Designing Low Cost Rapid Data Collection Systems

Designing Low Cost Rapid
Data Collection Systems
Arie Aharon, Israel Central Bureau of Statistics
Seminar on New Frontiers for Statistical Data Collection
Geneva, Switzerland, 31 October – 2 November 2012
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The Reason and the Necessity: Background

Increase in the scope of surveys – due to Israel’s membership
in the OECD and demands by government ministries.

Demands of some of the surveys:


Need to be conducted within a short time after the date they are
commissioned

Subject to rigid budgetary constraints.
The problem – each survey is uniquely “tailored”, an
expensive factor that also requires considerable time.
The goal: Conduct a survey rapidly at low cost.
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Main Operational Elements of Every Survey

A sampling system—defining the survey population and
drawing the sample

A questionnaire (developing a computerized
questionnaire)

Management System - A system for managing the
survey’s fieldwork

Data transmission

Personnel—interviewers and supervisors

Data entry systems—for surveys in which paper
questionnaires are used
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The factors that affect Survey Costs and
Duration of Planning

Defining the developmental needs and
demands

Development of computerized data
collection systems (questionnaire and
fieldwork management system)

Personnel—interviewers and supervisors
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The Proposed Solution
In light of the factors that affect the survey costs
and the duration of survey planning, the proposed
solution is:
To conduct a supplementary (hitchhiking) survey
based on an existing survey.


To develop computerized generic systems.
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Supplementary Survey
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What is a supplementary (hitchhiking) survey?

A survey based on the existing platform of
another survey.

Makes use of as many elements as possible
from an existing survey and applies them in
the new survey.
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What does this mean?

Using the same sample.

The same interviewers and supervisors
 No need for additional personnel, but it does involve a
larger investment of time in fieldwork

Integration with generic systems (as will be
explained)

Using the same fieldwork management system.

Reducing the potential response burden.
The main expense is the cost of adding a new
questionnaire to an existing survey.
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Examples of Supplementary Surveys
The Financial Literacy Survey

Supplemented to the Social Survey (operated with CAPI
method).

The additional questionnaire was on paper (printed
methodology).
Consumer Confidence Survey

Based on the platform of participants sampled in the Social
Survey (conducted with CATI method).

Using the same sample, no need for collecting demographic
data, using the same telephone numbers collected in the field
interview.
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(continued)
Monthly Labour Force Survey

A computerized system was designed to enable
supplementary surveys.
Health Survey

Supplementary Survey to the Quarterly Labour Force
Survey (using CATI method).

A computerized system was not developed and the data
was filled in on paper questionnaire.
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Generic System
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Generic System (Survey)
A generic system is one for which templates have been
developed that can be adapted to many surveys, both
for CATI and CAPI methods
•
The system consists of several components:
•
A questionnaire
•
A system for managing fieldwork at several levels
•
Transmission of data with CAPI
A system of data entry from the generic questionnaires—for
printed questionnaires
•
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Goals of the Generic System

To reduce the time involved in designing a new
survey.

To combine several data collection methods (CATI,
CAPI, CAWI).

Uniformity in managing surveys


Establishing standard activities and processes for
conducting the surveys.

Making it easier for the interviewers—they are working
with similar systems.
Saving development time.
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Generic System—Additional Features

The generic system is fast and economical.

Its limitation—designing complex questionnaires with data
flow.

Survey management system—to combine with all
methods of collection and with all types of surveys, both
of households and of businesses.

Data transmission—used in CAPI surveys; the system has
been applied to all of the surveys and has created
standardization for all the interviewers.

Data entry from printed generic questionnaires—still
under development.
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Supplementary Survey and Generic System:
Concluding Remarks
Effective tools for cutting costs and significantly reducing
the time involved in planning surveys.
Appropriate for relatively small surveys





Supplementary surveys – length of the questionnaire (or
duration of interview)
Generic – complexity of the survey
In the future this subject will be developed as well.
Supplementary Survey



Reduces the potential response burden.
It is always based on a main current survey such as the
Labour Force Survey or the Social Survey.
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Thank You!
[email protected]
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