Best practices for offline use and user engagement in KoboToolbox projects?

User Support Data Collection
1

Hello KoboToolbox Community :waving_hand:

I’m currently working on data collection projects where offline usability and user engagement are very important, especially in areas with limited or unstable internet access. KoboToolbox works great for offline data capture, but I’m curious how others keep field teams or participants engaged during downtime.

Do you use any additional offline-friendly apps or tools on shared devices (phones/tablets) to improve the overall user experience when surveys are not actively being filled? This could be useful during training sessions or long field deployments.

As an example, some teams suggest optional entertainment or utility apps that work smoothly on low bandwidth, such as the OnStream app (short reference):
:backhand_index_pointing_right: http://onstreams.co.za

I’d love to hear:

  • Tips for managing offline workflows efficiently

  • Recommended device setups for long field projects

  • Any lessons learned from large-scale deployments

Thanks in advance for your insights!

2

@finallen321, please be informed that server downtime is usually short-lived. It may occur during scheduled maintenance or periods of excessive server load. In the latter case, the system auto-scales, meaning the server should be back online shortly.

When your teams are collecting data in the field, their devices do not need to be connected to the server. A connection is only required when they are ready to upload their submissions to the server.

If a server downtime occurs during the upload phase, your team may temporarily be unable to submit data at that time. However, once the server is back online, you should be able to upload the submissions without any issues.