This presentation was given to Columbia University SIPA students as a part of "Development Practice" Lab on April 7th, 2014.

1. Mobile Data Collection
using formhub.org
April 7th, 2014
!
Prabhas Pokharel
http://sel.columbia.edu
Please fill out: http://bit.ly/1gCZexF

2. http://bit.ly/1gCZexF
Please fill out this survey:

3. Outline
• Overview
• Design — Building an XLSForm
• Build your own form
• Navigating formhub.org
• Analyze — formhub.R
• Questions

5. The Digital Survey Process
Creating your survey.
XLSForms
Field Work Phase. Looking at Data.

6. The Digital Survey Process
• Write a Good Survey.!
!
• Make an Excel (XLSForms)
version of the survey.!
!
• Test on your phone. Look at
sample data output.

7. The Digital Survey Process
• Procure devices, find
enumerators.!
• Train enumerators on survey and
use of Android phone.
(Include a simple “test”—can they
fill one out from a mock script.)!
• Enumerators go out with survey.
Once survey is loaded on phone,
can be offline for weeks.
• Look at data as it is coming in,
Make course corrections.

8. The Digital Survey Process
• Analysis should start DURING
collection. Look at data on an
ongoing basis.!
!
• formhub.org data views:!
• CSV, XLS, XML exports.!
• View Data on the web.!
• Map View.!
!
• formhub.R

9. Paper vs. Mobiles
What issues with paper surveys does mobile-based
surveying help solve?
!
What seems to be more difficult with mobiles?
!
What is likely to remain the same?

10. The Ecosystem
formhub.org
!
ODK Collect
!
Enketo
!
Alternatives.
!
!
!
Resources!
https://enketo.org/openrosa
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/ict4chw/-pi_8Tu_gZA

11. Designing Surveys
Writing a Good Survey!
!
Survey Design Principles.
!
Define the End (Data) Product.
!
Try and try and try and try to keep it short.
!
Transform to Excel!
!
Test on Your Phone. Look at Sample Data.

12. Designing Surveys
Writing a Good Survey!
!
Transform to Excel!
!
Test on Your Phone. Look at Sample Data.

13. Designing Surveys
Live Demo:
!
http://bit.ly/1ijOplf
!
We’ll re-create the signup sheet you filled out earlier.

14. XLSForms Resources
http://formhub.org/syntax
!
formhub-users@googlegroups.com
!
Example forms:!
!
Tutorial.xls
Formhub University — http://formhub.org/formhub_u
Forms Gallery — https://formhub.org/forms/

15. XLSForms Hints
Pictures tell a thousand words. Use them.
!
Use GPS points if surveying across space.
!
Always include metadata. start_time,
end_time,
today,
deviceid,
…
I put them at the end of my surveys.
!
Don’t use repeat groups unless you have to. Can you have
separate surveys?
!
Fill out some surveys to test, and download some sample
data. Does the data meet your goal? What data are you not
going to use—can you shorten the survey?

16. Designing Surveys
Writing a Good Survey!
!
Transform to Excel!
!
Test on Your Phone. Look at Sample Data.

17. Test — Enketo
Test on Your Phone. Look at Sample Data.!
!
“Preview Form”, “Enter Webform” and the web
take you to the Enketo form.
!
!
(Works on all modern web browsers, great for testing,
can also use for data collection.)

18. Test — ODK Collect
Go to the settings page (Menu > General Settings)
!
Under URL, fill out
https://formhub.org/YOURUSERNAME
!
(Note: https is more secure, some phone only support http)
!
Under main menu, “Get Blank Form” downloads surveys to
phone.
!
When you change a survey, they have to be deleted from
“Delete Saved Form” > “Blank Forms”

19. Build Your Own Form
(Time dependent)

20. Navigating formhub.org
Live Demo, formhub.org
!
!
!
!
Resources!
Slidedeck: https://formhub.org/resources/
Formhub Intro video on Youtube :https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqpmMpkIXSQ

21. Analyzing Data
Live Demo in R
!
!
!
!
!
!
Resources!
http://sel-columbia.github.io/formhub.R/

22. Questions?

23. Finally, a request:
If you use formhub.org (totally free—go ahead!),
send us an email!
!
!
Tell us:
• where you used it
• with what organization
• survey design lessons
• practical lessons from data collection.
!
pp2427@columbia.edu