NATIONAL BUREAU OF STATISTICS - TANZANIA Innovations in Data Collection Benefits and Challenges of using mobile devices Improvements Ariv M Severe IT Department, NBS

Outline Methods of Data collection Data flow through Mobile Devices NBS Experience in Mobile data collections Advantages and Disadvantages of mobile Data collection ? Issues to consider for better results Conclusion

Methods of Data collection Basic Paper Format Traditional questionnaires Computer Based Basic Data Entry Online Web forms Smart web design N e t w o r k Mobile Devices Tablet Devices Mobile Phones

Data flow through Mobile Devices WWW

NBS Experience in Mobile data collections Survey Application Status Feed the Future 2012 Snap 10 Completed TSPA 2014/15, DHS 2015, PSSN 2015 CSPro Special REA 2016 SurveyToGo Open data kit THIS 2017 ODK Select On going GATS 2017 CMS – Case Mgt System Before end of 2017 PSSN Wave 2 2017 ODK Select (expected) HBS 2017 SurveySolution

Advantages and Disadvantages of mobile Data collection ? Cheap in a long run. (The costs of buying paper questionnaires, hiring/buying OMR/ OCR scanners and transportation costs are no longer there. ) Initial Investment (assuming having 2000 enumerators) Reusable (TSPA and DHS, PSSN 1 & PSSN 2) May be Stolen Shorting data collection time. (Timely result) Stop working unexpectedly (Data loss and time wasting) Quality data as skipping patterns are controlled by the device Technology stability (Hardware, OS and CAPI applications) 5. Data Processing go parallel with Data collection (cluster level) Network coverage 6. Allows feedback to the field Data Security (within mobile devices and during transmission)

Issues to consider for better results During device acquisition : Durability (devices that won’t be obsolete in a year), The device capacity, battery life, compatibility to the CAPI application and the GPS capabilities. The CAPI application developed must have a capacity to work online and offline. Data transmission modalities to assure data flows smoothly to central office. (Data encryptions technics,  Internet File Streaming System, VPN and kind. Dedicated servers at the central office. The use of firewalls, User Id and password, data encrypted to minimize risk . Enough time for training all staff who will be involved and give enough time for them to familiarize with the technology.

Conclusion The Plan for NBS Tanzania is to use CAPI in all coming Studies (Census and Surveys) and forget the traditional paper based format. To achieve the above NBS will keep on requesting for a hand from national and international stakeholders to support NBS in all areas; from planning stages to final stages.

Thank you!