1. Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys Survey Design Workshop
Use of PDAs in MICS
MICS4 Survey Design Workshop

2. Mobile data collection
In the recent years we have seen development of many innovative data collection tools using handheld PocketPC personal digital assistants (PDAs), smartphones or tablet personal computers. 
MICS4 Survey Design Workshop

3. Personal Digital Assistants
Handheld computers
Various operating systems
Windows mobile
Palm
Others (e.g. iPhone, Nokia)
Cell phone capability
Plus: good communications
Minus: security
MICS4 Survey Design Workshop

4. Tablet Personal Computer
Tablet – sized computer with the key features of a full – size personal computer
Various operating systems
Computer vs. cell phone capability
MICS4 Survey Design Workshop

5. MICS4 Survey Design Workshop
Tablet vs PDA
Choosing a tablet over a PDA
Tablets have much larger screens, better resolutions, more space for on screen typing making things easier to see and more useful for data entry
Tablets and PDAs have similar battery life, though if PDAs are used for making and receiving calls battery will need more frequent charging
Better security
MICS4 Survey Design Workshop

6. MICS4 Survey Design Workshop
PDA Software
Variety of software available:
CSPro
Pocket PC creations
Pendragon
Techneos
Visual CE
Visual basic
Available software varies by operating system
Most available for Windows mobile
Some only Palm
MICS4 Survey Design Workshop

7. Software requirements
MICS survey requirements
Keep track of the “data path”
Multiple languages on the fly
Roster manipulation
Saving an interview in the middle
Dynamically customized questions and response categories
Powerful programming language
Able to handle complex consistency checks and skips
Ability to run the same application in PDAs, tablets or PCs
Capability to administer instruments at different times
Able to handle long/complex questionnaires
MICS4 Survey Design Workshop

8. MICS4 Survey Design Workshop
CSPro
Windows software tool for census and survey processing
Developed jointly by IPC-US Census Bureau, Macro International, SerPro
Public domain/funded by USAID
Free download at or
MICS4 Survey Design Workshop

9. MICS4 Survey Design Workshop
CSPro
Modules
Data entry
CAPI Data collection (laptops/tablets, PDAs)
Data editing and imputation
Frequencies and crosstabulations
Data manipulation utilities
Data dissemination
Export to statistical packages
MICS4 Survey Design Workshop

10. MICS4 Survey Design Workshop
MICS CAPI System
All applications to collect and administer data are written in CSPro
Three systems:
Interviewers - data collection – PDA/Tablet
Supervisors – data monitoring and control – PDA/Tablet
Central Office - centralized data and monitor fieldwork - PC
MICS4 Survey Design Workshop

11. MICS4 Survey Design Workshop
Int 5
Int 2
Repair Utility
Interviewer’s System
Update Utility
Supervisor’s System
Screen
Reports
Supervisor
Supervisor
Reports
Central Office System
System Updates
System Updates
MICS4 Survey Design Workshop
Central Office

12. MICS4 Survey Design Workshop
Questionnaires
One question per screen
Question area
Answer area
(for text or numeric responses)
List of categories (where appropriate)
MICS4 Survey Design Workshop

13. Customizable questions
Multiple languages
Language can be changed during interviewing
Questions customized to the individual
Response categories also customizable
Radio buttons for categorical variables
Check boxes for multiple response variables
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14. MICS4 Survey Design Workshop
A Typical Screen
Questions Area
Display/enter values
Possible Responses
Notice the use of variables in the text (name-Luis Robles, Age-56)
Possible responses come from the value sets defined in the dictionary (value labels)
Navigation buttons, explain the meaning of each one
Navigation/tools
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15. MICS4 Survey Design Workshop
Virtual Keyboard
Values in ranges or textual text
needs to be typed
Soft Keyboard
With PDAs it is important to eliminate as much as possible the need to type information, but sometimes a keyboard is required. Interviewers preferred the use of virtual keyboards as opposed to attached keyboards
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16. Dynamically Generate Answers
Colors have meanings
Value Sets populated
Colors are important. Black for actual questions, Red-for instructions to require actions and Blue-for general instructions
As mentioned before possible answers come from predefined value sets. In the example above this value sets are only know at interview time. CSpro provides mechanism to do that
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17. MICS4 Survey Design Workshop
Benefits
Improved data quality?
Pro – checking of data in real time during interview
Con – possibility for interviewer’s to ‘avoid’ work
Overall – positive improvements, but only with good quality controls in place
Eliminates missing information
Shortens interviews
Data ready almost immediately
Survey indicators monitored early in fieldwork
MICS4 Survey Design Workshop

18. MICS4 Survey Design Workshop
Equipment
Power - battery charging is an issue
PDAs generally give close to a full day of work
May require charging or swapping batteries during the day
Spare battery needed for each PDA
Separate charger is good but many only charge with battery in PDA
Need for extra tablets/PDAs
Needed for all trainees (not just number of interviewers/supervisors planned for fieldwork), plus IT staff
In case of problems/loss in the field
Cases/covers
Good protection needed depending on expected conditions
MICS4 Survey Design Workshop

19. MICS4 Survey Design Workshop
Equipment
Security issues
Theft of PDAs/Tablets is a risk
Increased risk if PDAs are also cell phones (smartphones)
Virus risk
PDA viruses from downloaded programs
PC viruses infecting SD cards (e.g. when SD cards are used in PCs in Internet cafés)
Cell phones to communicate with field teams
Built in if PDA is smartphone
MICS4 Survey Design Workshop

20. MICS4 Survey Design Workshop
Data loss risk
Data loss risk
Lost/stolen PDAs/Tablets
Hardware failure
Viruses
User error
Risk management
Backup to SD card immediately after interview
Copy to supervisor at end of day
Paper questionnaires can be used in emergency
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21. MICS4 Survey Design Workshop
PDA Costs
Basic PDAs/Tablet cost approx $450 with no accessories
Plus approx $100 in needed accessories:
SD card
Spare battery
Case
Screen protector
Spare stylus
Vehicle chargers (1 per team)
Total approx $55k
MICS4 Survey Design Workshop

22. MICS4 Survey Design Workshop
Costs
Costs balanced out by
Printing of only 10% of questionnaires
No field editors
No data entry
No computers required for data entry
However
Technical assistance costs are higher!
Cost savings
if PDAs are re-used
Savings on secondary processing, data editing
MICS4 Survey Design Workshop

23. MICS4 Survey Design Workshop
Technical assistance
Significant extra programming compared with classic data entry
Questionnaire programming is more complicated
Addition of question text
More customized response categories
More complicated flow to facilitate interviewing
Possible need for multiple languages
Data management programming much more complicated (even than questionnaires)
Three systems (interviewer’s, supervisor’s, central) compared with two (data entry, data coordinator)
Logistics of data management much more complicated
MICS4 Survey Design Workshop

24. Preparation and Pretesting
Early design of questionnaires needed
Last minute changes to questionnaires are difficult
Programs prepared well in advance and thoroughly pretested
Full pretest required to properly test all aspects of the system
Programs must be ready and thoroughly tested before training begins
Updating applications during training is problematic
Making the change is easy, but
Preparing update for all PDAs takes time
Updating all PDAs is very time consuming
MICS4 Survey Design Workshop

25. MICS4 Survey Design Workshop
Training
Paper questionnaires still important
Discussions and version control
Documentation
Training
Facility for training (power, desks)
Good documentation
Train on paper first, then PDA
Gives the ‘big picture’
Paper can also be used in emergency in the field
Fieldwork testing very important
Recommended – 4 week training,
Including 3 separate days of field practice
Extensive practice during training is needed
MICS4 Survey Design Workshop

26. MICS4 Survey Design Workshop
Data transfer
Logistics of transferring data to central office
Cell phone
Only if PDA is smartphone
Wireless
Limited Wifi locations
Internet cafés
Virus risk on PCs
Field control teams
Via bluetooth or SD cards
More reliable, but slower
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27. MICS4 Survey Design Workshop
Field Staff
Interviewers should be computer literate
Younger interviewers who are comfortable with cell phones quickly learn to use PDAs
Interviewers need an introduction to computers and to PDAs
Supervisors need to be very comfortable with applications
Balance between good interview experience and good computer knowledge
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28. MICS4 Survey Design Workshop
DP staff
Several local data processing staff needed to troubleshoot in the field
User errors in using the system
Program malfunctions – usually related to user error
Lost data problems – usually found on the backups
PDA viruses
PC viruses on SD cards
Frozen PDAs
Problems transferring data
Problems related to data inconsistencies that cannot be resolved by the team
Upgrading programs
Central office staff for secondary processing
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29. MICS4 Survey Design Workshop
Conclusions
Quicker, better results are possible
Many complications
Costs likely higher
Logistics much more complicated
Technical assistance needs increased
Don't underestimate how much work it takes to properly implement a survey, even with PDAs.
It is very easy to conduct a poor survey
MICS4 Survey Design Workshop

30. MICS4 Survey Design Workshop
Thank you
MICS4 Survey Design Workshop