Mobile data collection is growing as more respondents receive and complete surveys on their mobile devices. However, questionnaires need to be optimized for mobile to collect accurate data. There is a wide variety of smartphones with different capabilities. Mobile surveys should be short, concise with simple questions to accommodate different devices and data constraints. Back-end practices like profiling panels and front-end design practices can help optimize mobile surveys.

1. Best Practices in Mobile Data Collection
Manuel Zahariev, Chris Ferneyhough, Chris Ryan, Sonia Bishop
October 2009

2. BACKGROUND

3. The Mobile Internet is Outpacing Desktop
Internet Adoption

4. Respondents are already receiving online surveys
that are on their mobile devices
• The mobile screening study sent to three Vision
Critical national panels, August 2009
National Panel USA UK Canada
Did you receive the
invitation to this survey on
your phone?
YES 1.9% 1.2% 3.8%

5. Respondents are already completing online
surveys that are received on mobile devices
• But questionnaires that have not been adjusted for mobile devices
are difficult to complete.

6. Respondents are already completing online
surveys that are received on mobile devices
• But questionnaires that have not been adjusted for
mobile devices may collect incorrect data.

7. Online content goes mobile

8. Online content goes mobile

9. Big idea
• Mobile data collection should be optimized for the
devices it is targeted to.
• ...but how to do that?

10. Wide variety of smartphones
• from GSMArena.com

11. Wide variety of smartphones by country
National Panel USA UK Canada
TOTAL included 94% 96% 92%
Apple iPhone 2% 2% 13%
BlackBerry (RIM) 5% 3% 31%
LG 20% 6% 11%
Motorola 25% 8% 12%
Nokia 12% 36% 6%
Samsung 20% 18% 14%
Sony Ericsson 2% 18% 3%
Other 7% 5% 2%

12. Different phones have different capabilities
• Other-specify is usually implemented by survey
vendors using client-side scripting
– client-side scripting is disabled by default on a number
of phones (e.g. Blackberry)
– the data your survey collected may be wrong
• Colors and fonts are implemented differently by
different phones... or not implemented at all
– a certain color or emphasis may render your some of
your stimuli unreadable

13. Different respondents have different
constraints
• Many respondents are not familiar with the use of the
web browser or the alphanumeric entry mode on their
phone
– Don t make assumptions about the ability of
respondents to fill in questionnaires on their mobile
phone
• Many respondents are concerned about data costs
– some have unlimited downloads phone plans
– others have pay-as-you go plans
• Many respondents have low data connection speeds
– minimize the use of images and other media in your
questionnaires

14. RESEARCH PROJECT

15. Methodology
• All respondents are smartphone users.
• All indicate a willingness to complete questionnaires
on their smartphone
– Canada | n=500 On Mobile Device
– Canada | n=500 Using traditional (desktop/ laptop)
Internet
• Both samples were balanced on gender and age and
results were weighted with the same weighting scheme
(by gender and age).
– US | n=118 On Mobile Device
– UK | n=107 On Mobile Device
• Incidence of smartphone users willing to complete
questionnaire on smartphone was too low in US/ UK.

16. Traditional online experience vs. mobile
device experience

17. Results
• Chose a topical subject: the economy.
• The data revealed remarkable similarities.
• The single choice questions on the Canadian
economy and personal finances were almost
identical.
• The multi-choice responses were also very similar
with no statistically significant differences.

18. Current Economic Conditions
Poor Good
48% CDN Online (n=500) 49%
46% CDN Mobile (n=500) 51%
80% US (n=118) 20%
80% UK (n=107) 20%
Base: All respondents
M1. How would you rate the current economic conditions in ….today?

19. State of Personal Finances
Poor Good
31% CDN Online (n=500) 68%
32% CDN Mobile (n=500) 67%
46% US (n=118) 54%
56% UK (n=107) 42%
Base: All respondents
M2. How would you rate the state of your own personal finances today?

20. Measures Taken
CDN Online CDN Mobile US UK
(n=500) (n=500) (n=118) (n=107)
Cut my spending 62% 60% 72% 70%
Paid down debt 41% 41% 43% 21%
Taken on another job 9% 8% 14% 9%
Refinanced my mortgage 9% 8% 10% 5%
Tapped into my retirement funds
8% 7% 10% 7%
to help make ends meet
Sold investments 7% 7% 9% 6%
None of the above 23% 22% 13% 18%
Base: All respondents
M3. Which of the following measures have you taken, if any, to deal with the current economic situation in your country?

21. Likelihood to Participate in Future Surveys
More Likely
CDN Mobile (n=500) 38%
US (n=118) 66%
UK (n=107) 53%
Base: All respondents
M13. If I had the option of completing surveys via my phone, I would be …

22. Likelihood to Participate in Future Surveys
More Likely
BlackBerry (n=294) 34%
iPhone (n=167) 47%
Other (n=39) 23%
Base: All respondents
M13. If I had the option of completing surveys via my phone, I would be …

23. CONCLUSIONS

24. Back-end mobile research best practices
• Minimize the survey skin to maximize the screen size/
space
• Profile your panel for Smartphones
• Brand and model of device
• Business or personal phone
• Email address for Smartphone
• Interest/willingness to do surveys via phone
• Identify devices and models supported in your data
collection software
– Major brands are BlackBerry, iPhone, Nokia, Motorola,
Samsung
– But there are many more and many models
• Manage deployment process
– Process for occasions when email address for mobile
surveys is different from main panel email address

25. Mobile questionnaire design best practices
1. Design the questionnaire based on the question
types supported (single choice, multi-choice, open
ends)

26. Mobile questionnaire design best practices
2. Design the questionnaire differently (shorter, more
concise). Have less text in the questions and answer
categories.

27. Mobile questionnaire design best practices
3. Limit survey length to 15 questions (although in
theory higher incentives can be used for longer
surveys).
4. Keep it simple:
– use only single-choice, multi-choice and verbatim
questions
– use alternatives for other/specify
– avoid the use of color
– don t use grids
– don t use images