VA is asking users in the Veteran community—Veterans, caregivers, and dependents—to attend online feedback sessions where you’ll use VA digital tools and tell us what you think, what you like, what you don’t like, and what would make them better. These information technology sessions are essential to improving the quality of life for our Veterans by providing valuable insights into how VA can leverage technology to support the unique needs of Veterans.
One 76-year-old Navy Veteran who has participated in research sessions shared, “I’m pleased to be included in these discussions. You guys [in VA] have done a good job. Appreciate that VA is interested in trying to make things the best they can be.”
All participants who complete a study receive compensation for their time (excluding VA employees). The sessions typically last one hour or less and are scheduled during business hours.
Most people are eager to offer insights and make things better for themselves and fellow Veterans, so VA is keen to tap into those user insights. Often, what an information technology designer thinks is going to work needs user feedback to evolve into the ‘right way’ and deliver what users really need. Seeking and incorporating user input to make something better is part of a human-centric approach to developing user processes and tools.
VA is embracing this approach and wants to get the word out to Veterans, caregivers and dependents that there are opportunities for you to join sessions and help shape the tools you and other Veterans use. The goal is to turn out digital tools that are more helpful, convenient and less frustrating to use.
Studying innovative technologies, VA can better understand how to optimize products and services to meet the needs of Veterans. Ultimately, these sessions have the potential to inform the development of current and future health care technologies and enhance the access to care provided to Veterans like you!
What can you expect during an information technology feedback session?
A typical VA information technology online feedback session involves you interacting with a design prototype and having targeted conversations about your everyday experiences with the VA product or service. For example, having a participant log into the VA Health and Benefits mobile app. Sessions may examine how Veterans use the mobile app, which features are most frequently accessed, and how the app impacts your health outcomes and overall quality of life. VA will prompt participants to complete specific tasks and then measure how easily you can achieve them. As the participant completes a task, VA will invite them to share everything that comes to mind. Instructions range from “Request a refill” to “Locate your payment history.”
Hearing all insights, regardless of the sentiment, is the best part of the sessions for our VA designers. Veteran participation in feedback ensures that VA considers your perspectives and experiences when designing and implementing new technologies. These sessions provide insights into the unique needs of Veterans and offer the opportunity to develop and optimize technologies that support improving your overall health care experience. The input of users is critical to shaping the future of VA health care information technology products and services.
How to sign up
Are you a user of the VA Health and Benefits mobile app or other VA digital tools? You can make your voice heard about ways to improve them. It’s easy to do and doesn’t require a significant commitment. VA will compensate you for your time to help improve VA’s products and services. Veterans, caregivers, and dependents are all eligible.
Sign up for an information technology online feedback session at the Veteran Usability site.
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I never got my $5 Amazon card. How do I call about getting it. Not I’m Spam folder I checked
All the VA.gov websites and My HealtheVet website are very hard to use and they have problems with feeds from “CPRS”.
They had bad links for “Travel Pay” but they are fixed now.
The Amazon $5.00 is not the issue in my opinion. Helping other persons deal with making life easier is what is important to me. You should not feel you should be compensated for helping others.
Many thanks for including Digital Tools for veterans………These resources are greatly appreciated……Glad you’re focusing on veteran related benefits….Keep ’em coming on regular basis.
I agree on EW Gee,our time as a Veteran,
is taking advantage of our time spent,
for Digital Tools feedback and how it can help other Veterans…I think there
should be more compensation,when given a survey about the digital tools
that are used for others to use and adapt…It is unfair,not all of us are up to date on such technology,less then understanding on the software used!…
I should know,I went to college to
understand the use of the electronic
technology!…
I guess I’m not ‘most people.’ You offer us a $5.00 coupon for an hour of our time? Sounds a bit disrespectful to me, as the federal minimum wage is $7.25 and my local minimum wage is $15.00.
So if you want me / us to beta test your apps but only offer us a lousy $5.00 Amazon coupon, you all
(the projet manager-s of this scheme?) obviously don’t know jack about fair wages, Jack. My Two Cents, or what is feels like you are paying for our valuable time.
The $5 coupon shouldn’t be called “compensation for our time” (that does sound a bit disrespectful) but rather a “token of appreciation” for volunteering our time to help others. Whoever wrote this article needs to rethink how to encourage people to volunteer their time to help others. The article is very poorly written for what is being asked.
Find an easier way to navigate through the many pages of the site because many soldiers were drafted and was pulled out of school to serve their military life, so many of them don’t know how to read nor write, especially use current technologies available today?
It was a little confusing to get registered but the site is well worth getting signed in to.
I always use the the VA Med site to request appointments with my primary and to refill prescriptions.
I always receive prompt responses.
With the huge multi-billion dollar contract these Insurance Companies got to harvest after 86ing OUR Choice Program and replacing it with Trump/Graham Wait ’til We Can Figure It Out coverage called VACCN. This VACCN is a disaster. Hired a few knowledgeable people and filled all the rest of the slots with fast food workers wanting a few more bucks a week. Shameful.
Your digital tools are very easy to use. I filed for my husband’s claim three times and there was no snags or difficulties.
You web page is to hard to navigate . The form are to hard to understand and then when i call they dont know what number work and the send me to the wrong person and i go around in circal with out get any help or fixen the issue .i been have this for years until i dont even both .i am vet got hurt on why in service and my record show it and i still denied on it and now i still waint on form paper work and can not get any where i need some one to fill it out and hold my hand and walk me there that maze and i loss tract of time and yours time limit exp.
I really like the idea of using Internet Technology as a tool for making some extra money. I think right now I am travelling in the every good Moment I have. I disagree with a lot of what the news preaches; and often times I only have my family and friends that are Veterans also. There is some dexterity in this old family – Sheppard. My mother’s family – the Hill family is also an interesting culture of people. VA helped me to appreciate cooking. I think that Twitter could help Veterans with “present time” conversations or chat. Just responding to a comment or a Tweet is important to intellectuals. Great offer….