Survey Department Planning Monitoring and Performing Surveys Twinning

Survey Department Planning, Monitoring and Performing Surveys Twinning Project, July 2013 Presenter: Rachel Gur

Contents Topics in this Overview n General Introduction n Types of Surveys in the Department n Data Collection Methods n Functions of the Department 2

General Introduction Functions of the department: to plan, monitor and perform surveys n This definition leads to a division of the work as follows: n Survey Headquarters: planning and monitoring the surveys Data Collection Centres: performing surveys and collecting data Collection centre for field data – Tel Aviv + a branch in Haifa Collection centre for telephone data – Jerusalem The collection centres employ about 400 interviewers. 3

Survey Department – Organizational Structure Senior Department Director –Surveys Rachel Gur Deputy Senior Department Director Survey Headquarters Census Surveys Sector Business Surveys Sector Household Surveys Sector Data Collection Family Surveys Sector Field Data Collection Sector, Haifa and Northern Districts Coding Department Director– Field Collection Data Department Director– Phone Collection Data Deputy Department Director Field Data Collection Sector, Central and Southern Districts Evening Survey Sector CATI 4

Types of Surveys n The Survey Department runs about 70 surveys n Basic division: Family/individual surveys Business surveys Census surveys 5

Family Surveys n In the family surveys, we collect demographic, social, and economic data. We also conduct opinion and attitude surveys on various topics. 6

Business Surveys n We approach businesses and collect economic data about their business activity. n Business surveys cover all economic branches of the Israeli economy. 7

Data Collection Methods n Field Surveys – face-to-face interviews – Data collection using a laptop computer – CAPI – Data collection using paper questionnaires n Telephone Surveys – phone interviews – Data collection using computerized systems - CATI 8

Data Collection Methods (con’t) n Self-completion – respondents fill out questionnaires independently: v Mailed v Web and faxed surveys 9

The Department’s Functions of the Headquarters Unit n Thorough study of the survey topics: written material, meetings with experts in the field n Building tools for conducting the survey: questionnaire, work procedures, computerized collection systems, training material 10

The Department’s Functions of the Headquarters Unit (con’t) n “Testing of tools”: piloting the tools, pretest n Training: creating a training system, classroom training of coordinators and interviewers, planning and conducting individual training 11

Functions of the Headquarters Unit (con’t) n Planning the budget required for the survey n Checks and supervision – Quality checking of the interviewers – Progress of the enumaration – Accompanying field and phone interviewers – Keeping to schedule and budget n Drawing conclusions and learning lessons Writing summary reports for every survey 12

Functions of the Data Collection Centres n Recruitment of interviewers n Data collection by the interviewers n Managing the interviewers and managing the collection of the data: Assigning work quotas Arranging interviewers’ mobility in geographic areas/between surveys Administrative management of the interviewers n Handling refusals to respond n Dealing with response burden n Training and refreshing memory as to work guidelines 13

Functions of the Data Collection Centres (con’t) n Checks and monitoring Checking the enumeration Accompanying interviewers Administrative checks: efficiency of enumeration route, time invested in an enumeration unit, work hours reporting, and so on. 14

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