BTSCRP WebResource 1. Each page is illustrated with a screenshot and accompanying text. Together, the guide and the WebResource provide employers with virtual step-by-step instructions for planning, implementing, and evaluating behavioral traffic safety programs. METHODOLOGY Working closely with the TTI Communications group, the TTI team developed a wireframe that summarizes and documents the overall concept and framework for BTSCRP WebResource 1 including the various categories of content and how content will be connected through the navigational architecture. The goal was to present a state-of-the-practice employer experience as well as relevant academic research and behavioral change theory principles in a format accessible primarily to practitioners and employers, but also serving academic researchers. The layout and flow of content in BTSCRP WebResource 1 is initially conceptualized and communicated via a wireframe document. The wireframe includes each page on the website, the associated content, and overall graphical layout. A wireframe is a basic, two-dimensional visual representation of a web-page layout. Wireframes typically depict only functionality, not the true style and visual elements of the final product. Thus, most wireframes are visually plain—grayscale instead of colored—incorporating placeholders for images and “Lorem Ipsum” for text. As basic as they are, wireframes provide more information than a traditional flowchart,

113 so web-page designers use wireframes to communicate how they plan to arrange and prioritize features, and how they intend for users to interact with the website. The WebResource and guide were developed through an iterative process: • Tasks 1 to 5 were reviewed by the TTI team to identify the primary and secondary audiences, and key content categories including materials adapted from technical memoranda and interim reports, as well as case studies from the employer interviews plus “theme” case studies of common elements across different groups of employers. • Specific content to be consumed by users within each category was identified. • Content was tailored from prior technical memoranda to a website presentation as dynamic content on screen or as a downloaded PDF. • Each piece of content was reviewed to identify all relevant “tags” or search terms that users could use to filter through content. This process required agreement by three staff members. Each piece of content was “tagged” using the final set of defined search terms. • TTI Communications staff developed an initial wireframe that the TTI team populated and refined through a series of more than 20 virtual meetings. • All content was archived in a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet along with the appropriate search terms or tags by content area. This wireframe was reviewed by the BTSCRP panel. Comments were addressed and revisions incorporated as appropriate. The updated wireframe was then turned over to the TTI Communications group for implementation—that is, for conversion into the actual WebResource. DESCRIPTION OF BTSCRP WEBRESOURCE 1 The development of BTSCRP WebResource 1 was a critical objective of this project. The WebResource is based on the research conducted during the project and incorporates state-of- the-practice employer experience, as well as relevant behavioral change theory. It provides employers with an accessible and flexible means of planning, implementing, and evaluating their own traffic safety program and provides researchers with a library of academic materials and resources related to this study. BTSCRP WebResource 1 uses a conversational, everyday language format. The landing page for all users provides a rolling “teaser” of vignettes of best-practice safety innovations based on the employer interviews conducted during Task 2. The landing page also acknowledges two distinct user groups (safety researchers and industry-based employers/practitioners) that allow the user to follow separate navigation pathways based on their role. The level of interaction differs among user type. Most of the interactive aspects of the website are for employers and practitioners. For employers and practitioners, the landing page offers buttons for learning about planning and developing a safety program, as well as gaining access to the interactive features. The content for these users is either learning or tools. The learning-oriented content includes glossaries, basic guides on the theories of behavioral change, program planning and evaluation including study designs, measures of program effectiveness, and full program and interview case studies. The interactive content guides users in three key areas: • Current practice. • Program evaluation and measures of effectiveness.

114 • Planning the development and implementation of a safety program with a logic model. Four related categories of content—framed broadly as “What are you trying to learn?”— are separated into four sub-questions to guide the user through the content: • What are other people doing and what is available? (A collection of case studies relating to current practice.) • How do we change behavior? (An overview of behavioral change theory with examples.) • How do I know my program is working? (Information on common measures of effectiveness and program evaluation practice.) • What can help me plan my safety program? (Visualizing the interactions of resources and outcomes using an interactive logic model.) The content tailored to academic researchers provides direct access to detailed reports and a review of materials gathered during the project but has limited interactive elements. Direct access to resources such as pre-packaged safety programs, safety organizations, and a glossary of terms is provided in the landing page header and is available to all users. DISCUSSION/USER GUIDE While the wireframe provided previously shows the “big picture” architecture and design efficiently, it does not convey specific features in an easily accessible manner. In addition, “pages” in the wireframe do not necessarily coincide with the pages a user sees while using the actual WebResource. Consequently, this section provides a step-by-step description of BTSCRP WebResource 1 as the user would experience it. Landing Page BTSCRP WebResource 1 opens to the landing page (Figure 17). The header contains shortcuts to various sections. Shortcuts are also provided to resources with the “Pre-Packaged Programs/Safety Organizations” and “Glossary” buttons in the header. “Pre-Packaged Programs/Safety Organizations” is a resource page listing the pre-packaged safety programs and safety organizations with brief descriptions and reference information. “Glossary” is a comprehensive glossary with examples. Each “View” button offers direct access to all the material in those sections (Case studies, Theories, Measures, and the Logic Model), including the various filters. Note that the format of the summaries is consistent across all four “What are you trying to learn?” topics, to make the summaries easier to compare and the information easier to assimilate. For those desiring a less structured approach to the WebResource and associated material, the section entitled “Safety Insights” on the landing page goes directly to the insights and their sources and is not included in the four “What are you trying to learn categories?” (To avoid confusion, Safety Insight source case studies are only accessible from this page and only when a filter is selected.)

115 Figure 17. Landing Page. The landing page header also offers an “About” button which provides introductory information about the study (Figure 18). Figure 18. About Page. What Are You Trying to Learn? The “Employee Safety” button opens a pull-down menu to the four main “What are you trying to learn?” categories. Alternately, the user can click on any of the “View” buttons in the five boxes (including the Safety Insights box). Starting at the top of the pull-down, the first is the “What are other people doing and what is available?” section (Figure 19). Each “View” button offers direct access to all the material in those sections (case studies, theories, measures, and the logic model), including the various filters. The format of the summaries is consistent across all four “What Are You Trying to Learn?” topics, to make the summaries easier to compare and the information easier to assimilate.

116 Figure 19. Employee Safety Menu. What Are Other People Doing and What Is Available? This is the first “What are you trying to learn?” option. This is presented via case studies with various filters. The “OVERVIEW” section (Figure 20) defines a case study. A filter allows the user to select a safety concern (“What is your safety concern?”) A second filter (“Filter Within”) provides subcategories within each safety concern. If no filters are selected, everything is displayed in the case study listing. Similarly, if filters are selected for which there are no cases, the case studies list is empty (blank). The same applies to “Safety Insights.” (Source cases are not available for Safety Insights from this page.)

117 Figure 20. What Are Other People Doing and What Is Available?

118 How Do We Change Behavior? This is the second “What Are You Trying to Learn?” category. An “OVERVIEW” section (Figure 21) provides an overview and examples of the underlying theories of behavioral change as they relate to driver safety program research and practice. A brief definition of behavioral change theory is provided. The user can also scroll through the list of relevant theories. A separate “overview” button provides a single document with individual summaries of all 10 theories, along with references. Figure 21. How Do We Change Behavior?

119 In the “THEORIES AT WORK” section (Figure 22), a filter allows the user to select a safety concern (“What Is Your Safety Concern?”). A second filter (“Filter Within”) provides subcategories within each safety concern. If no filters are selected, everything is displayed in the case study listing. Conversely, if a set of filters are selected for which there are no examples, the examples list is empty (blank). The “Download All” button downloads all 10 of the theory summaries to an external file, including references. An extended summary of all ten change theories is available for download as a single document by clicking on “Overview underneath “How to change behavior” (see Figure 21). Figure 22. Theories at Work.

120 How Do I Know My Program Is Working? The third “What Are You Trying to Learn?” category deals with measures of program effectiveness. The “OVERVIEW” section (Figure 23) distinguishes measures of effectiveness identified from individual research studies and from programs of research. (A program of research is defined as a series of studies on a related topic with common senior researchers.) While the individual safety program studies provide details on programs and measures of effectiveness, the research programs represent examinations of safety-related initiatives by the same senior researchers across multiple studies, over time, and across organizations or populations. The grouping into programs of research has the potential to highlight the external validity or generalizability of the findings (i.e., consistency over time and across organizations and/or populations). A brief description is provided for each set of measures. A “Show” button brings up all the examples for that set of measures of effectiveness (i.e., from the research literature and by research program, respectively). The entire list of examples from the research literature is the default for the page. Figure 23. How Do I Know My Program Is Working?

121 In the “Evaluation Design Overview” section (Figure 24), a schematic of the range of evaluation designs from the research literature and research programs is shown, laid out along a continuum of resource requirements. A filter allows the user to select by research design category, followed by multiple examples. All the examples and references are available for download as a Measures-of-Effectiveness Summary spreadsheet available on the National Academies Press website (www.nap.edu) by searching on BTSCRP Web-Only Document 3: Developing Employer-Based Behavioral Traffic Safety Programs for Drivers in the Workplace and in the annotated bibliography provided as Appendix B of this document. Figure 24. Evaluation Design Overview. What Can Help Me Plan My Safety Program? The last “What Are You Trying to Learn?” category deals with the use of logic models for designing and planning a safety program. Logic models are widely used in program planning and assessment to illustrate the logical flow of a program, from inputs, activities, outputs, and intermediate outcomes to impact or long-term outcomes. Logic models facilitate the assessment of progress at various points in a program, as well as the long-term impact, which may not occur until well after program implementation. A brief definition of a logic model is provided in the “OVERVIEW” section (Figure 25), along with an illustrative example of a logic model for a fictitious company (FRS). The “RESOURCES” section provides three documents that include detailed instructions on how to build and use logic models, as well as examples of logic models in practice.

122 Figure 25. What Can Help Me Plan My Safety Program? A “BUILD YOUR OWN” section (Figure 26) provides an interactive tool for the user to design their own logic model for an actual or hypothetical safety program. Interactive lists of typical items for each of the five elements of a logic model (inputs, activities, outputs, outcomes, and impacts) are provided for the user to select those items relevant to their situation, interests, or needs. Buttons are provided to download and save the results (“Download a CSV File for Excel” or “Text to Copy and Paste”) and to clear the model and start over (“Reset the Logic Model”).

123 Figure 26. Building Logic Models. CONCLUSION BTSCRP WebResource 1 is a critical product from this project because it distills complex concepts and detailed information into a form that is easily understood and implemented by practitioners and employers. Although the main audiences for the WebResource are practitioners and employers, it preserves the granular detail and complex analysis of behavioral change theories and associated literature, making these accessible to academic researchers. This tool is based on the research conducted throughout the project, including materials adapted from technical memoranda and interim reports, as well as case studies from the employer interviews and theme case studies of common elements across different groups of employers.