1. NATIONAL BUREAU OF STATISTICS - TANZANIA
Innovations in Data Collection
Benefits and Challenges of using mobile devices
Improvements
Ariv M Severe
IT Department, NBS

2. Outline Methods of Data collection Data flow through Mobile Devices
NBS Experience in Mobile data collections
Advantages and Disadvantages of mobile Data collection ?
Issues to consider for better results
Conclusion

3. Methods of Data collection
Basic Paper Format
Traditional questionnaires
Computer Based
Basic Data Entry
Online Web forms
Smart web design N e t w o r k
Mobile Devices
Tablet Devices
Mobile Phones

4. Data flow through Mobile Devices
WWW

5. NBS Experience in Mobile data collections
Survey
Application
Status
Feed the Future 2012
Snap 10
Completed
TSPA 2014/15, DHS 2015, PSSN 2015
CSPro Special
REA 2016
SurveyToGo
Open data kit
THIS 2017
ODK Select
On going
GATS 2017
CMS – Case Mgt System
Before end of 2017
PSSN Wave
ODK Select (expected)
HBS 2017
SurveySolution

6. Advantages and Disadvantages of mobile Data collection ?
Cheap in a long run. (The costs of buying paper questionnaires, hiring/buying OMR/ OCR scanners and transportation costs are no longer there. )
Initial Investment (assuming having 2000 enumerators)
Reusable (TSPA and DHS, PSSN 1 & PSSN 2)
May be Stolen
Shorting data collection time. (Timely result)
Stop working unexpectedly (Data loss and time wasting)
Quality data as skipping patterns are controlled by the device
Technology stability (Hardware, OS and CAPI applications)
5. Data Processing go parallel with Data collection (cluster level)
Network coverage
6. Allows feedback to the field
Data Security (within mobile devices and during transmission)

7. Issues to consider for better results
During device acquisition : Durability (devices that won’t be obsolete in a year), The device capacity, battery life, compatibility to the CAPI application and the GPS capabilities.
The CAPI application developed must have a capacity to work online and offline.
Data transmission modalities to assure data flows smoothly to central office. (Data encryptions technics,  Internet File Streaming System, VPN and kind.
Dedicated servers at the central office. The use of firewalls, User Id and password, data encrypted to minimize risk .
Enough time for training all staff who will be involved and give enough time for them to familiarize with the technology.

8. Conclusion
The Plan for NBS Tanzania is to use CAPI in all coming Studies (Census and Surveys) and forget the traditional paper based format.
To achieve the above NBS will keep on requesting for a hand from national and international stakeholders to support NBS in all areas; from planning stages to final stages.

9. Thank you!