Multiple Indicator Cluster SurveysSurvey Design Workshop

Preparing for Fieldwork

MICS Survey Design Workshop

Session Objectives

To review the MICS recommendations for: – Questionnaire translations– The Pre-test – The size, composition, roles and

responsibilities of the fieldwork team – The fieldwork training – Preparing communities and households for

MICS

Questionnaire Translations• Questionnaires need to be translated into each and

every language they will be administered in.– Challenges exist for non-written local languages– In such cases attempts should be made to standardize

the way all questions will be asked • Translated questionnaires should be back-translated

into the original language– Back-translations should be done by person(s) with no

former knowledge of the questionnaires

Use people who are familiar with the language(s). Not only those in academia

Objectives of the Pre-test

Objectives of the pretest is to test;• Respondents understanding of questions• Appropriateness of the questions.• Response categories are comprehensive.• How the non-MICS add-ons “work”• The flow of the questionnaires• The data entry application

When should a pre-test typically be organized?

• “Final” questionnaires to be pre-tested are ready. • Data entry application that is similar to the paper

questionnaires with all necessary customization done.

• Conducted at least 2 months before the main training and beginning of fieldwork.

Have enough time for necessary corrections in questionnaires and data entry application; prepare for the main training and fieldwork

How is a pre-test typically organised?

• Preceded by a comprehensive training (2-3 weeks)

• Often used as a training-of-trainers so that a sufficient number of trainers are available for fieldwork training.

• Pre-test participants may also go on to be supervisors/ Editors

What is the typical scope of a pre-test?

• Carried out in urban and rural areas but, could also include other population groups if necessary.

• Need a sufficient number of households to draw conclusions (100 HHs minimum)

• A pre-test report should be produced

• After the pre-test review and conclusions nothing else should be added to the questionnaire

Pre-test considerations for Tablet/PDA based surveys

2 pretests are required:1. The standard pretest of the paper questionnaires. 2. After finalization of the paper questionnaire and the

tablet application is prepared, a second pretest on tablets/PDAs should be conducted (scheduled 1 month prior to the main training).

– Emphasis on the testing of the application, but may also reveal additional problems in the questionnaire that were not caught during the first pretest.

MICS Fieldwork Team

Size and Composition of the Field Teams

Number of interviewers depends on:– The sample size– Number of interviews that can be conducted per

day (information provided from pre-test)– Logistics– Desired length of fieldwork (allowing for travel time

from house to house and cluster to cluster) 2-3 months fieldwork should be the minimum in order to allow for mistakes in field to be identified & corrected

The fieldwork team composition

MICS Recommendation:1 Supervisor1 Editor (not required when using tablets/PDAs)1 Measurer4 Interviewers

(driver depending on country context)

The MICS Fieldwork Duration and Staff Estimate Template can be used to assist in planning

Recruiting Field Staff

Field staff should be:• Educated (secondary school or higher)• Fluent in the language(s) of respondents • Female (interviewers) but, female supervisors and editors are

an advantage.• Some male if male questionnaire is being used• If tablets/PDAs are used field staff need to be “computer

literate” and have some prior knowledge or experience in using computer, tablet, PDA or smart phone.

Recruit and train more field personnel than needed (one fifth more) to take care of attrition

Supervisors’ role and responsibilities

• Link between survey management team and field team

• The well-being and safety of team members

• Keeping up team morale

• The maintenance of good data quality from their team

Supervisors’ role and responsibilities (cont.)

• Manage the preparations for the fieldwork and moving between clusters

• Assist interviewers in locating selected households• Coordinate the movement of interviewers and

measurers in the field (perform HH spot checks including random rechecks of HH listing)

• Support and monitor performance of the editor (Not applicable in CAPI):• Check the work of the field editor and assist with editing as

needed• Spot-check the questionnaires that have been “edited”• Provide feedback to the editor

• Organize additional training of interviewers if needed

Field Editors’ Role and Responsibilities

• Monitor interviewer performance:– Observe several interviews every day– Edit all completed questionnaires before leaving the

cluster– Conduct regular review sessions with interviewers

• Compile completed questionnaires from a cluster and pack them up to be sent to the central office

• Maintain a suitable mechanism to monitor the flow of questionnaires

• Assist the supervisor as needed

Measurers' Role and Responsibilities

• Measure the weight and height of all children under five

• Maintenance of the equipment- Calibrate of the scale and measuring boards every morning

Interviewer’s Role and Responsibilities

• Locate structures and households in the sampled clusters and complete the questionnaires

• Check completed questionnaires

• Revisits for households and/or women/mothers/caretakers/ men (at least 3 times)

• Assist the measurer in conducting height and weight measurements of children

• Complete control sheets

MICS Fieldwork Training

The MICS Training Recommendation

For paper based surveys:• Minimum 14 day training (not including days off)

Factor in adequate field practice days to build interviewer’s confidence • Additional 1-2 days for supervisors and editors • Additional 2-3 days training if anthropometry is included• One centralized training bringing all fieldworkers together• Facilitated by a group of core trainers that were involved in

the pre-test and will be present throughout whole training • Participation of data entry personnel • Immediately followed by fieldwork

Training considerations when using tablets/PDAS

The same as the paper based survey training but duration of training extended by:

– at least 1 additional week for the tablet/PDA part

– 4-5 additional field practice days.

No participation of data entry personnel required

When the ideal is not possible

• Sequential trainingPros: The same trainers will do all training. Can do in different locations in the country.Cons: Immediate fieldwork is difficult to achieve if the trainers are also senior survey personnelBeware – difficult to standardize!

• Training that happens at the same time in one venue, in parallel sessionsPros: All fieldwork starts at the same.Cons: Need a large venue and larger number of trainers.

Example Content of Training Course

– Day 1: Objectives and survey instruments– Day 2-11: Survey procedures and

questionnaires– Day 12-14: Pilot test (field exercise) with de-

briefings– Day 15-21: Tablet data collection application– Day 21-25: Pilot test (field exercise with

tablets/PDAs) with de-briefings

Example Content of Training Course (cont.)

• Supervisor and editor training (2 days extra)– Household selection and map reading– Quality control– Practice

• Anthropometry training (2-3 additional days for measurers)

Materials for Training

• Large projector for questionnaire• Sufficient printed questionnaires and manuals

– Final translated questionnaire (after pretest) – Enough copies for practice and for pilot test

• Vaccination cards for practice (can be duplicated)• ORS packages, Vitamin A capsules, salt, contraceptives, bednets

etc• Equipment (measuring board, scales, salt test kits, GPS)• Sample maps and household listing forms• Control sheets (supervisors and editors)

Content of the Training

Setting the agenda for interviewer training – Time to go over all questionnaires in detail (some modules

require a lot more time than others)– Invite sector experts to introduce different modules – Include a lot of practice time– Use participatory techniques for training– Classroom practice should also include practice on “real”

respondents before the pilot– Trainers need to always observe practice and go through

completed modules and questionnaires to give feedback– Field work roles do not need to be assigned until towards the

end of training

Practice! Practice!! Practice!!! • Role playing on approaching the household, handling

refusals• Role playing on interview techniques, getting privacy• Front-of-class interview with real respondent• Using vaccination cards• Salt testing• Anthropometry• Sampling points (various ages, random tables etc) on

the questionnaire, pictures etc.

Pilot Study• Rehearsal for fieldwork• Test all field procedures • Practice for interviewers, supervisors, editors and

measurers • Allows trainers to see field staff in action• Do use rural and urban samples• Don’t use MICS sample clusters • Don’t use pilot study data for final sample• Do use questionnaires for data entry practice

Evaluation and testing of trainees

Written tests:–One after the introduction of each

questionnaire; one towards the end of training

–Quizzes

Observation –Careful observation of practice and reviewing

completed questionnaires

Sensitizing communities and households to MICS

Certain measures can be used to increase response rates:• Proper identification for interviewers (ID cards, letters

of introduction from implementing agency)• National/regional/district broadcasts

TV/radio/newspaper articles• Meeting with community/administrative leaders • Beginning the process of sensitizing at the HH listing

stage– This can commence much earlier in the survey process

Other issues to plan for• Re-training of field personnel if necessary esp.

Anthropometric measurement• Terms for the payment of salary/ per diems• Continuous monitoring of fieldwork – Critical at

the beginning, in the middle and towards the end of fieldwork

• Accommodation for field personnelEvery decision Implication on quality and cost

• THANK YOU