Any tips for offline data collection in challenging field conditions?
@finallen321, have listed out some but our community could chime in:
- Ensure your devices are fully charged before starting data collection.
- Always carry a power bank or solar charger as a backup to keep your devices charged.
- Make sure the latest version of the deployed survey form is properly loaded on your device.
- Enumerators sometimes collect data using outdated versions, which can lead to incomplete or inconsistent data.
- Ensure that all forms are fully completed during the interview. Incomplete forms can result in data gaps and overall data quality issues.
- Ensure that enumerators are trained on using the app prior to data collection so they can work independently and upload data once internet connectivity is available.
- Ensure that only the specific forms required for the current data collection activity are deployed to the app, and remove or delete any previously deployed forms that are no longer relevant to save time and avoid confusion.
- Do systematic pretests, incl. data export!
- Avoid changing the form during data collection.
- Invest much in training your field staff.
- Provide a paper version of the form version.
- Organise supervision and technical support for field teams.
- Get daily field work report from all teams.
- Provide time buffers in field work.
- Register form user name (meta data) on each device.
- Prefer Collect instead of Enketo (WebForm).
Hint: Most of this is also relevant for online surveys.
