Methodology

Any quotes used in published materials should properly attribute the Interview Results Tool. In addition, the NISTIR 8216, NISTIR 8245, NISTIR8277, NISTIR8295, and NISTIR8340 should be properly cited.
Volume 1:	The initial qualitative data analysis of the in-depth interviews was documented in NISTIR 8216, "Voices of First Responders – Identifying Public Safety Communication Problems: Findings from User-Centered Interviews. Phase 1, Volume 1." The Volume 1 report provides a detailed description of the research methodology and the interview protocol. The protocol and all relevant documents were approved by the NIST Human Subjects Protection Office and the Office of Management and Budget Paperwork Reduction Act.
Citation: Choong, Y., Dawkins, S., Furman, S., Greene, K.K., Spickard Prettyman, S., Theofanos, M.F. "Voices of First Responders – Identifying Public Safety Communication Problems: Findings from User-Centered Interviews. Phase 1, Volume 1." NISTIR 8216 (2018). https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.IR.8216
Volume 2:	Further qualitative analysis is documented in NISTIR 8245, "Voices of First Responders – Examining Public Safety Communication Problems and Requested Functionality Findings from User-Centered Interviews Phase 1, Volume 2.1," taking a deeper dive into the thousands of currently experienced problems and new functionality requests identified in the quotes of first responders from the in-depth interviews.
Citation: Dawkins, S., Choong, Y., Theofanos, M.F., Greene, K.K., Furman, S., Steves, M., Spickard Prettyman, S. "Voices of First Responders – Examining Public Safety Communication Problems and Requested Functionality Findings from User-Centered Interviews Phase 1, Volume 2.1." NISTIR 8245 (2018). https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.IR.8245
Volume 3:	NISTIR 8277, "Voices of First Responders – Examining Public Safety Communication from the Rural Perspective: Findings from User-Centered Interviews, Phase 1, Volume 3," focuses on rural first responders and how the rural environment influences their problems and needs with communication technology.
Citation: Greene, K.K., Dawkins, S., Theofanos, M.F., Steves, M., Furman, S., Choong, Y., Spickard Prettyman, S. "Voices of First Responders – Examining Public Safety Communication Problems and Requested Functionality: Findings from User-Centered Interviews, Phase 1, Volume 3." NISTIR 8277 (2019). https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.IR.8277
Volume 4:	NISTIR 8295, "Voices of First Responders – Examining Public Safety Communication from the Perspective of 9-1-1 Call Takers and Dispatchers: Findings from User-Centered Interviews, Phase 1, Volume 4," focuses on the contexts and challenges specifically faced by COMMS personnel.
Citation: Steves, M., Choong, Y., Dawkins, S., Furman, S., Greene, K.K., Theofanos, M.F., Spickard Prettyman, S. "Voices of First Responders – Examining Public Safety Communication from the Perspective of 9-1-1 Call Takers and Dispatchers: Findings from User-Centered Interviews, Phase 1, Volume 4." NISTIR 8295 (2020). https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.IR.8295
Volume 5:	NISTIR 8340, "Voices of First Responders – Applying Human Factors and Ergonomics Knowledge to Improve the Usability of Public Safety Communications Technology, Findings from User-Centered Interviews Phase 1, Volume 5," provides operational human-factors, user-centered design guidance and recommendations to address first responders’ problems with technology.
Citation: Choong, Y., Salvendy, G. "Voices of First Responders – Applying Human Factors and Ergonomics Knowledge to Improve the Usability of Public Safety Communications Technology: Findings from User-Centered Interviews Phase 1, Volume 5." NISTIR 8340 (2021). https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.IR.8340
For complete Voices of First Responders report series, visit: https://www.nist.gov/ctl/pscr/user-interface-user-experience-publications

The population of first responders interviewed includes urban, suburban, and rural locations, and various levels in the chain of command within the fire (FF), law enforcement (LE), emergency medical services (EMS), and communications center (COMMS) disciplines. The population sample represents 13 states in eight Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) regions across the U.S. See NISTIR 8216 and NISTIR 8245 for detailed information on the population sample for the in-depth interviews.

To protect the identity of the first responders interviewed, all quotes have been reviewed for personally identifiable information (PII) and all identifiers redacted. The protocol and all relevant documents were approved by the NIST Human Subjects Protection Office and the Office of Management and Budget Paperwork Reduction Act.

As a part of the analysis of the audio recorded and transcribed interview data, first responder statements were tagged with labels corresponding to a set of codes derived from the research questions, relevant literature, and an understanding of the communication and technology space in the first responder community. These statements were exported as quotes according to the codes with which they were tagged. This tool provides public access to these quotes; over 20,000 first responder quotes in this rich dataset. See NISTIR 8216 and NISTIR 8245 for detailed information on the qualitative analysis process.

Any survey results used in published materials should properly attribute the Survey Results Tool. Any charts and data tables used in published materials should properly attribute the Survey Analyzer Tool. In addition, the NISTIR 8288, NISTIR 8314, NISTIR 8400, and NISTIR 8444 should be properly cited.

Volume 1:

The survey methodology and participant demographics of the large-scale survey were documented in NISTIR 8288, "Voices of First Responders—Nationwide Public Safety Communication Survey Methodology: Development, Dissemination, and Demographics. Phase 2, Volume 1." ." The Volume 1 report provides a detailed description of the research methodology and the survey design. The survey protocol and all relevant documents were approved by the NIST Research Protection Office and the Office of Management and Budget Paperwork Reduction Act.

Citation: Greene, K. K., Dawkins, S., Spickard-Prettyman S., Konkol, P., Theofanos, M. F., Mangold, K., Furman, S., Choong, Y., Steves, M. P., "Voices of First Responders—Nationwide Public Safety Communication Survey Methodology: Development, Dissemination, and Demographics. Phase 2, Volume 1." NISTIR 8288 (March 2020). https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.IR.8288

Volume 2:	"Voices of First Responders—Nationwide Public Safety Communication Survey Findings: Mobile Devices, Applications, and Futuristic Technology. Phase 2, Volume 2." The Volume 2 report details the forward-looking communication technology results from the nationwide survey data.
Citation: Dawkins, S., Greene, K.K., & Spickard-Prettyman, S. (2020). Voices of First Responders—Nationwide Public Safety Communication Survey Findings: Mobile Devices, Applications, and Futuristic Technology, Phase 2, Volume 2., NISTIR8314, August, 2020. https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.IR.8314

Volume 3:	"Voices of First Responders—Nationwide Public Safety Communication Survey Findings: Day-to-Day Technology. Phase 2, Volume 3." The Volume 3 report presents survey results related to first responder experiences with their day-to-day devices: frequency of use of these devices, useful rankings of the devices, and problems experienced with them.
Citation: Dawkins, S., Buchanan, K, & Spickard-Prettyman, S. (2021). Voices of First Responders—Nationwide Public Safety Communication Survey Findings: Day-to-Day Technology, Phase 2, Volume 3., NISTIR8400, October, 2021. https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.IR.8400

Volume 4:

“Voices of First Responders—Nationwide Public Safety Communication Survey Findings: Statistical Analysis Results, Phase 2, Volume 4.” The Volume 4 report presents findings from inferential statistical analyses highlighting differences in technology problems and needs depending on the areas (rural vs urban/suburban) and roles of first responders (chief/management vs frontline responders) as well as whether or not they are career or volunteer Fire Service responders.

Citation: Pintar, A., Buchanan, K, & Choong, Y. (2022). Voices of First Responders – Nationwide Public Safety Communication Survey Findings: Statistical Analysis Results, Phase 2, Volume 4., NISTIR8444, November, 2022. https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.IR.8444

For complete Voices of First Responders report series, visit: https://www.nist.gov/ctl/pscr/user-interface-user-experience-publications

The population of first responders surveyed includes urban, suburban, and rural locations, and various levels in the chain of command within the 9-1-1/Dispatch (COMMS), emergency medical services (EMS), fire (FF), and law enforcement (LE) disciplines. There was representation from multiple jurisdictional levels, within each of the 50 states across the U.S. See NISTIR 8288 for detailed information on the population sample for the large-scale survey.

To protect the identity of the first responders interviewed, all open-ended responses have been reviewed for personally identifiable information (PII) and all identifiers redacted. The protocol and all relevant documents were approved by the NIST Research Protection Office and the Office of Management and Budget Paperwork Reduction Act.

The survey was a part of a study based on a sequential, exploratory mixed methods design. Phase 1 of the project included in-depth interviews with approximately 200 first responders across the country. The qualitative data from Phase 1 provided input for the construction of a quantitative survey used in Phase 2. References to the Phase 1 methodology can be found on the In-depth Interview section above. The NISTIR 8288 report provides a detailed description of the research methodology and the survey instrument design used in Phase 2.

The Usability Handbook for Public Safety Communications provides an overview of the user-centered design process and examples of how the process can be applied to the design and development of communications systems for the public safety community.

Citation: Theofanos, M., Choong, Y., Dawkins, S., Greene, K., Stanton, B., and Winpigler, R., "Usability Handbook for Public Safety Communications – Ensuring Successful Systems for First Responders," NIST Handbook 161, 2017, https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.HB.161

The NIST PSCR Usability Team published a collection of incident scenarios faced by first responders to assist usability researchers in framing the context of use in the public safety domain. The report, "Incident Scenarios Collection for Public Safety Communications Research: Framing the Context of Use," compiled real-world scenarios as well as scenarios from a variety of external sources including both discipline-specific and multidisciplinary incidents.

Citation: Choong, Y., Dawkins, S., Greene, K., and Theofanos, M. "Incident Scenarios Collection for Public Safety Communications Research: Framing the Context of Use," NISTIR 8181, 2017, https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.IR.8181