Hypotheses

Hypotheses

We held a outcomes and metrics workshop on March 4, 2016 with representatives from all stakeholder groups to further refine our hypotheses. Now we have:

We believe that

• improving documentation and reusability
• building in the open and using open source technologies
• making the site user friendly
• ensuring it meets the EITI standard

Will result in other countries using the USEITI site as a model.

We will know we are right when

• we get questions from other countries about the specifics of reusing our process or code
• when we see the influence of our site in other countries’ reports.

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We believe that

• connecting data within the site better, especially production and revenue
• for tribes, state revenue data disbursements

Will result in enriched conversations about policy and clearing up misconceptions.

We will know we are right when

• people use the site or its data in press, dialogue, policy, especially in the 12 case-study counties and where there may be new extraction.
• conversations (articles, debates, etc.) have more data in them and are enriched by the information.

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We believe that

• talking to companies’ local public affairs teams
• broadening outreach and user research in 12 counties
• improving awareness in organizations with public relations folks

Will result in enriched conversations about policy and clearing up misconceptions.

We will know we are right when

• people use the site or its data in press, dialogue, policy, especially in the 12 case-study counties and where there may be new extraction.
• conversations (articles, debates, etc.) have more data in them and are enriched by the information.
• MSG meetings get more public comment, and we get more feedback on the site.

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We believe that

• improving connections with other sites
• clarifying and simplifying the relationship with the MSG site
• using words people know

Will result in more traffic and improved findability.

We will know we are right when

• more people come to the site from across the U.S. and around the world
• we get more feedback about what the site needs.

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These hypotheses are the ones we started the site work with and have been replaced by the ones above.

Basic, existential hypotheses

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• We believe that: we don’t know enough about our user base (user types)
• Which will result in: creating a product that does not meet user needs
• We will know we are right when: we interview more people in each user type about their interactions with extractive industries information and data

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• We believe that: USEITI data is useful to a broad audience
• We will know we are right when: more than just the few subject-specific non-profits use/reference our data

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• We believe that: providing useiti.doi.gov
• Will result in: increased transparency and dialogue about the U.S. natural resource revenues system
• We will know we are right when we see increased traffic to USEITI and increased use/references to its info and data

Functional hypotheses

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• We believe that: providing a clearer explanation of the relationship of useiti.doi.gov to USEITI
• Will clarify why the site exists, and why it is important
• We will know we are right when we field fewer questions about the reason for the site’s existence

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• We believe that: providing a clear site architecture
• Will allow all types of users to understand the scope of what useiti.doi.gov contains, and allow them to find the information they're looking for
• We will know we are right when: we watch different types of people use our site and they are able to easily find what they're looking for

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• We believe that: providing more location-based information
• Will: meet a user need for the concerned citizen who wants to know what’s happening in his/her neighborhood
• We will know we are right when we see increased interest from non-sector-specific civil society groups (local groups instead) pending more comms outreach

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• We believe that: providing more explanation of the government structure in natural resource revenues
• Will result in: more clarity around who-does-what, and provide a resource for people to find the right office for their needs
• We will know we are right when: ONRR sees a decrease in misdirected requests for information

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• We believe that: providing the 2015 USEITI Report online and in an easily-sharable way
• Will result in: increased use of its data
• We will know we are right when: we see USEITI datasets being used by many third parties, including non-specialists (ie, have have lowered the barrier to entry)

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• We believe that: separating ‘advanced data’ content from ‘overview’ content
• Will result in: both advanced and casual users to find what they need
• We will know we are right when: users of both types report they they have found what they need.