Progress 09/01/23 to 08/31/24

Outputs
Target Audience:In response to the finalization of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) and the rules stemming from it, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the USDA established four regional centers in 2016 to extend outreach and education to the very small and small processors and small and medium-sized producers impacted by FSMA. To best serve this diverse audience, the Northeast regional center, known as the Northeast Center to Advance Food Safety (NECAFS), established programming that focused on collaborative work among a network of food safety researchers, educators, and regulators for better results through integrated collaboration. This project serves both of these target audiences. Changes/Problems:In our original proposal, we planned to build a taxonomy for only 3 or 4 subject areas within produce safety and preventive controls. However, upon further review, we have determined that this limited approach is not the most effective. The revised strategy involves developing a comprehensive taxonomy that covers all subject areas within both produce safety and preventive controls. Reasons for Change Comprehensive Coverage: Limiting the taxonomy to a few subject areas would not provide the thoroughness needed to support the wide range of topics essential for produce safety and preventive controls. Addressing all relevant areas ensures that all resources are more useful and accessible. Consistency and Usability: A complete taxonomy across all subject areas will create a more consistent and user-friendly structure, making it easier for users to find and utilize resources. Maximizing Impact: By covering all areas, we can better support educators, technical service providers, and growers with comprehensive resources that address all their needs. Implementation We anticipate being able to develop this expanded taxonomy with the funds provided through this award. However, if additional funds are required, we will leverage other aligned funding to ensure completion of all subject areas. This approach will allow us to: Develop a New Educational Resource Catalog: Utilize existing resources to create a guided, in-depth searching experience. This catalog will be enhanced by the comprehensive taxonomy, enabling users to find relevant information efficiently. Improve Search Functionality: Advanced tagging and categorization will enhance the accuracy and relevance of search results, providing users with a better experience. By expanding our taxonomy development to include all subject areas, we are ensuring that the Food Safety Resource Clearinghouse is as effective and beneficial as possible for all users. This comprehensive approach supports our long-term goal of providing a robust, reliable, and user-friendly resource. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Throughout the project, several opportunities for professional development have been provided to ensure the team is well-equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to achieve our goals. Professional Development through Literature Review Completing the literature review significantly contributed to the team's professional development. The focused work on this task enhanced our knowledge and skills in several key areas: In-Depth Research Skills: Conducting a comprehensive literature review required meticulous research, critical analysis of sources, and synthesis of complex information. This process sharpened our ability to identify relevant studies, assess their validity, and draw meaningful conclusions. Database Management Understanding: Exploring how databases are created and maintained, particularly relational databases, provided a deeper understanding of the technical aspects of information management. This knowledge is crucial for the effective organization and retrieval of resources on the Clearinghouse. Taxonomy Development: Learning how to develop a standardized taxonomy for resources, including tagging and categorization, improved our ability to organize information logically and accessibly. This skill is essential for creating a user-friendly resource database. User Analytics Interpretation: Analyzing user data to understand search behaviors and preferences enhanced our ability to tailor content and features to meet user needs. This competency is vital for continuous improvement of the Clearinghouse. Importance of Professional Growth and Long-Term Impact The professional development gained through these activities is vital for several reasons: Enhanced Expertise: The knowledge and skills acquired through focused work on the literature review have equipped the team with advanced expertise in produce safety and data management. This expertise is essential for maintaining high standards and ensuring the reliability of resources on the Clearinghouse. Improved Project Outcomes: The improved search and content display features, informed by our professional development efforts, will result in a more efficient and user-friendly Clearinghouse. This, in turn, will better serve the needs of educators, technical service providers, and growers. Sustainable Growth: Investing in the team's professional development ensures long-term sustainability and continuous improvement of the Clearinghouse. As team members grow in their expertise, they can contribute more effectively to future projects and innovations. Increased Collaboration: The enhanced skills and knowledge foster a collaborative environment where team members can share insights and learn from each other. This collaboration is crucial for the successful implementation and maintenance of the Clearinghouse. In summary, the training and professional development opportunities provided through the project have significantly enhanced the team's capabilities. These advancements ensure the project's long-term success and its positive impact on produce safety and resource accessibility. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Conducted User Experience Survey To better understand our users and gather valuable feedback, we conducted a comprehensive user experience survey. This activity aimed to: Identify Distinct User Groups: Through the survey, we analyzed user demographics, roles, and behaviors to determine if there are distinct user groups with specific needs and preferences. Solicit Feedback from Users: We asked users what aspects of the Clearinghouse were working well, what could be improved, and what barriers they faced when using the platform. We received 42 responses that generally supported our anecdotal thoughts on the site. Broadly, people appreciate the Clearinghouse for its ability to consolidate resources in one place. The biggest challenge identified was the need to provide resources in an easily accessible manner and to ensure the quality and reliability of those resources. Delivery of Outreach Presentations We delivered outreach presentations to increase awareness about the Clearinghouse among our target audience and inform them of planned updates to its design and functionality. These presentations served to enhance knowledge and engagement with the Clearinghouse. Notable events included: International Association for Food Protection (IAFP): 45 attendees, 1.5-hour session. Session title - Resource Marketplace: Various attendees, focused on showcasing available resources. North Central Regional Center's Annual Meeting: 46 attendees, 20-minute presentation Direct Support Requests: Responded to 5 direct support requests via email to provide users with analytics data Through these presentations, we engaged directly with stakeholders, shared insights about the Clearinghouse, and gathered further feedback to ensure our updates align with user needs and expectations. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?In the upcoming reporting period, our focus will be on continuing the progress made thus far and implementing new initiatives to further enhance the Food Safety Resource Clearinghouse. We do not anticipate any issues or problems, but should any arise, we will address them promptly to ensure that our stated goal is still achieved. Specific Actions Build Catalog of Resources into Food Safety Resource Clearinghouse Website We will continue to develop and refine the content display taxonomy, ensuring each topic is addressed individually through an iterative process. This involves: Utilizing the standardized protocol for developing taxonomies for resources related to "Cleaning and Sanitizing" and other topics. Implementing the identified tags and conceptual buckets into the Clearinghouse. Collecting and categorizing new resources based on the developed taxonomy. Reviewing and updating existing resources to align with the new taxonomy. Extend Project Results through Education and Outreach Initiatives Deliver outreach presentations and workshops to increase awareness of the Clearinghouse and its new features. Planned activities include: Hosting sessions similar to those at the IAFP and Resource Marketplace to engage with stakeholders and gather feedback. Creating promotional materials to highlight the benefits and features of the upgraded Clearinghouse. Expanding our outreach efforts to include webinars and online training sessions for a broader audience. Evaluate and Assess Progress and Impact Continuously monitor and analyze user interactions with the upgraded Clearinghouse to ensure it meets the needs of our users. This involves: Conducting follow-up surveys to gather feedback on the new search and content display features. Analyzing user data to identify trends and areas for further improvement. Refining and iterating on the design and functionality based on user feedback and analytics. By focusing on these areas, we will continue to enhance the Food Safety Resource Clearinghouse, ensuring it remains a valuable and reliable resource for all users. Addressing Potential Issues While we do not anticipate any issues, we are prepared to address any that may arise. Should we encounter any challenges, we will: Conduct a thorough assessment to identify the root cause. Engage with stakeholders and experts to develop effective solutions. Implement corrective actions promptly to minimize any impact on the project's progress.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Over the past year, significant progress has been made toward enhancing the Food Safety Resource Clearinghouse to update its design and functionality better serve its users. The following activities highlight how we have met the project's major goals and worked collaboratively to achieve them. Review of Existing Google Analytics Data We reviewed existing Google Analytics data to understand how users interact with the content on the Clearinghouse and identify current user experience trends and gaps. Key insights from this review include: Resource Behavior: Analysis of how different resources perform and engage users. Frequency of Updates: Understanding how often resources are updated and accessed. Access Patterns: Evaluating how users access resources, whether through bookmarked pages, search box usage, or external search engines. Peer-Reviewed and Language Resources: Assessing how peer-reviewed and multilingual resources perform compared to other content. User Geography and Acquisition: Identifying user locations, how they find the site, and their landing pages. Page Views and Events: Monitoring page views, interactions, site searches, refinements, exits, and average session duration. Search Terms with No Hits: Identifying search terms that result in no hits or site exits to address gaps in content. Conduct Literature Review We conducted a literature review to discover new or innovative ways of grouping information. This review helped us understand how users prefer to find and interact with information, guiding the organization of content on the Clearinghouse. In the early stages of the literature review, we focused on finding case studies and exploring how databases are created, specifically considering relational databases. Understanding the specific implementation of the Clearinghouse into Drupal was crucial to grasp the building blocks for maintenance and to inform changes to the upgraded page. Initially, all resources were treated equally, but we proposed linking resources by topics or keywords. This raised questions about whether such linking was native to Drupal or if it could be built in, ensuring that "similar resources" tagging would be more accurate. During this phase, we explored topics, including algorithms for learning communities and searched for user interface and user experience (UI/UX) resources to follow best practices and current trends. This approach ensured that when users provided feedback, we could demonstrate adherence to widely accepted standards. Additionally, we considered providing users with options on how to display information, such as list or grid views, to give them more control and enhance their experience. The insights gained from the review of existing Google Analytics data and the literature review informed our strategy to enhance functionality and content display, ensuring a more intuitive and efficient user experience. Based on commonly cited user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) best practices, we plan to implement the following enhancements: Improved Navigation: Simplify the site's navigation structure to make it easier for users to find what they need. Implement breadcrumb trails and clear, consistent labeling to guide users through the content. Responsive Design: Ensure the website is fully responsive, providing an optimal viewing experience across a wide range of devices, including smartphones and tablets. This aligns with best practices for accessibility and user convenience. Enhanced Search Functionality: Introduce advanced search filters and auto-suggest capabilities to help users quickly find relevant resources. Improve the accuracy of search results by leveraging tagging and metadata. Content Organization: Develop a more structured taxonomy for resources, allowing users to filter and sort content by categories, tags, and other relevant criteria. This will facilitate easier access to related resources and improve discoverability. Visual Hierarchy: Use visual design principles to create a clear hierarchy of information. Employ larger fonts, bold headings, and contrasting colors to highlight key content and make it more scannable. User Feedback Mechanisms: Integrate feedback options throughout the site, enabling users to easily report issues or suggest improvements. This will help us continuously refine the user experience based on direct user input. Interactive Elements: Incorporate interactive elements such as accordions, tabs, and sliders to make the content more engaging and easier to navigate. By implementing these enhancements, we aim to create a more user-friendly, efficient, and visually appealing Clearinghouse that meets the needs of our diverse user base. Build Content Display Taxonomy Using cleaning and sanitizing as an initial example, we developed a process for creating topic-specific taxonomies for produce safety and preventive controls for human food. Key learnings include that one size does not fit all, and each topic will need to be developed individually in an iterative process. Protocol: Development of Standardized Taxonomy for Resources Relevant to "Cleaning and Sanitizing" Identify Relevant Terms: Collaborate with independent experts to determine overarching scopes (e.g., "Cleaning vs Sanitizing") and key concerns of extension agencies, academics, and industry professionals. Consider differences based on industry scale (small vs big processors) and personnel affected. Compare Expert Results: Establish project scope parameters and identify common terms and essential concepts. Search and Analyze Terms: Use expert-generated terms to search within Clearinghouse and assess user analytics for term-associated frequency and unique searches. Characterize Term Importance: Assign quality scores (0-2) based on relevance, frequency in user analytics, and information provided within project scope. Determine Identification Tags: Develop 2-3 tags for user-generated terms based on importance. Develop Conceptual Buckets: Create a preliminary hierarchical "Parent-Child" flowchart to categorize resources (e.g., Cleaning, Sanitizing, Hygienic Design, SOPs) with a maximum of 7 child topics horizontally and 3 vertically. Review Digital Resources: Collect resources via internet and Clearinghouse searches using expert and user-derived terms, and assign tags using a logic model. Calculate Tag Frequency: Generate bar charts to identify common and unique tags. Assign Topics: Have two independent researchers assign each resource to a parent and child topic using the logic model. Evaluate Dendrogram: Use r-code to determine frequency and allocation of each resource, ensuring logical flow. Test System: Use a subset of resources to test the Parent-Child system and evaluate topic frequency. These steps ensured the development of a structured, accurate, and user-friendly taxonomy, enhancing the overall organization and discoverability of resources on the Clearinghouse. Website Design Build We collaborated with our web developer, Tamarack Media Cooperative, to implement the design phase of the project. This activity focused on: Improved Search Feature: Enhancing the search functionality to provide more accurate and relevant results. Taxonomy of Resources: Creating a structured taxonomy to organize resources effectively. Overall Webpage Display: Improving the overall design and functionality of the website to enhance user experience. Resource Organization: Implementing innovative ways to connect users to food safety resources through improved information design and resource categorization.

Publications