On November 16 and 17, 2015 a group of individuals with broad ECE experience met in person in Fairfax, VA to discuss and share possibilities and recommendations for user friendly elements to consider in the design for the National Website and Hotline project.
Meeting Goals
- ACF staff, Hotline and Website Design Staff, and expert panelists reviewed the intent of the 2014 CCDBG and the ACF vision
- Expert panel members provided input and considerations to make the design of the National Website and Hotline successful
- Missing partners and information were identified to support the design of the National Website and Hotline
Meeting Attendees
ACF Attendees
- Linda Smith; ACF Deputy Assistant Secretary and Inter-Departmental Liaison for Early Childhood Development
- Shannon Rudisill; ACF Associate Deputy Assistant Secretary and Inter-Departmental Liaison for Early Childhood Development
- Rachel Schumacher; Director, Office of Child Care
- Ellen Wheatley; Deputy Director, Office of Child Care
- Paula Bendl Smith; Child Care Program Specialist
- J Albright; Consultant, Office of Child Care
Expert Panel Member Attendees
- Pat Gannon - Expert Panel Lead
- Melanie Brizzi - Indiana CCDF State Administrator
- Bobbie Weber - Oregon State University
- Pam Tatum - Georgia CCR&R
- Janet Singerman - North Carolina CCR&R
- Leadell Ediger - Child Care Aware of Kansas
- Gina Adams - Urban Institute
- Teresa Derrick-Mills - Urban Institute
- Jason Wutt - Wisconsin Bureau of Early Care Regulation
- Jen Bump - Child Care Aware of America
- Grace Reef - Independent CCDF Reauthorization Expert
ACF National Center TA Staff Attendees
- Darlene Hamilton - National Center on Early Childhood Quality Assurance
- Miriam Calderon - National Center on Early Childhood Quality Assurance
- Jim Bates - National Center on Child Care Subsidy Innovation and Accountability
- Rose Ribeiro - Child Care State Capacity Building Center
- Karen Aschaffenburg - National Center on Child Care Data & Technology
Meeting Agenda
Day 1 - Monday, November 16
Session One: Introductions, Project Background and Purpose
8:30 – 9:30
Welcome By Heidi Snead, Project Director
Opening Statements by Linda Smith, ACF Deputy Assistant Secretary Early Childhood Development
Objectives:
- Understand the meeting purpose and objectives
- Commit to share knowledge and information in a transparent way
- Receive clarity on the overall objectives, purpose and boundaries of the National Website and Hotline design
Session Two: Review Agenda, Opening Activity, Meeting Guidelines
9:30 – 10:00
Facilitated by Gail Kelso; Meeting Facilitator; Darlene Hamilton, Meeting Facilitator
Primary Objectives:
- Commit to a respectful and open dialogue over the coming days
- Engage in an opening activity to spur thoughtful and open discussion
Session Three: Shared Strengths and Contribution: Expert Panelists and National Center Staff Roles
10:30 – 11:45
Facilitated by Pat Gannon, Expert Panel Lead; Heidi Snead; Project Director
Objectives:
- Learn about the project tasks and major milestones
- Articulate their vision for a National Consumer Website and Hotline that empowers families
- Identify one or two primary strengths and contributions that participants bring
- Learn strategies for Tier I, II, and III audiences
- Identify gaps in areas of expertise on the expert panel based on Tiered audiences
Session Four: Website and Hotline Audiences and Unique Needs: Who Are We Serving?
1:00 – 2:15
Facilitated by Dilini Abeywarna Usability and User Experience Specialist; Bobbie Weber, Faculty Research Associate, Family Policy Program, Oregon State University
Objectives:
- Achieve consensus on family needs that will be supported by the Website and Hotline and explore additional considerations of the families
- Identify the factors that must be considered when designing a Website and Hotline based on the decision making process that families use to find quality child care
Session Five: Transforming Early Learning Data into Insight for Families and Others
2:45 – 4:15
Facilitated by Ken Branscome, Data and Policy Lead
Objectives:
- Develop a shared vision of the information and types of data that the Website and the Hotline should provide stakeholders and prioritize them for near-term and future consideration
- Identify possible data sources
- Identify possible partners who can facilitate this work
Day 2 - Tuesday, November 17
Opening Day 2: Thoughts Brewing
8:30 – 9:00
Facilitated by Gail Kelso; Meeting Facilitator; Darlene Hamilton, Meeting Facilitator
Session Six: Website and Hotline Design and Navigation: Transforming the User Experience
9:00 – 11:45 (with break in the middle)
Facilitated by Heidi Snead, Project Director; Alicia De Barreno, Hotline Design Lead
Objectives:
- Achieve consensus on Website and Hotline design elements that support the factors families use when selecting high-quality care
- Establish, and prioritize essential and future features for the Website and Hotline design given our defined primary audiences
Session Seven: Planning for Success: Developing Strategies to Overcome Key Implementation Challenges
1:00 – 2:30
Facilitated by Heidi Snead, Project Director and Ken Branscome, Data Policy Lead
Objectives:
- Identify strategies to overcome barriers, challenges, and concerns regarding potential design models of a National Website and Hotline
- Identify tools and resources that can be employed to improve state/local system’s capacity
Closing Day 2: Next Steps & Meeting in Review
2:45 – 3:15: Next Steps
3:15 – 3:45: Summary of the Two Days
3:45: ACF Closing Comments