HUD's Web Management Operating Procedures

Appendix J: Quality Management Review (QMR) Standards

Function: Develop, coordinate, maintain, and manage content for HUD’s Internet and intranet websites and kiosks, in accordance with Departmental web policies, publication procedures, web management operating procedures, and other guidance from the Departmental Web Team

Standards for Acceptable Performance

• Managers and staff in the Office are aware of the Department’s web policies and publication standards and use them to develop and maintain web content
• Regional Director (RD) or Field Office Director (FOD) has assigned web coordination duties to a staff member who has the credibility and capabilities to complete the duties successfully.
• If the review covers an office where the Regional Web Manager is located, the Regional Web Manager has adequate support to coordinate the web duties for that office, as well as performing his/her regional duties.
• Web Coordinator understands the duties for which he/she is responsible and has adequate time, cooperation, training and support to complete the duties successfully.
• Quarterly certifications are submitted in a timely manner
• FOD or RD/designee is familiar with the web content developed and maintained by the Office (websites and the kiosks) and takes action to ensure its quality
• Program managers are familiar with the web content developed and maintained by their organizations and take action to ensure its quality

Measurement Criteria

• FOD/RD (or designate) has taken action to ensure that managers and staff throughout the Office are aware of the Department’s web policies and publication standards.
• Web Coordinator is designated, and staff within the office knows whom their Web Coordinator is.
• FOD (or Regional Director or designee) takes specific steps to ensure that the Web Coordinator has ample access to and cooperation from managers and staff to develop, update, and submit web content (e.g., invites Web Coordinator to staff meetings to report on progress/initiatives, sends email or memos to managers/staff supporting the efforts of the Web Coordinator, etc.)
• Web Coordinator reports he/she is familiar with the Department’s web policies and publication standards and uses them when developing and maintaining web content
• Web Coordinator is meeting deadlines, providing adequate and timely web content.
• Web Coordinator reports adequate understanding of duties and adequate time to complete duties.
• Web Coordinator has sought guidance or clarification when duties were unclear.
• FOD or RD/designee reports that he/she routinely monitors the content of HUD’s websites for which his/her office is responsible
• Regional Web Manager reports no major issues related to the quality or timeliness of certifications received from the Office
• Program managers report that they are aware of the Department’s web policies and publication standards and ensure that their staff use them when developing and maintaining web content
• Program managers report that they have designated staff in their organizations to work with the Web Coordinator in developing and maintaining content

Review Methodology

• Prior to the onsite review, briefly review (spot check) the hud.gov state pages, the hud@work pages, and the kiosk content for the office to see if content appears to be current, accurate, complete, and clear.
• Prior to the onsite review, conduct telephone interview with the Regional Web Manager for the region involved.
• Prior to the review, contact the Departmental Web Team to get a copy of the most recent quarterly certification
• During the review, interview
  • The FOD (or the RD or designee),
  • The Web Coordinator for the office, and
  • At least three key program managers. 

Interview Questions

Questions for the Regional Web Manager:

• Are the FOD (or RD/designate) and Web Coordinator familiar with the Department’s web policies and publication standards, as evidenced by the web content they generate?
• Are quarterly certifications submitted on time?
• Is content that is requested submitted in a timely manner and with ample clarity, organization, quantity, and quality?
• Does the Web Coordinator contact you in a timely manner when there are issues or problems?
• Is the Web Coordinator responsive when you point out deficiencies or omissions in content submitted?
• In your view, is the Web Coordinator performing all the duties assigned in an adequate manner?  If not, what do you think is the cause?
• Has the Web Coordinator received guidance and training from you, in order to perform his/her duties?
• Are there any issues related to web management in this office that you believe should be reviewed?

Questions for the FOD (or – in Regional Offices – RD/designee):

• Are you aware of the Department’s web policies and publication standards?  What actions have you taken to ensure that the managers and staff in your Office are aware of these policies and procedures?
• Does the staff in your office know who their Web Coordinator is and are they aware of his/her functions?
• Do you meet with your Web Coordinator regularly to ensure that web duties are being covered in a satisfactory manner?
• Are you familiar with the web content provided by your office?
• Do you spot check your website pages and kiosk content to ensure that information is current and accurate, before you certify each quarter?
• Does your Regional Web Manager keep you informed on the Department's web policies and initiatives?
• Do you have any suggestions for ways to improve web management at HUD?

Questions for the designated Web Coordinator for the office:

• Are you familiar with the Department’s web policies and publication standards?
• Do you understand your responsibilities?  If not, what specific parts of your responsibilities do you not understand?
• Do you have adequate time to perform your responsibilities?  If not, have you discussed this with your supervisor and/or the FOD (or RD/designate)?
• Are there specific responsibilities for which you believe you need more training?  What are they?
• Do you have adequate access to the FOD (or RD/designate) to get guidance when you need it?
• Do managers and staff in your office understand your role
• Is your Regional Web Manager available to you to provide guidance and training for your web-related duties?
• Do you have any suggestions for ways to improve web management at HUD?

Questions for key program managers in the office:

• Are you aware of the Department’s web policies and publication standards?
• Do you have someone on your staff designated to develop and submit web content?
• Do you meet with your web contact regularly to ensure that your office is providing comprehensive, quality information?
• Are you familiar with the content provided by your office?
• Do you spot-check content for which your organization is responsible to ensure that information is current and accurate?
• Do you have any suggestions for ways to improve web management at HUD?

ASSESSMENT AREA:  WEB TRAINING

Standards for Acceptable Performance

• Field Office Director (or Regional Director or designee) and key program managers encourage and create opportunities for HUD staff to learn how to use the web, in general, and HUD’s websites, specifically, as tools to do their jobs.
• Staff who respond to questions from HUD customers as one of their primary duties (specifically those who answer phones or handle walk-in traffic) know how to use HUD’s websites to find answers

Measurement Criteria

• HUD employees report that they know how to use the web and HUD’s websites in performance of their jobs or that they have been given opportunities to learn how to use the web and HUD’s websites
• Web Coordinator and/or Regional Web Manager can site specific actions to train employees on using the web.
• FOD (or RD/designate) and Web Coordinator have ensured that staff who perform customer service functions, in particular, are able to use the websites to find answers to customer questions

Review Methodology

• Prior to the onsite review, conduct telephone interview with the Regional Web Manager for the region involved.
• During the review, interview
  • The FOD (or the RD/designee),
  • At least three key program managers, and
  • At least three HUD staff (at random).
  • At least one staff member who answers questions from HUD customers

Interview Questions

Questions for the Regional Web Manager:

• Have you conducted training sessions for HUD staff in this Office personally or have you worked with the FOD/Web Coordinator to arrange for training?
• Have you received any requests for web training or are you aware of any deficiencies in the skills of employees in the office in using the web?

Question for the FOD (or Regional Director or designee):

• Does the staff in your office know how to use the web in their work, in general, and how to use HUD’s websites, specifically?
• Have you asked the Web Coordinator or the Regional Web Manager to conduct training for staff in the office?

Questions for key program managers in the office:

• Does the staff in your office know how to use the web in their work, in general, and how to use HUD’s websites, specifically?
• Have you asked the Web Coordinator or the Regional Web Manager to conduct training for staff in the office?

Questions for HUD employees in the office:

• Do you know how to use the web, in general, and HUD's websites, in particular, to do your work?
• Have you received training to use the web or, if not, are you aware that training has been offered?
• Do you use hud.gov in your work? What specific parts of the website do you use?
• Do you use hud@work in your work? What specific parts of the website do you use?
• Do you have any suggestions for ways to improve HUD's websites or web management at HUD?

Questions for staff who answer questions from HUD customers

• Do you know how to use HUD’s websites to respond to questions from HUD’s customers?  If not, have you been offered or sought training?

ASSESSMENT AREA:  PROMOTING HUD’S WEB PRODUCTS

Function:  Promote HUD’s web products (www.hud.gov, espanol.hud.gov, archives.hud.gov, and hud@work), kiosks, HUD Public Computers, and Web Clinics) with their intended audiences.

Standard for Acceptable Performance

• FOD (or RD/designee) and program managers promote HUD’s websites, kiosks, and Web Clinics in meetings and interactions with industry, partners, and the public; and they encourage their staffs to do the same.
• FOD (or RD/designee) and program managers encourage HUD staff to use hud@work in their jobs
• Staff who respond to customer questions (primarily those who answer the phones or handle walk-in traffic) refer customers to HUD’s websites (including espanol.hud.gov), kiosks, and  HUD Public Computers
• Web Clinics held in the Office are promoted extensively, and the FOD (RD/designee) acts as host

Measurement Criteria

• HUD partners report they are aware of HUD’s websites and what they have to offer them.
• HUD managers and staff report that they promote HUD’s websites, kiosks, and Web Clinics in their meetings and presentations.
• If a Clinic has been held in the Office, HUD partners report that they were invited
• If a Clinic has been held in the Office, the FOD (RD/designee) acts as host for the Clinic by making introductions or offering a greeting at some point during the day
• HUD staff who respond to customer questions report that they refer customers to HUD’s website, kiosks, and HPCs
• HUD Public Computers are clearly available to walk-in traffic, and signage exists to direct walk-in traffic to the HPCs
• FOD (or RD/designate) and Web Coordinator routinely monitor the kiosk and HPC statistics and take action to promote these web products, if statistics indicate low use
• HUD staff report they know about hud@work and are encouraged to use it in their jobs

Review Methodology

• Prior to the onsite review, peruse the kiosk and HPC statistics for the Office (note:  performance measures for kiosks are defined on the statistics page; at this date, no performance measures have been established for HPCs)
• Prior to the onsite review, contact the Departmental Web Managers to determine whether a Web Clinic has been held in the Office
• Prior to the onsite review, conduct telephone interviews with at least three HUD partner organizations of various types (e.g., PHA, local government, nonprofits, lenders, etc.).
• During the review, visit the HPC to ensure that it is functioning and that it is visible.  Signage should direct walk-in traffic to the HPC
• Prior to the onsite review, interview the Regional Web Manager
• During the review, interview
  • The Web Coordinator
  • The FOD (RD/designee)
  • At least three program managers, and
  • At least 3 HUD staff (at random)
  • At least 1 staff member who answers customer questions

Interview Questions

Question for the FOD (or Regional Director or designee):

• Do you and the staff in your office promote HUD’s websites, kiosks, and Web Clinics at industry meetings and other outside events?
• If a Web Clinic was held in your Office, did you actively promote it and host it?
• Do you encourage HUD staff in your office to use hud@work in their jobs?
• Do you promote the use of the HUD Public Computer?

Questions for the Web Coordinator

• Do you take action to promote HUD’s web products with HUD staff and HUD’s customers?
• Do you encourage HUD managers and staff to promote HUD’s web products in their interactions with customers?
• If your Office held a Web Clinic, did you promote it widely?
• Do you monitor the use of the HUD Public Computer and ensure that it is promoted?

Questions for the Regional Web Manager

• Does the Office (managers and staff) promote HUD’s web products with HUD customers?
• If the Office held a Web Clinic, did you work with the FOD (or RD/designee) to promote the Clinic?
• Do you monitor the kiosk and HPC statistics for the Office and work with the FOD and Web Coordinator to promote them?

Questions for program managers in the office:

• Do you and your staff promote HUD’s websites, kiosks, and Web Clinics at industry meetings and outside events?
• Do you encourage your staff to use hud@work in their jobs?

Questions for HUD staff (at random)

• Do you promote HUD’s websites, kiosks, and Web Clinics in your interactions with HUD customers?
• Are you encouraged to use hud@work in your job?

Questions for HUD partners:

• Are familiar with HUD’s websites (www.hud.gov, espanol.hud.gov, archives.hud.gov)?  If so, what parts of the websites do you use?
• Do you find HUD’s websites helpful to you in doing your work?  If so, how?  If not, why not?
• Do you refer your customers (e.g., tenants, applicants, citizens seeking service, etc.) to HUD’s websites?  If so, for what?  If not, why not?
• Do you have any suggestions for ways to improve HUD's websites so that they would be more helpful to you in your work?
• Do you have any suggestions for ways to improve HUD's websites so that they would be more helpful to citizens?
• If a Web Clinic was held in the local Office, were you invited? 

Questions for HUD staff who respond to customer questions

• Do you promote HUD’s websites and kiosks with customers who call or walk in with questions?

ASSESSMENT AREA:  MANAGING WEB-GENERATED EMAIL

Function:  Manage web-generated email in compliance with Department web policies

Standard for Acceptable Performance

Measurement Criteria

• FOD (or RD/designee) takes specific steps to ensure that the Web Coordinator has ample cooperation from managers and staff to respond to web-generated email (e.g., reminds managers/staff of the importance of email responses in staff meetings and memos, ensures that staff are held accountable for timely and courteous responses, etc.)
• FOD (or RD/designee) ensures that managers and staff are familiar with Department web policies on web-generated email
• Web Coordinator is responding to (or ensuring that others respond to) web-generated email in time frames established in Department web policies.
• No unopened emails for which the office is responsible are older than 2 business days.
• HUD partners report that email responses are courteous and responsive, demonstrating good customer service.

Review Methodology

• Prior to the onsite review, interview the Regional Web Manager
• During the review, ask to see the Web Manager mailbox for the State, and check to see if any unopened messages are older than 2 days.  If it’s a multi-office state, spot check the unopened messages to see if any appropriately belong to this office.
• During the review, ask to see responses to five random email messages from the public to verify that they are courteous and responsive.
• During the onsite review, interview
  • The Web Coordinator,
  • The FOD (or RD/designee),
  • 3 program managers,
  • 3 HUD partner organizations of various types (e.g., PHA, local government, nonprofits, lenders, etc.).

Interview Questions

Question for the Web Coordinator:

• Are you confident that Web Manager email is being answered in a timely, responsive, and courteous manner?
• Do you monitor the state mailbox daily to ensure that email is processed promptly?
• Do you monitor responses to email to ensure they are courteous and correct?
• Have you received any complaints from HUD customers about email response times or tone?

Question for the FOD (or Regional Director or designee):

• Are you confident that web-generated email is being answered in a timely, responsive, and courteous manner?
• Have you taken action to inform managers and staff in the Office of Department web policies related to managing web-generate email?
• Are you aware of any complaints from HUD customers about email response times or tone?

Question for program managers in the office:

• Do you hold your staff responsible for responding to web-generated email referred to your office in a timely, responsive, and courteous manner?
• Are you aware of Department web policies related to managing web-generated email?

Question for the Regional Web Manager:

• From your perspective, is this office handling Web Manager email promptly, responsively, and courteously?
• Have you monitored the state mailbox to ensure that email is being handled promptly?
• Have you received any complaints from HUD customers about email response times or tone?

Question for HUD partners:

• Have you ever contacted a HUD Web Manager through email?  Was the response timely, responsive, and courteous?