Alethea Woods
President
Phoenix Strategic Perspectives Inc.
Final Report
Prepared for the Department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
Research Firm: Phoenix Strategic Perspectives Inc.
Contract Award Date: January 5, 2018
Delivery Date: March 30, 2018
Contract #: B8815-180341 001 CY
POR Number: POR 072-17
Department Contact: IRCC.COMMPOR-ROPCOMM.IRCC@cic.gc.ca
Ce rapport est aussi disponible en français.
Phoenix Strategic Perspectives (Phoenix SPI) was commissioned by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to conduct qualitative research with Passport Program clients about the Passport Program vision for the future.
In 2016, Business Research Intelligence and Analytics (BRIA) developed the Passport Program vision for the future. The vision was vetted with internal partners, as well as Service Canada and Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). The vision was also presented to the 5N Countries (Canada, USA, UK, Australia and New Zealand). Based on qualitative research, the vision identified a number of client-facing conceptual themes that will help shape the future vision for Program delivery. They are:
The last two themes align with CBSA’s view of helping to deal with increasing volumes at airports and reduce waiting times for clients.
Transforming operations and building a successful business model for the future requires the client perspective. Understanding client needs, expectations and concerns for the future is crucial to the successful alignment of program delivery initiatives and sustained high levels of client satisfaction.
To obtain client input, IRCC commissioned qualitative public opinion research designed to assess the interest of clients in relation to adopting new service strategies and technologies, as well as to gain insight into attitudes, expectations, and concerns surrounding the above-mentioned forward-looking concepts.
The findings could inform the development of a feasibility and impact assessment of Passport Program initiatives related to the envisioned future state business model. In addition, the results will provide valuable information for the Passport Program Modernization Initiative (PPMI) and help refine BRIA’s research on the passport holders’ demographic profile of the future.
To meet the research objectives, a set of 15 focus groups was conducted with Canadian passport holders between January 29th and 31st, 2018 in the following five locations: Halifax, Montreal (French), Toronto, Prince Albert, and Kelowna. French-speaking groups were conducted in Montreal in order to ensure feedback from Francophone Quebecers. In each location, three focus groups were conducted, one with members of each of the following target audiences:
Each group included a mix of participants by age (within the parameters identified above), gender, type of travel (i.e. business vs. personal), and frequency of travel outside of Canada (i.e., less than once a year, one to five times a year, and more than five times a year). Participants also had to use a smartphone, such as an iPhone, Android, Blackberry or Windows phone. Participants were recruited by telephone using an opt-in database, as well as through cold calling and lists pulled by postal codes. MRIA’s Qualitative Research Registry was used.
Groups lasted 90 minutes and participants received an honorarium of $100 in appreciation of their time. Ten participants were recruited for eight participants to show per focus group. Turnout was good with at least six participants in each group. All sessions were audio-video recorded.
In each focus group, participants were presented with three conceptual themes (scenarios) that form part of the future vision for Program delivery. Each scenario was presented to participants through a short, animated video designed to provide participants with a clear understanding of the concept. In advance of the three scenarios, participants were shown another short, animated video explaining the ePassport and how it works. This video ensured all participants had a common understanding of the ePassport and its features, in particular the electronic chip and how it can be read with Near Field Communications technology. Following the presentation of each scenario, participants completed a short questionnaire designed to get their individual impressions of it. This was followed by a discussion about the scenario as a group.
The moderators for this study were Alethea Woods and Philippe Azzie. Alethea moderated the groups in Prince Albert and Kelowna. Philippe moderated the groups in Toronto, Halifax, and the French language groups in Montreal. Both contributed to the final report.
This research was qualitative in nature, not quantitative. As such, the results provide an indication of participants’ views about the issues explored, but they cannot be generalized to the full population of members of the general public or members of the targeted audience segments.
Findings from this research suggest receptivity to the new concepts. Attitudes towards all three scenarios were much more likely to be positive than negative across all age groups and locations, and there was relatively widespread interest in the adoption of the new service strategies and technologies. Indeed, there were few noticeable differences across age groups and locations.
That being said, the extent and intensity of positive reactions decreased with each scenario. It was strongest and most widespread in relation to the passport renewal app, and weaker in extent and intensity in relation to the virtual passport. This is not surprising, given that each subsequent scenario (i.e. each one following the passport renewal app) represents a further advance into unfamiliar territory. While downloading apps on a smartphone is part of daily life, mobile and virtual passports represent uncharted territory in Canada. In short, the ‘newer’ or more unfamiliar the service, the lesser the extent and intensity of positive reactions. This was underscored by the number of participants suggesting that their adoption of the mobile or virtual passport would be based on a ‘wait and see’ attitude. In other words, they would decide once they had a chance to see how each one performed once implemented).
Participants’ receptivity to the scenarios suggests that they understand and support the overall purpose of the initiatives (i.e. facilitating passport renewal and travel). While participants asked questions and expressed concerns about these scenarios, they never called into question the overall objective of the initiatives. The main advantage associated with each scenario was convenience, a benefit clearly in line with the overall objective of the initiatives. In this regard it is worth noting that critical reaction to the virtual passport was often based, in part, on lack of clarity about the purpose of providing advanced information to travel authorities.
The importance participants assigned to convenience as the main benefit associated with each scenario was reflected in the virtually unanimous assumption that each service will be easy to use and the preoccupation that each one function properly. The latter concern was evident in routinely asked questions regarding possible technical problems, particularly regarding use of a mobile and virtual passport.
While it is evident that convenience is a primary consideration for participants, so are safeguards related to ensuring the security and privacy of information. Participants’ reactions to each scenario were rarely, if ever, categorically positive or negative, but based rather on balancing its perceived convenience against potential drawbacks in terms of safety/security of information. Especially in the case of the virtual passport, concerns related to privacy of personal information, surveillance, and sharing of information weighed heavier in participants’ overall assessments than increased convenience. Moreover, such concerns cannot be attributed to ‘fear of new technology’ among older participants, as negative reaction to the virtual passport was highest among millennials.
The in-group discussions suggest that the more information people have about each scenario, the greater the likelihood that concerns they have will be allayed. Consequently, reviewing the various questions and concerns raised by participants as indicators of the type of information passport holders may want before deciding whether or not to adopt any of the proposed scenarios would be advisable.
The contract value was $95,195.72 (including applicable taxes).
I hereby certify as a Senior Officer of Phoenix Strategic Perspectives that the deliverables fully comply with the Government of Canada political neutrality requirements outlined in the Communications Policy of the Government of Canada and Procedures for Planning and Contracting Public Opinion Research.
Specifically, the deliverables do not contain any reference to electoral voting intentions, political party preferences, standings with the electorate, or ratings of the performance of a political party or its leader.
Signed:
Alethea Woods
President
Phoenix Strategic Perspectives Inc.
This section of the report presents the detailed findings from the 15 focus groups held between January 29th and 31st, 2018.
In each focus group, participants were presented with three conceptual themes (scenarios) that form part of the future vision for Program delivery. Each scenario was presented to participants through a short, animated video designed to provide participants with a clear understanding of the concept.
In advance of the three scenarios, participants were shown another short, animated video explaining the ePassport and how it works. This video ensured all participants had a common understanding of the ePassport and its features, in particular the electronic chip and how it can be read with Near Field Communications technology. Following the presentation of each scenario by video, participants completed a short questionnaire designed to get their individual impressions of the scenario in question. This was followed by a discussion about the scenario as a group.
The first scenario presented to participants was the native mobile app for passport renewal.
Overall impressions of the native mobile app for passport renewal were positive in all locations and across all age groups. Nearly all participants indicated that they were at least somewhat positive about this, and most were very positive. In addition, a majority in every group said they would be likely to use a mobile app like this to renew their passport, with half indicating that they would be very likely to do so.
Participants identified a variety of things they liked about the mobile app for renewing a passport, with the most frequently identified advantages or benefits relating to increased convenience. Routinely identified benefits related to convenience included the following:
In addition to convenience, a number of participants identified cost-related savings as a perceived benefit of the mobile app. This most often included not having to pay a commercial photographer or studio for a passport photo. However, it also included reduced transportation costs (e.g. the cost of gas if one has to travel a distance to a Service Canada office, which is the case for Canadians living in smaller communities).
Advantages or benefits identified less frequently included the following impressions:
Some observed, in a general way, that more and more interactions are taking place through this kind of technology and that it is a good thing for government to move in this direction as well.
Participants identified few things they specifically disliked about the passport renewal mobile app. Of these, the only ones identified with any frequency were the perception that there is no security feature to confirm the app user’s identity, and that there appears to be only one payment option (i.e. by credit card). Other things participants did not like about the mobile app were identified infrequently and included the following:
Participants expressed relatively few concerns about using the mobile app to renew their passport, and these concerns related mainly to the security of the information stored on the smartphone and/or the security of information collected and transmitted through the mobile app.
When told that the information used to apply for their passport would not be stored on their smartphone, some participants said their security concerns were allayed.
Beyond concerns related to security, the only other concerns or apprehensions identified related to possible technical problems during the renewal process. This included concerns about the following:
Some participants noted in a general way that they have no concerns as long as the technology is safe and secure, works well, and service to those who do not use the app remains efficient.
In some cases, the concerns identified above expressed themselves as questions about the app and how it would function. This included “what if the app crashes?” and “can my information be scanned at a distance?”. Other kinds of questions included the following:
As noted above, a majority in every group said they would be likely to use a mobile app to renew their passport, with half indicating that they would be very likely to do so. The most frequently given reason was convenience. Those less likely or not likely to use the app attributed this to not owning a credit card/not wanting to pay by credit card, lack of comfort conducting online financial transactions, and a preference for renewing their passport online through a computer.
Asked explicitly if they would prefer to renew their passport online through a computer of via the mobile app, most participants said, that given the choice, they would prefer using the mobile app to an online application form accessed through a web browser on their computer. Reasons included the following:
That said, some participants said they would prefer using an online application form to renew their passport. In addition to lack of comfort conducting online financial transactions, reasons included the perceptions that websites are safer than apps, that they would have more control over the process when using an online form, and that they already have a lot of apps on their device and don’t necessarily want another. Others explained that they dislike the small screens of mobile devices or noted the limited usefulness of an app that would be used only once every five or ten years.
Participants collectively identified a variety of factors that would encourage them to use the passport renewal mobile app. These most often related to technological and security-related issues and included:
In addition to these factors, some participants identified more circumstantial factors including the following:
Suggestions for improving the mobile app typically mirrored those things that would encourage use of the app. These included the following:
Other suggestions included the following:
There was widespread support for integrating other Government of Canada travel services with the mobile app for passport renewal. The Canadian customs eDeclaration and travel advisories were most likely to be considered useful, but these were most likely to be mentioned only after prompting. Other services considered useful included Canadian embassy and consulate locations in various countries, the ability to register with embassies and consulates using the app, information on visa requirements, and currency conversion calculators.
Following the mobile app for renewing a passport, participants were presented with the second scenario, the mobile passport. In advance of being shown the video describing the mobile passport and how it would work, participants were told that they would be able to use their mobile passport at self-serve kiosks and readers in airports instead of presenting their physical passport booklet to airport authorities. They were also asked to keep in mind that they would still be issued a passport booklet, which would be required when travelling outside Canada because not all international airports would be equipped with the technology required to read a mobile passport.
Overall reaction to the mobile passport also tended to be positive in all locations and across all age groups. A large majority of participants reacted positively to this scenario, though they were more likely to be somewhat than very positive. With the exception of two groups, one with millennials and one with those aged 58 and above, a majority of participants indicated that they would be likely to use a mobile passport.
The most frequently identified advantage or benefit associated with the mobile passport was the impression that it would facilitate movement through an airport by speeding up passage at airport checkpoints. In this regard, participants routinely identified two things they liked about the mobile passport:
Other routinely identified things participants liked about the mobile passport included the following:
Some participants said they liked the reduced use of paper associated with the mobile passport because it is environmentally friendly.
As was the case with the passport renewal app, participants identified few things they specifically disliked about the mobile passport. The most frequently identified thing they disliked was the need to keep track of one’s passport and one’s smartphone, both of which contain important information. (Recall that participants were told that the passport booklet would still be required when travelling outside Canada because not all international airports would be equipped with the technology.) Related to this, a number of participants said they do not like needing to have their phone in their hands as they move through an airport, while others said they do not like their phone to contain so much important information (i.e. passport, e-ticket, and boarding pass). Many also assumed that using the mobile passport will lead to a reduction of human contact or interaction with agents at airports, something they said they do not like.
Other things participants disliked about the mobile passport were identified infrequently and include the following:
The principal concern or preoccupation participants expressed in relation to the mobile passport can be summarized as follows: “will it work?”. In other words, will it actually facilitate the movement of travellers through airports? Participants routinely identified two concerns in this regard:
Beyond these, the only other frequently identified concerns involved mistakes or errors made by mobile passport users. This included the possibility of losing one’s phone, breaking one’s phone, forgetting one’s PIN, and being stuck behind another mobile passport user who does not know how to use it or is encountering problems resulting in line-ups and bottlenecks. Concerns expressed less frequently included the following:
Some participants noted in a general way that they have no concerns at all provided the technology works.
As was the case with the passport renewal app, some of the concerns identified above expressed themselves as questions or included questions (e.g. “will it work?”, “what if my phone dies?”, “what if there are technical problems with the kiosks?”). Other questions about the mobile passport tended to focus on what would happen in the event of a problem and included the following:
As noted earlier, a majority of participants in all but two groups indicated that they would be likely to use a mobile passport. The most frequently given reason was streamlined passage through airports. Those less likely or not likely to use the mobile passport provided the following reasons to explain why: fear of losing one’s phone, not wanting one’s passport stored on one’s phone, fear of technical problems/issues, and wanting to wait until the program is implemented to see how it works.
Participants identified a variety of factors that would encourage them to use the mobile passport. Despite the variety of factors, most of them related to ensuring that the mobile passport system facilitates passage through airports. This included the following specific factors:
In addition to factors related to the effectiveness of the mobile passport in expediting passage through the airport, the following factors were also mentioned by some participants: if one were likely to travel frequently; if one faced tight timelines in terms of connecting flights; and; if using the mobile passport meant one did not have to show up three hours in advance of international flights.
Suggestions for improving the mobile passport were relatively limited and included the following:
Most participants felt that the requirement to carry the passport booklet while travelling with a mobile passport is a benefit rather than a drawback. The routinely given reason was that it serves as a back-up in the event that there is a problem with one’s phone (e.g. loss, damage, drained batteries). Those who viewed it as a drawback most often maintained that the real benefit of a mobile passport is that it replaces the booklet altogether. It was also suggested that having to carry the phone and the passport increases the likelihood of losing or misplacing one or the other.
In advance of being shown the last scenario, participants were informed that the idea behind the virtual passport was that they could use their ePassport once at check-in, and then have facial recognition throughout the airport eliminate the need to take out and use their passport again. The video explained that the passport information would be sent in advance (at the time of purchase of travel airline tickets) to travel authorities in order for these to perform a pre-clearance or risk-assessment that could potentially expedite their passage at the airport. Once again, they were asked to keep in mind that passport applicants would still be provided with a passport booklet in addition to the virtual passport, and that the booklet would have to be brought when travelling outside Canada as not all airports would be equipped with the facial recognition technology.
Participants were also informed by the moderator that the only difference between the current state of things and the situation in this scenario was that their passport information would be sent in advance to travel authorities rather than in the days or hours preceding their flight, allowing more time for travel authorities to pre-screen travellers.
Reaction to the virtual passport tended to be more mixed than reaction to the other two scenarios. That being said, on balance, overall impressions tended to be positive. Negative reaction to this scenario was more likely to come from millennials.
The most frequently identified advantage or benefit associated with a virtual passport was the impression that it would facilitate travel through airports at both departure and arrival points. In this regard, participants most often identified two things they liked about the virtual passport:
Many participants felt that the combination of speed and convenience would reduce the level of stress that often accompanies travelling through airports.
Some people also liked the advanced screening/sharing of information with travel authorities, observing that it would expedite the passage of low risk travellers while at the same time maintaining, if not increasing, security. Regarding the latter, two things were noted: first, it was suggested that advanced screening would result in increased security by allocating resources away from low risk travellers towards investigating/monitoring actual security risks; second, it was noted that the use of cameras could help identify and track higher-risk travellers throughout the airport. Finally, advance screening was seen by some as having two other perceived advantages: the sharing of information is impartial (i.e. not based on any profiling), and it might free up staff for other tasks.
When it came to things they did not like about the virtual passport, participants tended to focus on the impression of being subjected to increased surveillance and the perceived reliance on technology.
At least a few participants in every group said they did not like, or would not be comfortable with, the increased surveillance to which they would be subjected as a result of the introduction of the virtual passport. This perception of increased surveillance was based on two things: the presence of cameras throughout airports and the sharing of information in advance with travel authorities. (Concern over the sharing of information in advance tended to decrease when it was explained that the same information would be available to travel authorities anyway, the only difference being that it would be shared in advance to expedite the movement of low risk travellers.) The combination of both brought to the minds of many participants images of ‘big brother’.
In addition to the use of technology there was a relatively widespread sense that this scenario relies to a great extent on technology. There are two main things participants do not like about this: one is the apprehension that the technology might fail, either through technical problems/glitches or because it is unreliable (i.e. how accurate is the facial recognition technology central to this scenario). Related to this is an apprehension that there will be a loss of human agency and human contact resulting from the introduction of the virtual passport.
The two main concerns or preoccupations participants expressed in relation to the virtual passport mirror the two things they did not like about it: the impression that it relies on cameras and facial recognition technology as well as the collection and sharing of personal information.
At least a few participants in every group expressed concerns or asked questions related to the use of cameras and facial recognition technology and the apparent reliance on them. Frequently asked questions included variations on the following:
Similarly, at least a few participants in each group expressed concerns or asked questions related to the collection and sharing of personal information (including information collected on camera). Frequently asked questions included variations on the following:
Feedback was mixed when participants were asked about their likelihood of using the virtual passport: many indicated that they would be likely or very likely to do so, many others indicated that they would be unlikely to do so, and some said they were unsure as to whether or not they would use the virtual passport. (Unlike the questions asked in relation to the first two scenarios, participants were not asked specifically to rate their likelihood of using the virtual passport in the mini-questionnaire.) The most frequently given reasons to explain use of the virtual passport were speed and convenience, and reduced travel-related stress. Those less likely or not likely to use the virtual passport, as well as those unsure about this, provided four main reasons to explain why: discomfort with advanced sharing of information, discomfort with surveillance cameras/being tracked, a desire for some degree of human contact/interaction with travel authorities, and the impression that there is no real advantage in terms of time saving by using the virtual passport.
Participants collectively identified a variety of factors that would encourage them to use the virtual passport. These included the following:
Some participants suggested in a general way that they would wait to see how things work when and, if the virtual passport is implemented, make their decision on that basis.
Suggestions for improving the virtual passport were limited and tended to focus on providing potential users of the service with additional information. These suggestions included the following:
It was also suggested that low-risk travellers who use the virtual passport be streamlined through security clearances.
As was the case with the mobile passport, most participants felt that the requirement to carry the passport booklet while travelling with a mobile passport is a benefit rather than a drawback, and for the same reason (i.e. it serves as a back-up in the event that there is a problem). As was the case with the mobile passport, those who viewed it as a drawback maintained that the real benefit of a virtual passport is that it would replace the booklet altogether.
By way of conclusion, participants were asked to assess the scenarios comparatively (i.e. in relation to each other) with a focus on which they would be most or least likely to use.
Participants were divided over which of the two scenarios they would be more likely to use: the mobile or the virtual passport. In each case, reasons included things they liked about one scenario, things they disliked about the other, or a combination of both.
Reasons for preferring the mobile passport over the virtual passport included the following:
Reasons for preferring the virtual passport over the mobile passport included the following:
Feedback on which of the three scenarios they would be least likely to use varied, with at least some participants identifying each of the three. The main reason some participants consider themselves least likely to use the passport renewal app is its limited usefulness (i.e. it would only be used every five or ten years). The main reason for being least likely to use the mobile passport was the impression that if one’s goal is to get oneself though airports as quickly as possible, one might as well use the most advanced technology to do so (i.e. the virtual passport). Finally, the main reason for being least likely to use the virtual passport involves concerns about privacy (e.g. apprehensions regarding the sharing of information and continual surveillance).
On the assumption that the technologies associated with each scenario function properly, participants had no concerns about the ease of use of any of them. Indeed, each one was described as user-friendly or easy to use.
Suggestions for additional products and services that could be useful to facilitate travel included the following:
Differences by region and age were limited when it came to reactions to the various scenarios:
Toronto
Montreal
Halifax
Prince Albert
Kelowna
Hello/Bonjour, my name is [INSERT]. Would you prefer to continue in English or French? / Préférez-vous continuer en français ou en anglais?
[INTERVIEWER NOTE: FOR ENGLISH GROUPS, IF PARTICIPANT WOULD PREFER TO CONTINUE IN FRENCH, PLEASE RESPOND WITH, "Malheureusement, nous recherchons des gens qui parlent anglais pour participer à ces groupes de discussion. Nous vous remercions de votre intérêt." FOR FRENCH GROUP, IF PARTICIPANT WOULD PREFER TO CONTINUE IN ENGLISH, PLEASE RESPOND WITH, “Unfortunately, we are looking for people who speak French to participate in this discussion group. We thank you for your interest.]
I’m calling from CRC Research, a Canadian research firm. We’re organizing a series of discussion groups on behalf of the Government of Canada to explore current issues of interest to Canadians. The groups will last one and half hours and people who take part will receive a cash gift to thank them for their time.
Participation is completely voluntary. We are interested in your opinions. No attempt will be made to sell you anything or change your point of view. The format is a "round table" discussion led by a research professional with up to eight participants. All opinions will remain anonymous and will be used for research purposes only in accordance with laws designed to protect your privacy.
[INTERVIEWER NOTE: IF ASKED ABOUT PRIVACY LAWS, SAY: “The information collected through the research is subject to the provisions of the Privacy Act, legislation of the Government of Canada, and to the provisions of relevant provincial privacy legislation.”]
Before we invite you to attend, we need to ask you a few questions to ensure that we get a good mix of people in each of the groups. This will take 5 minutes. May I continue?
IF THE INDIVIDUAL QUESTIONS THE VALIDITY OF THE RESEARCH, OFFER THE MRIA PROJECT REGISTRATION NUMBER [SCRIPT BELOW] OR DIRECT THE INDIVIDUAL TO CONTACT CARL DUROCHER OF THE PASSPORT PROGRAM AT (carl.durocher@cic.gc.ca) OR 613-437-7491.
This research is registered with the Marketing Research and Intelligence Association’s Research Verification Service. To confirm the validity of these focus groups, you may access the Research Verification Service through the following URL www.mriaportal-arimportail.ca/mpower8/rrs/verification and enter the project registration number: 20180111-875H.
1. Are you a Canadian citizen at least 18 years old who normally resides in the [INSERT CITY] area?
*ASK IF SOMEONE ELSE IN THE HOUSEHOLD IS A CANADIAN CITIZEN, 18 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER. IF SO, ASK TO SPEAK TO THAT PERSON (AND REPEAT INTRODUCTION) IF NOT, THANK/TERMINATE.
**INTERVIEWER NOTE: When terminating a call with someone, say: Thank you for your cooperation. We already have enough participants who have a similar profile to yours, so we are unable to invite you to participate.
2. Do you, or any member of your household or immediate family, work in any of the following fields? READ LIST
Marketing research, public relations firm, or advertising agency
The media (i.e., radio, television, newspapers, magazines, etc.)
A federal or provincial government department or agency
A political party
3. We have been asked to speak to participants from all different ages. May I have your age please? RECORD AGE. GET MIX BY AGE WITHIN EACH AUDIENCE.
3B. Do you use a smartphone, such as an iPhone, Android, Blackberry or Windows phone?
4. Do you currently have a valid Canadian passport, one that has not expired?
5. During the past 12 months, how many times have you travelled outside of Canada? RECORD NUMBER.
6. Do you intend to travel outside of Canada in the next few years, for either personal or business reasons?
7. What was the primary reason for [ADJUST: your trip / most of your trips] outside of Canada this past year? Was it mainly for personal or business reasons? GET MIX
8. Record gender by observation. 50/50 SPLIT
9. Could you please tell me what is the last level of education that you completed? GET MIX
10. Participants in group discussions are asked to voice their opinions and thoughts, how comfortable are you in voicing your opinions in front of others? Are you...
11. Have you ever attended a discussion group on any topic that was arranged in advance and for which you received money for your participation?
12. When did you last attend one of these discussion groups?
13. How many discussion groups have you attended in the past 5 years?
14. Sometimes participants are also asked to write out their answers on a questionnaire. Is there any reason why you could not participate? If you need glasses to read, please remember to bring them.
15. The discussion group will be audio/video-recorded. These recordings are used to help with analyzing the findings and writing the report. The results from the discussions will be grouped together in the research report, which means that individuals will not be identified in anyway. Neither your name nor your specific comments will appear in the research report. Is this acceptable?
16. There may be some people from the Government of Canada who have been involved in this project observing the session. They will not take part in the discussion and they will not know your name. Is this acceptable?
I would like to invite you to attend the focus group session where you will exchange your opinions in a moderated discussion with other Canadians from your community. The discussion will be led by a researcher from the national public opinion research firm, Phoenix SPI. The group will take place on [DAY OF WEEK], [DATE], at [TIME] at [FACILITY]. It will last an hour and a half [90 minutes] and we ask that you arrive 15 minutes early. People who attend will receive $100 to thank them for their time. Would you be willing to attend?
May I have your email address so that we can also send you an email message with the address where the group will be held?
At the facility, you will be asked to produce photo identification, so please remember to bring something with you (for example, a driver's license). If you use glasses to read, please remember to bring them with you. Participants may be asked to review some materials in [ENGLISH/FRENCH] during the discussion.
As I mentioned, the session will be audio/video recorded for research purposes and representatives of the Government of Canada research team will be observing from an adjoining room. You will be asked to sign a waiver to acknowledge that you will be video recorded during the session. The recordings will be used only by the Phoenix SPI research team and will not be shared with others. All information collected in the group discussion will remain anonymous and be used for research purposes only in accordance with laws designed to protect your privacy.
As we are only inviting a small number of people to attend, your participation is very important to us. If for some reason you are unable to attend, please call us so that we can get someone to replace you. You can reach us at [INSERT NUMBER] at our office. Please ask for [INSERT NAME].
Someone will call you the day before to remind you about the session. So that we can call you to remind you about the focus group or contact you should there be any changes, can you please confirm your name and contact information for me?
First name:
Last Name:
Daytime phone number:
Evening phone number:
Air travel is growing. By 2035, it is expected that the number of air travellers will have doubled from the volumes last year. The Canadian Government is considering a number of ideas to deal with the increasing volume of people at our borders and in our airports.
Tonight, we will review some potential concepts for medium and long-term initiatives that the government is considering for its Passport Program. The purpose is to facilitate the travel of low-risk travellers and frequent travellers in order to expedite the passenger flow through airports. These ideas may or may not be implemented in the future. If any of these ideas do come about, passport clients will always have a choice to either use the new technologies or use the methods they are accustomed to.
More specifically, we will be looking at three different scenarios that focus on the renewal of a passport and the use of that passport at the airport. For each scenario, we will show you a short, animated video in order to give you a good understanding of the concept.
These scenarios will depict typical situations that Canadian travellers could find themselves in, rather than focusing on complex or exceptional cases. Because this focus group is testing ideas that are at the conceptual stage, the cost considerations are not included in the scope of the focus group discussions. Furthermore, the secure storage or transmission of your personal information is very important for the Government of Canada. Therefore, through all these scenarios, please note that your personal bio-data will always be encrypted preventing unauthorized persons to access it. In addition, to protect your personal information against loss or theft, appropriate security safeguards will be put in place. That being said, we encourage you to tell us if you feel you have any privacy or security concerns with any of the concepts presented as this is something we would like to evaluate. After each video, you will be asked to complete a brief questionnaire on your own about your impressions of the concepts (not about THE VIDEO itself).
Before we get started with the three scenarios we are testing tonight, we would like to show you a short video explaining your ePassport and how it works. This video will ensure all participants have a common understanding of the passport booklet and its features. In particular, pay attention to the part explaining the electronic chip and how it can be read with Near Field Communications (or NFC) technology present in most smartphones today.
PLAY THE ePASSPORT VIDEO
The first scenario looks at a potential mobile app for renewing a passport.
PLAY THE VIDEO AND THEN DISTRIBUTE THE MINI QUESTIONNAIRE
I’m now going to hand out a short questionnaire. Please complete page 1 of this questionnaire on your own, in silence. When everyone is done, we’ll talk about the scenario as a group.
ONCE PARTICIPANTS HAVE COMPLETED THE QUESTIONNAIRE, START DISCUSSION.
Before we begin our discussion, do you have any questions or need any clarification regarding this first scenario? KEEP BRIEF; ADJUST/CUT AFTER PRETEST.
JUST AS A REMINDER, THE CONCEPTS BEING TESTED AND AT THE HEART OF THIS DISCUSSION ARE THE FOLLOWING:
1. First, what’s your overall impression of this mobile app? Why do you say that?
2. What, if anything, did you like about the passport mobile app?
3. And what, if anything, didn’t you like about the passport mobile app?
4. Would you have any concerns with using a smartphone app to renew your passport? If so, what concern(s)? If not, why not?
5. Thinking about your own possible use of the passport mobile app, what would be the main benefit to you? Any others?
6. How likely would you be to use a passport mobile app to renew your passport? Why do you say that?
7. If you had a choice, would you prefer using the passport mobile app or an online renewal application form accessed from your desktop computer? Why?
8. What factors, if any, would encourage you to use the passport mobile app?
9. Do you have suggestions on how to improve this idea?
10. In addition to the possibility of renewing your passport, what do you think of the app integrating other Government of Canada travel services, such as the Canadian customs EDeclaration, travel advisories, or the weather at your destination? Why? Which ones would you find most useful? Are there other functions or services that you would find useful to be included in this app?
Okay, we are ready to look at the second scenario about having a mobile passport on your smartphone. This means that you could use this electronic version of your passport at self-serve kiosks and readers instead of presenting your passport booklet. Keep in mind that, in the following scenario, passport applicants will be provided with a passport booklet in addition to the mobile passport. Also, the passport booklet must be brought when travelling outside Canada as not all airports will be equipped with the technology to read a mobile passport.
PLAY THE VIDEO
Now please turn to page two of the mini-questionnaire. Please complete it on your own, in silence. When everyone is done, we’ll talk about the scenario as a group.
ONCE PARTICIPANTS HAVE COMPLETED THE QUESTIONNAIRE, START DISCUSSION.
Before we begin our discussion, do you have any questions or need any clarification regarding this second scenario? KEEP BRIEF; ADJUST/CUT AFTER PRETEST.
JUST AS A REMINDER, THE CONCEPTS BEING TESTED AND AT THE HEART OF THIS DISCUSSION ARE THE FOLLOWING:
11. What’s your overall impression of the mobile passport? Why do you say that?
12. What, if anything, did you like about the mobile passport?
13. And what, if anything, didn’t you like about the mobile passport?
14. Would you have any concerns with using a mobile version of your passport booklet? If so, what concern(s)? If not, why not?
15. Thinking about your own possible use of the mobile passport, what would be the main benefit to you? Any others?
16. How likely would you be to use a mobile passport to travel? Why do you say that?
17. What factors, if any, would encourage you to use the mobile passport?
18. Do you have suggestions on how to improve this idea?
19. Does the fact that you still have to carry the passport booklet while traveling impact your view of this product? If so, in what way(s)?
Now we will look at the last scenario – the idea that you can use your ePassport once at check-in, and then have facial recognition throughout the airport – eliminating the need to take out and use your passport again. This means that you are your passport and that you identify yourself with your biometric (face). Keep in mind that, in the following scenario, passport applicants will be provided with a passport booklet in addition to the virtual passport. Also, the passport booklet must be brought when travelling outside Canada as not all airports will be equipped with the facial recognition technology. In this case, you would be asked to present your passport booklet
PLAY THE VIDEO
Now please turn to page three of the mini-questionnaire. Please complete it on your own, in silence. When everyone is done, we’ll talk about the scenario as a group.
ONCE PARTICIPANTS HAVE COMPLETED THE QUESTIONNAIRE, START DISCUSSION.
Before we begin our discussion, do you have any questions or need any clarification regarding this third scenario? KEEP BRIEF; ADJUST/CUT AFTER PRETEST.
JUST AS A REMINDER, THE CONCEPTS BEING TESTED AND AT THE HEART OF THIS DISCUSSION ARE THE FOLLOWING:
20. What’s your overall impression of the virtual passport? Why do you say that?
21. What, if anything, did you like about the virtual passport?
22. And what, if anything, didn’t you like about the virtual passport?
23. Would you have any concerns with using this technology? If so, what concern(s)? If not, why not?
24. Thinking about your own possible use of the virtual passport, what would be the main benefit to you? Any others?
25. How likely would you be to use a virtual passport to travel? Why do you say that?
26. What factors, if any, would encourage you to use the virtual passport?
27. Do you have suggestions on how to improve this idea?
28. Does the fact that you still have to carry the passport booklet while traveling impact your view of this product? If so, in what way(s)?
29. Thinking about the last two scenarios (mobile passport and virtual passport) that we’ve looked at tonight, which one do you like the most, and would be most likely to use? Why do you say that?
30. Which would you be least likely to use? Why?
31. How comfortable are you using these technologies? Do they look easy to use? If not, why not?
32. Are there any other products or services that the Canadian Passport Program should consider that would be useful to you to facilitate your travel?
33. Do you have any further comments or thoughts that you would like to share about the concepts that we discussed this evening?
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND THOUGHTFUL FEEDBACK. YOUR INPUT IS VERY IMPORTANT AND IS MUCH APPRECIATED. PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT A FINAL REPORT ON THE RESEARCH WILL BE AVAILABLE IN APPROXIMATIVELY SIX MONTHS THROUGH LIBRARY AND ARCHIVE CANADA
The first scenario presented the following concepts:
1. Overall, what is your initial impression of the concepts presented in this scenario?
2. What, if anything, do you like most about the concepts presented in this scenario? Please use bullet points format.
3. What concerns do you have, if any, about the concepts presented in this scenario? Please use bullet points format.
4. How likely would you be to use the Passport Mobile App?
The second scenario presented the following concepts:
1. Overall, what is your initial impression of the concept presented in this scenario?
2. What, if anything, do you like most about the concept presented in this scenario? Please use bullet points format.
3. What concerns do you have, if any, about the concept presented in this scenario? Please use bullet points format.
4. How likely would you be to use the Mobile Passport?
The third scenario presented the following concepts:
1. Overall, what is your initial impression of the concepts presented in this scenario?
2. What, if anything, do you like most about the concepts presented in this scenario? Please use bullet points format.
3. What concerns do you have, if any, about the concepts presented in this scenario? Please use bullet points format.