1. Question Banks, Reusability, and DDI 3.2 (Use Parameters)
Question banks provide researchers the opportunity to reuse well tested questions and promote harmonization of collected data. Creating questions, and sequences of questions, which are easily reusable, is now possible using DDI 3.2. This talk will discuss the technical aspects of reusability, and highlight Colectica’s new questionnaire editor that can connect to DDI 3.2 enabled question banks.
Questions in DDI consist of more than just a question text and response descriptions. They also allow for dynamic text based on previous information in a questionnaire. The same is true for a series of questions that may include filtering logic. The logic may rely on data captured in a different location within the survey, leading to a challenge when reusing DDI described items directly. Luckily for DDI users, in DDI 3.2 a loose coupling between inputs and outputs was included in the standard to allow directly reusing questions which rely on additional information. This loose coupling allows items in a question bank to be directly reused.
This summer, the staff at Colectica have worked to implement this new DDI 3.2 loose coupling feature.
This talk will explain the background, technical approach and challenges faced when implementing loose coupling, demonstrate creating and searching question banks for reusable item descriptions, and a demonstration of including reused questions into a new survey questionnaire, highlighting Colectica’s new questionnaire editor. It will also show how reusing a question can create links between collected instance variables and their harmonized data elements.
EDDI 2016

2. In This Talk DDI 3.0, 3.1 DDI 3.2 with Parameters Partial reusability
Overview of how DDI versions model Questionnaire Specifications
DDI 3.0, 3.1
Partial reusability
DDI 3.2 with Parameters
Full scoping and reusability

3. In This Talk – II Use Cases Reusing Questions from a Repository
Reusing Modules/Blocks/Sequences from a Repository
Generating Blaise Source Code

4. Use Case #1 Wisconsin Longitudinal Survey in 2006
Jeremy Iverson – WLS
Dan Smith – IBM AdTech
Create Flow Charts for documentation
Parse CATI Code
Automate Manual Flowchart Drawing
Store information in some standard format

5. DDI 3.0 Join DDI Instrument Documentation Committee
Recommend a process model to describe instrument control flow
Only described the control flows structure, to meet use case #1

6. DDI 3.0+ Control Flow – Part 1
Sequence A
Question 1
Question 2
Question 3
Sequence B
If Then
Question 4
Question 5
Question 6

7. DDI 3.0 and 3.1 DDI 3.0 a success Describes instrument flow
Flow model stays the same in DDI 3.1
Describes instrument flow
Textual description of conditions for if/then, loops, and dynamic text
Use case #1 is implemented

8. Use Case #2
Create surveys using a Question Bank and Generate Blaise from DDI
DDI 3.0 and 3.1 are not enough
Can not share questions, sequences, or expressions across surveys due to lack of scoping.

9. DDI 3.2 Bindings – Part 2 Sequence A FNAME OUTPUT : FNAME
What is your first name?
Binding
AGE
INPUT: personName
What is {personName}’s age?
OUTPUT : AGE
TRANSPORT
OUTPUT : TRANSPORT
How did you arrive?

10. DDI 3.2 DDI 3.2 improved the process model
Input Parameters
Output Parameters
Bindings create a loose coupling between DDI Parameters
Well defined scopes
Questions and sequences can be reused directly across instruments
Use case #2 is achievable

11. Creating DDI 3.2 question banks
All items in a question bank should define their own inputs and outputs
Specific versions of items can be reused without modification
Questions and Sequences can be imported directly from a Repository onto new instruments
Full support in Colectica Questionnaires

12. Question banks with Colectica Questionnaires
Automatically creates and links Out- Parameters
Shows available in scope In- Parameters for expression creation
Reuse questions and blocks from a metadata bank
Machine actionable

13. Question banks with Colectica Repository
Search for existing questions and modules
View which questionnaires currently use a question or module
Register questions and full questionnaires using DDI 3.2
Open web services

14. Add from a Question Bank
Let’s not start from scratch. Let’s add a question from a question bank.
In the palette, I can see the different types of things I can add to the design surface.
But for now let’s add a question from the Repository. I have a few repositories configured here. Let’s pull from the NADDI repository.
As I select a question, we can see where else the question has been used. When I choose select, it’s going to bring that question down, along with its response options.

15. Display Logic
We can also add display logic to a given question. Maybe we only want to ask how they found out about the conference if this is their first time attending.
We have a built-in expression editor. It’s going to make sure we are creating valid expressions.

16. Statistics Netherlands Partnership
Integrating DDI 3.2 and Blaise
Use Colectica Repository to create reusable questionnaire banks
Blaise specific version of Colectica Questionnaires can generate Blaise projects from DDI 3.2
Everything is Machine Actionable

17. Generate Blaise Code

18. Main Take Away for Question Banks
DDI 3.2+ is required
Parameters and bindings are required
Allows loose coupling and direct reuse
Expressions should refer to an item’s own input parameters, not other items by name or id
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