Smart Chicago Collaborative Civic User Testing Group (CUTGroup) is a community of residents who are paid to test websites and apps and help create better technology. Smart Chicago's twenty-first CUTGroup focus groups were on digital skills. These are responses from the pre-survey given to testers to learn more about their individual skills, the tools they use, and the resources they do or do not use to learn new skills.

1. CUTGROUP #21: DIGITAL SKILLS
In our twenty-first Civic User Testing Group (CUTGroup) test, we wanted to engage with residents
around their digital skills and understand how they talked about their own skills, the tools they use,
and resources they do or do not use to learn new skills. Before the focus groups began, we provided a
quick pre-survey to better understand the individual skill level of our testers.
PART I: REVIEW OF OWN SKILL LEVEL & INTEREST IN LEARNING NEW SKILLS
EMAIL
I don’t know how
to do this
I don’t know how to
do this & I'm not
interested in learning
I don’t know how
to do this, but
would like to
learn
I know how to do
this and would
like to do it
better
I know how to do this and
I’m comfortable with my
current skill level
0% 0% 0%
0% 100% (14)
USE ONLINE VIDEO CALLING SERVICES (EX: SKYPE, GOOGLE)
I don’t know how
to do this
I don’t know how to
do this & I'm not
interested in learning
I don’t know how
to do this, but
would like to
learn
I know how to do
this and would
like to do it
better
I know how to do this and
I’m comfortable with my
current skill level
0% 7% (1) 14% (2)
21% (3) 57% (8)
CREATE A TEXT DOCUMENT (EX: MICROSOFT WORD)
I don’t know how
to do this
I don’t know how to
do this & I'm not
interested in learning
I don’t know how
to do this, but
would like to
learn
I know how to do
this and would
like to do it
better
I know how to do this and
I’m comfortable with my
current skill level
0% 0% 7% (1)
0% 93% (13)

2. PREPARE A SLIDE PRESENTATION (EX: MICROSOFT POWERPOINT)
I don’t know how
to do this
I don’t know how to
do this & I'm not
interested in learning
I don’t know how
to do this, but
would like to
learn
I know how to do
this and would
like to do it
better
I know how to do this and
I’m comfortable with my
current skill level
7% (1) 0% 0%
28% (4) 64% (9)
CREATE A SPREADSHEET (EX: MICROSOFT EXCEL)
I don’t know how
to do this
I don’t know how to
do this & I'm not
interested in learning
I don’t know how
to do this, but
would like to
learn
I know how to do
this and would
like to do it
better
I know how to do this and
I’m comfortable with my
current skill level
0% 0% 36% (5)
36% (5) 28% (4)
USE DATA ANALYSIS AND VISUALIZATION SOFTWARE (EX: TABLEAU, R, STATA)
I don’t know how
to do this
I don’t know how to
do this & I'm not
interested in learning
I don’t know how
to do this, but
would like to
learn
I know how to do
this and would
like to do it
better
I know how to do this and
I’m comfortable with my
current skill level
21% (3) 14% (2) 50% (7)
0% 14% (2)
USE A COMPUTER LANGUAGE/CODE (EX: HTML)
I don’t know how
to do this
I don’t know how to
do this & I'm not
interested in learning
I don’t know how
to do this, but
would like to
learn
I know how to do
this and would
like to do it
better
I know how to do this and
I’m comfortable with my
current skill level
14% (2) 7% (1) 43% (6)
28% (4) 7% (1)

3. SAVING AND STORING DOCUMENTS ONLINE (EX: DROPBOX)
I don’t know how
to do this
I don’t know how to
do this & I'm not
interested in learning
I don’t know how
to do this, but
would like to
learn
I know how to do
this and would
like to do it
better
I know how to do this and
I’m comfortable with my
current skill level
14% (2) 0% 7% (1)
14% (2) 64% (9)
USE A SEARCH ENGINE TO RESEARCH SOMETHING (EX: GOOGLE, YAHOO)
I don’t know how
to do this
I don’t know how to
do this & I'm not
interested in learning
I don’t know how
to do this, but
would like to
learn
I know how to do
this and would
like to do it
better
I know how to do this and
I’m comfortable with my
current skill level
0% 0% 0%
14% (2) 86% (12)
RESEARCH PRODUCTS AND SHOP ONLINE
I don’t know how
to do this
I don’t know how to
do this & I'm not
interested in learning
I don’t know how
to do this, but
would like to
learn
I know how to do
this and would
like to do it
better
I know how to do this and
I’m comfortable with my
current skill level
0% 0% 0%
14% (2) 86% (12)
PERFORM GOVERNMENT SERVICES ONLINE (EX: FILE TAXES, APPLY FOR PERMITS)
I don’t know how
to do this
I don’t know how to
do this & I'm not
interested in learning
I don’t know how
to do this, but
would like to
learn
I know how to do
this and would
like to do it
better
I know how to do this and
I’m comfortable with my
current skill level
0% 0% 21% (3)
14% (2) 64% (9)

4. LOOK UP HEALTH INFORMATION/RESOURCES ONLINE
I don’t know how
to do this
I don’t know how to
do this & I'm not
interested in learning
I don’t know how
to do this, but
would like to
learn
I know how to do
this and would
like to do it
better
I know how to do this and
I’m comfortable with my
current skill level
0% 0% 14% (2)
14% (2) 71% (10)
PARTICIPATE IN AN ONLINE COURSE
I don’t know how
to do this
I don’t know how to
do this & I'm not
interested in learning
I don’t know how
to do this, but
would like to
learn
I know how to do
this and would
like to do it
better
I know how to do this and
I’m comfortable with my
current skill level
0% 21% (3) 7% (1)
21% (3) 50% (7)
USE FACEBOOK
I don’t know how
to do this
I don’t know how to
do this & I'm not
interested in learning
I don’t know how
to do this, but
would like to
learn
I know how to do
this and would
like to do it
better
I know how to do this and
I’m comfortable with my
current skill level
0% 7% (1) 0%
7% (1) 86% (12)
USE TWITTER
I don’t know how
to do this
I don’t know how to
do this & I'm not
interested in learning
I don’t know how
to do this, but
would like to
learn
I know how to do
this and would
like to do it
better
I know how to do this and
I’m comfortable with my
current skill level
7% (1) 14% (2) 7% (1)
7% (1) 64% (9)

5. USE LINKEDIN
I don’t know how
to do this
I don’t know how to
do this & I'm not
interested in learning
I don’t know how
to do this, but
would like to
learn
I know how to do
this and would
like to do it
better
I know how to do this and
I’m comfortable with my
current skill level
14% (2) 7% (1) 0%
14% (2) 64% (9)
PART II:
WHAT IS THE HARDEST (MOST CHALLENGING) PART ABOUT LEARNING NEW TECHNOLOGY
(EITHER SOFTWARE OR HARDWARE)?
5 – Remembering what you learned after some time
3 – Finding time to learn new technology
2 – New layouts, versions and systems
2 – Number of steps in learning software
1 – Software’s vocabulary or navigation
1 – Finding good teaching tools
1 – Creating new passwords for each site
Two testers specifically mentioned that learning how to code is difficult. One tester mentioned that
learning advanced excel is difficult.
DO YOU HAVE A GOAL IN GETTING BETTER AT OR LEARNING NEW TECHNOLOGY?
Here are some specific goals testers mentioned:
2 – More information about tools/new technology
1 – App development
1 – Privacy issues
1 – Data manipulation
1 – Coding
1 – Become more efficient in using technology
1 – Upload photos
1 – Graphic design

6. HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO RECEIVE INFORMATION ABOUT TECHNOLOGY RESOURCES AND
TRAININGS? FOR EXAMPLE, IF THERE WAS NEW COMPUTER CLASS AVAILABLE THAT YOU WERE
INTERESTED IN, WHAT WOULD BE THE BEST WAY FOR YOU TO LEARN ABOUT IT?
This is how testers said they would like to learn about technology resources and trainings:
8 – Email
2 – Social Media
1 – In person
1 – Meetup Groups
1 – At technology center already visited
1 – Via Internet (not specified)