A digital approach to surveys in developing countries

Abstract

In this paper, the authors present a methodology developed for gathering socioeconomic and environmental survey data in the field. The system is divided into two interfaces: i) an Android tablet with survey software for data collection in the field and ii) a back office application for questionnaire management and data compilation. Each of these technical components is detailed and the solutions to challenges and constraints that were faced are described. This system allows the survey software to be updated in real time; data is collected daily from multiple tablets through an ftp server and combined into a single matrix ready for analysis. The key strength of this system is its user friendly interface, its time- and costefficiency and its road-tested reliability in developing countries, even in remote places.