Skip to main content

Quality in Student Financial Aid Programs A New Approach (1993) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:

E The IRS Experience With Cognitive Labs and Forms Design
Pages 221-224

The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.


From page 221...
... cognitive lab, the Behavioral Science Research Center, to improve some of the less well known forms. Specific details and reports on the forms redesign work are available from the author upon request, but the focus of this paper is the effective use of cognitive lab technology to improve complex forms and instructions and the implementation of suggested improvements in an environment that is simultaneously bureaucratic and hands-on operational.
Read the entire page →
From page 222...
... These include the usual cost and time constraints but may also include specification of untouchable portions of the form, page or line limits, and limits on how many of the feeder items, forms, and instructions are to be addressed. Defining limitations has been a difficult task on occasion because of the interrelated nature of the IRS forms and the many uses for them beyond simple determination of taxes owed.
Read the entire page →
From page 223...
... For example, focus group testing using forms to identify problem areas is frequently viewed by the IRS customers as adequate testing to support recommendations. They do not see the need to continue to a second stage and test the performance of alternative versions of the form according to defined criteria using larger groups of respondents.
Read the entire page →
From page 224...
... In addition to controlling forms changes, the Tax Forms and Publications Division is the only part of the IRS that is fully aware of the complexity of the task and the importance of conducting research on forms and basing decisions on the results of appropriate testing. Although the SOI Division has been able to involve its primary external customers and the major IRS owner of the tax forms in the forms improvement effort, it has depended on the Tax Forms and Publications Division to coordinate the involvement of the other stakeholders.
Read the entire page →

Key Terms

  • tax forms
  • forms design
  • soi division
  • publications division
  • forms changes

  • irs customers
  • lab technology
  • forms improvement
  • irs owner
  • bls cognitive

  • lab researchers
  • proposed changes
  • revenue service
  • proposed forms
  • internal revenue

  • major stakeholders
  • support recommendations
  • using forms
  • supporting work
  • external customers

  • deceptively simple
  • key components
  • frequently viewed
  • commonsense rules
  • earlier stage

  • formal contact
  • exploratory work
  • design work
  • practitioner community
  • design task


    • This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
    More information on Chapter Skim is available.