September 2010

1. September 2010 USER NEEDS IDENTIFICATION FOR CONTENT MODEL DEVELOPMENT OIDAP Quarterly Meeting Boston, MA Shirleen Roth Social Security Administration Office of Program Development and Research

2. Presentation Overview • Research Purpose and Question • Research Activities • Methodology for Identification of User Needs for Content Model Development • Compilation of sources • Selection criteria for data elements, dimensions, and data elements for research purposes • Methods for defining selections • Methods for resolving differences in selections Social Security Administration

3. Presentation Overview (continued) • Methodology (continued) • Process for documenting the selections • Analysis conducted by Project Staff • Examples • Next Steps Social Security Administration

4. Research Purpose and Question • Research Purpose: The purpose of the occupational information system (OIS) project is to create an OIS tailored specifically for SSA’s disability programs and adjudicative needs. • Research Question: What occupational information does SSA need or desire in order to effectively adjudicate claims for disability benefits? • What person-side data elements are critical to assessing an individual’s residual functional capacity? • What work-side dimensions are critical to assessing an individual’s vocational profile? Social Security Administration

5. Research Activities • Occupational Information Development Advisory Panel (Panel) Activities • Public testimony and comments at quarterly meetings • Panel investigations • Content Model and Classification Recommendations for the Social Security Administration Occupational Information System (September 2009) • Findings Report: A Review of the National Academy of Sciences Report A Database for a Changing Economy: Review of the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) (June 2010) Social Security Administration

6. Research Activities (continued) • Occupational Information System Development Workgroup (Workgroup) Activities • Internal SSA Workgroup comprised of representatives from stakeholder components within the agency • Office of Disability Adjudication and Review (ODAR), Office of Appellate Operations (Appeals Council) • ODAR, Office of Chief Administrative Law Judge • Office of Disability Determinations • Office of Disability Programs • Office of Program Development and Research • Office of Quality Performance • National Council of Disability Determination Directors (NCDDD) Social Security Administration

7. Research Activities (continued) • Workgroup Activities (continued) • Guidance and support to ensure that the OIS meets user needs and the requirements of SSA’s regulations • Assistance to Project Staff for OIS development • Outreach to stakeholder components to obtain input for development of OIS, including identification of user and other programmatic needs • Development of a list of data elements for the OIS that the Workgroup recommends for testing Social Security Administration

8. Research Activities (continued) • Project Staff Activities • Support of Panel and Workgroup activities • SSA User Needs Analysis (UNA) • Federal register notices requesting public comment on the Panel’s September 2009 report. Public comment period closed on June 30, 2010. • Project staff investigations • Participation in and support of Workgroup discussions toward development of a list of data elements for the OIS that the Workgroup recommends for testing Social Security Administration

9. Research Activities (continued) • Project Staff Activities (continued) • Occupational-Medical Vocational Study of claims • Synthesis of input received from Panel, SSA UNA, and public testimony/comments through June 30, 2010 • Compiled list of all recommendations and comments • Organized the list according to the Panel’s seven main recommendations • Added category of “Other” to capture those comments not related to the seven recommendations Social Security Administration

10. Research Activities (continued) • Project Staff Activities (continued) • Synthesis (continued) • Established criteria for compiling list of ideas/comments • Combined identical ideas/comments into one item that noted all groups in support of that item/comment • Did not combine those ideas/comments that were different, even if difference was only slight • For results of survey received from one stakeholder organization, included those data elements that were recommended by 50% or more of respondents Social Security Administration

11. Sample Synthesis Page Social Security Administration

12. Compilation of Sources • Sources Used for Identification of User Needs for Content Model Development • Built upon all OIS research activities that have taken place to date • In addition to input received from Panel, Workgroup, SSA UNA, and public, considered: • Social Security Act and Regulations • Social Security policy guidance including Social Security Rulings, operating manuals, and training materials • Current SSA forms used to document the assessment of an individual’s residual functional capacity (RFC) (SSA-4734 and SSA-4734-SUP) Social Security Administration

13. Compilation of Sources (continued) • Resources Used for Identification of User Needs for Content Model Development • Also considered other materials such as • Department of Labor’s Revised Handbook for Analyzing Jobs • Information about Essential Skills compiled by Human Resources and Skills Development Canada • International Classification of Functioning • American Medical Association guides to physicians Social Security Administration

14. Selection Criteria • Selection Criteria for Identification of User Needs for Content Model Development • Included all concepts recommended by Panel or Workgroup • Considered all concepts suggested by the SSA UNA or through public testimony/comments • Included underlying concepts for DOT data elements that SSA needs to adjudicate claims • Included concepts required by SSA regulations • Included concepts contained in the RFC forms • Included concepts that reflect SSA’s needs Social Security Administration

15. Definitions • Definitions for Identification of User Needs for Content Model Development • Established sequential process • Definitions required according to SSA regulations. If not available, then • DOT definitions. If not available or if the definition has caused difficulty in adjudicating claims, then • Panel definitions. If not available or if the definition may need clarification for disability adjudicators, then • Definitions identified through other research (e.g., supplied by public commenters, identified in references, found through internet searches, etc.) Social Security Administration

16. Resolving Differences • The concept is primary • Methods for resolving differences in selections • If the same concept was represented by both a general term and detailed terms, then the general term was identified as the data element or dimension while the detailed terms were provided as additional occupational information desired by users. • If the same concept was represented by different names, then a sequential process for naming the concept was followed. Social Security Administration

17. Documenting Selections • Documentation of selections for the Identification of User Needs for Content Model Development includes • Introduction, including methodology • Chart • Person-side data elements with definitions and related inquiry (first column) • Placeholders for corresponding work-side dimensions with definitions and related work activities (second column). Note, a few work-side dimensions required for vocational analysis were also identified in the second column. • Additional details about the related occupational information desired by users (third column) Social Security Administration

18. Documenting Selections (continued) • Documentation of selections (continued) • Endnotes • Source of data element or dimension • Rationale for including data element or dimension • Explanation of resolution of differences in the data element or dimension from various sources Social Security Administration

19. Analysis Conducted by Project Staff • Analysis conducted by Project Staff for the Identification of User Needs for Content Model Development • Started with a data element or dimension recommended by the Panel • Identified related data element or dimension recommended by the Workgroup • Identified related information from other sources (e.g., public testimony/comments, SSA UNA, etc.) • Reviewed SSA regulations and agency guidance related to the data element or dimension Social Security Administration

20. Analysis Conducted by Project Staff (continued) • Analysis Conducted by Project Staff (continued) • Reviewed RFC forms • Applied criteria and methodology described • Reached agreement/consensus Social Security Administration

21. Example 1 Social Security Administration

22. Example 1 (continued) • Data element is “fine manipulation,” as recommended by the Workgroup • Occupational information desired by users identifies need for information about: • Whether the work activity can be performed using one arm/hand or whether both arms/hands are needed to perform the work activity, as recommended by the Panel and others • Specific types of fine manipulation, such as fingering, handwriting, pinching (simple, forceful), and using keyboard, mouse, touchpad or other manual input devices, as recommended by the Panel and others Social Security Administration

23. Example 2 • Examples of data elements not selected • Dizziness • Stress Social Security Administration

24. Next Steps • “Identification of User Needs for Content Model Development” is one of many steps in process of developing a final OIS content model. • Data elements, dimensions, and data elements for research purposes will need to be tested. • Testing may result in refinement to these data elements, dimensions, and data elements for research purposes. • This testing and refinement process will continue until the final OIS Content Model is an accurate and appropriate reflection of the adjudicative needs of SSA’s disability programs as well as the world of work. Social Security Administration