SITUATION:

The Louisiana Department of Labor contracted with The Ehrhardt to conduct a series of focus groups in the summer of 2003. This was an objective assessment of the public’s perception of the One-Stop system facilities and whether they were successful in providing beneficial services and information, and to identify and validate improvements that can contribute to the most functional and effective One-Stop facilities throughout the state.

STRATEGIES:

The Ehrhardt Group - The study utilized a combination of nominal group techniques and focus groups. Four sessions were conducted with LDOL staffers and 16 focus groups were conducted around the state in 8 regional offices.

The goal of the study was to assess perceptions about the characteristics of the One-Stop program: universal access, service integration, customer choice and accountability.

RESULTS:

The Ehrhardt Group identified areas in which the program was either meeting or not meeting user expectations.

The firm reported its results to LDOL in large and small meetings with staffers and encouraged officials to acquire the necessary training and skills development that were required to improve mutual expectations.

The spreadsheet format for data reporting facilitated the easy identification of participant observations and subsequent recommendations.

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