United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Statistical Division Field Operations Distribution and Return of Material Angela Me, Chief Social and Demographic

United Nations Economic Commission for EuropeStatistical DivisionUnited Nations Economic Commission for EuropeStatistical Division

Field OperationsDistribution and Return of Material

Angela Me, Chief Social and Demographic Statistics Section

- UNECE Statistical DivisionBaku, 30 October-3 November 2006

Slide 2

What does it mean? Materials are supplied to a packing centre

Materials are distributed to field staff

Materials are picked up from field staff

Materials are processed to data processing centre(s)


Slide 3

These include …. Receive the material from manufactures Bulk storage during packing operations Packing Preparation for delivery Bulk transport outward Pick up from enumeration staff Bulk transport in ward to processing centre(s) Close-down operations


Slide 4

Decisions that need to be taken Who has the central responsibility for the

distribution and return operations? How will the deliveries be organized?

• Will deliveries be made to regional managers or supervisors?

• Will enumerators be required to collect material from a more centralized depot?

How will the transport by organized? Who will make the transport?


Slide 5

Decisions that need to be taken What office is responsible for each activity

How can the distribution and return of material be monitored?

• At central level• In the field

The Census Office maintains responsibility for:• Monitoring • Liaison with the field if a contractor is engaged in the

distribution


Slide 6

Decisions that need to be taken How can the distribution and return of material

be monitored?

• At central level• In the field

The Census Office maintains responsibility for:• Monitoring • Liaison with the field if a contractor is engaged in

the distribution


Slide 7

Keeping in mind …….

The huge amount of material that need to be distributed

Transport available to field staff

Conditions of roads and transport tools


Slide 8

Information needed

From the mapping: workload estimates

From the recruitment office: name and address details to establish details on delivery and pick ups


Slide 9

An important decision: Estimating quantities

Not too little (no time to re-print during the enumeration)

Not too much (cost-effective)


Slide 10


The key is to establish how many items are needed for each person in the field structure (regional managers, supervisors, enumerators)

Based on the work load (mapping and design of enumeration areas) + reserve factor


Slide 11


Unforeseen circumstances:

Questionnaires in different languages (how many and where are they needed?)

Phone cards?


Slide 12

Material

Need to establish WHAT items are needed

Example: for an enumerator to enumerate 100

households: 110 questionnaire, 110 information brochures, 5 objection report forms, 1 manual, 1 clipboard, 2 pencils, 1 pencil sharpener, 1 identification card


Slide 13

Enumeration Material

The material can be packed centrally Transported in bulk to the region Transported from regional offices to supervisors

Where the enumerator will keep the material? At the completion, material can be picked up by

supervisors Returned to the regional offices Returned from regional offices to processing centre(s)


Slide 14

Supervisor Material

It includes: administrative and training material, enumerator record book, training and procedural manuals


Slide 15

Supervisor Material

The material can be packed centrally (separately from the enumeration material)

Transported in bulk to the region Transported from regional offices to supervisors

(together with the enumeration material) At the completion, material should be returned to the

regional offices together with enumerator material Returned from regional offices to processing centre(s)


Slide 16

Regional Director Material

It includes: administrative and training material


Slide 17

Regional Director Material

The material can be packed centrally (separately from the other material)

Transported directly to the regional offices

At the completion, material should be returned to the central office (administrative reports) or to processing centre(s)


Slide 18

Packing

Boxes should be shaped according to the census forms

Census forms be packed into groups of 50 forms (easier to be counted)

Sealed boxes Avoid damage of census forms Use of boxes that could be re-used for storage

and moving census forms during data processing

Bulk supply or pre-packing?


Slide 19

Packing: Instructions What to do:

• Receipt of material• Storage and handling• Packing and labelling• Quality assurance• Dispatching

Detailed timetable Specifications:

• Type of packs• Content of each pack• Quantities

Reporting requirements


Slide 20

Dispatch: Instructions What to do:

• Receipt material • Storage• Quality assurance• Delivery


• Drop-off method• Control documentation• Delivery details and volume• Obtainment of addresses • Control documentation• Handling of shortfalls and surpluses



Slide 21

Return: Instructions What to do:

• Pick up material • Security• Storage and handling • Delivery to processing centre(s)• Reconciliation of materials


• Pick up method• Control documentation• Handling of shortfalls and surpluses


United Nations Economic Commission for EuropeStatistical DivisionUnited Nations Economic Commission for EuropeStatistical Division

Field OperationsMonitoring Field Operations

Angela Me, Chief Social and Demographic Statistics Section


Slide 23

Monitoring Filed Operations

Develop an efficient and relevant management information system

Collecting information that can be used to constructively manage field operations at the right time


Slide 24

Why?

• To ensure the field operations proceed smoothly

• To respond to public relations issues

• To manage the budget

• To evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of the operations


Slide 25

Where to start?

1. List all potentially useful items of information (ex: applications received for field positions, number of households enumerated)

2. Consider how and when the items can be collected

3. Review the usefulness of each item and reduce the list

4. Incorporate the final list into relevant work plans


Slide 26

What could be included?• Time: dates when activities have started or

completed • Piece rates or amounts: ex.

Number/Percentage of households enumerated

• Volume: ex.: percentage of enumeration completed

• Status: completed, started, or finished • Type and number of calls to inquiry service

Different information for different levels in the management hierarchy


Slide 27

What could be included?• Budget: to assure that sufficient funds are available

to do the field work• Mapping and household listings: to plan the

enumeration (ex.: size and number of Enumeration Areas, information about problem areas)

• Logistics: Material acquisition and preparation, delivery of materials, return of materials from the field

• Recruitment: to assure there are sufficient applicants (number of positions available, number of applications received, number of applications accepted

• Training: date training has finished, number of personnel trained


Slide 28

What could be included?• Operation: to support and later evaluate the field

operations (important to collected only if it is used!)

• Public relations and inquiry service: to provide valuable information to detect emerging problems requiring corrective actions


Slide 29

How can the information be collected?

• Electronically (e-mail, fax, telephone)• By postal service• With the return of the bulk census

material

Depending on the urgency of the information

Use of standard report forms

Documents

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Statistical Division Field Operations Distribution and Return of Material Angela Me, Chief Social and Demographic