BetaGov Blog

How To Prepare For Your First Call With BetaGov

Posted on September 25, 2017     By Lauren Rilling

When you submit an idea for a trial with BetaGov, we'll schedule a call to learn more about your idea. From there, we can determine if your idea is appropriate for a randomized controlled trial design or if a different research design is more suitable.

Depending on whether your agency is already partnering with BetaGov, we may need to secure approval to run the trial. From there, we'll determine a trial start date and iron out the details of the trial design.

New endeavors can be intimidating and tricky to navigate, but we're here to take you through every step. While you aren't required or expected to have all the answers, it can speed up the process if you know some information ahead of time.

Here are some questions you may want to consider or start looking into:

• What outcomes do you want to test? In other words, what effect do you want your solution or idea to have? Higher test scores? Fewer misconducts? Time saved?
• What resources will be required for your trial? Do you have a budget to work with? If not, whom do you need to talk to at your agency about this? Our services are free, but you will be responsible for any materials costs.
• Do you have a specific intervention to test, or are you seeking help coming up with a solution for a problem you've identified? While we are happy to point you in the right direction for a trial, it helps if you have a particular intervention or policy in mind. For example, you may have a staff-training module, a new website feature, or a client service that is ready to test.

What possible solutions and improvements for your agency have you identified? We invite you to share your idea with us.

Anybody can pull off SCF in their facility. You just have to try it. It can't hurt, that's for sure.