translating tradition CSPro entry to CAPI entry?

[reeve]

I need to develop a CAPI interface from an older paper-and-pencil questionnaire that had been processed with CSPro for data entry. What is the best strategy for translating the older CSPro forms for traditional data entry from paper questionnaires into forms for CAPI interviewing?

First, I have to add value sets to the dictionary, since they were not necessary for the original data entry.
- how are these values added to the CAPI forms with radio buttons?

How do I split the original screen-size form appropriate for data entry into multiple tablet-size forms, keeping the links to the dictionary?

I am sure there are other issues (e.g., consistency checks), but this will get me started. Is there a help file out there somewhere?

Thanks,
Reeve

[josh]

As you said, adding value sets is the first step. They give you both range checking and the "extended controls" (radio buttons, combo boxes...). Once you have added the value sets you can enable radio buttons by right clicking on the field, choosing field properties and then setting the capture types. Use radio buttons for mutually exclusive single code options, use combo boxes if you have ranges in your value set and use checkboxes for multiple response.

If you are targeting Android devices there is no need to make smaller forms. On Android the screen layout is different focusing on one question at a time. On Windows tablets you may want to adjust your forms as you see fit.

You probably will want to enable system controlled mode in the data entry options to give you (the programmer) more control over the flow of the questionnaire. It prevents the interviewer from clicking around to invalidate consistency checks and skip patterns.

You should also enable CAPI mode in the data entry options and fill in the CAPI question text for each question. You can read more about CAPI in the online help.

If you haven't programmed skip patterns you will want to do that.

Check out the SimpleCAPI example that ships with CSPro (you'll find it in the program files folder).

The CSPro team will be releasing some short tutorials focusing on CAPI very soon. I'll let you know once they are available.

Let us know if you have other questions.

[josh]

There is a new tutorial on developing CAPI applications with CSPro posted to the Census Bureau website that may help you:

https://www.census.gov/population/inter ... tarted.pdf

[reeve]

Thanks Josh. These are helpful.

So, CSPro creates the Android form for me, even on a tablet, one question at a time. If I want more than one question on a screen, then I need to go to Windows and create the forms. That seems like a big advantage for Windows. I have ~600+ questions for a household and ~150 for each person (assuming no skips at all which is unlikely). I would think an interviewer would prefer to have a few similar questions grouped on a single page then move on. <600 pages would be especially good for navigating back through an unfinished interview.

[josh]

Take a look at what the sample application (SimpleCAPI) looks like on Android before you decide. On a tablet (not on a phone since the screen is too small) you get a list all the questions and responses for the questions that gives the interviewer context and can also be used to navigate through the questionnaire. This takes most of the reasons you would want to have multiple questions on the screen like you do on Windows.

[reeve]

We checked with other capi folks (e.g., NFHS in India) and they prefer multiple questions on a screen. That's the way our PAPI was organized, and with multiple modules, it gives a visual organization to the flow of the interview. Also, that will be what our interviewers have used in the past. So, if windows can do this, I don't see the advantage of Androids.

I saw the Android tablet screen layout on the CSPro-CAPI-Getting Started.pdf but couldn't find the SimpleCapi example that comes with CSPro 6.1 (but then I am fairly clueless on Windows). Is this through help on CSpro? Is SimpleCapi the file name of a separate file? Can I download it from somewhere else?

[josh]

SimpleCAPI gets installed on your Android device when you first install CSPro on it. It is also in the examples directory when you install CSPro on Windows (C:\Program Files\CSPro 6.1\Examples).

The advantage of Android over Windows at this point is that the UI on Windows was designed for key from paper while the Android UI was designed for CAPI on a touchscreen. In addition, the data transfer functionality (synchronization) is not currently available on Windows. That said, there are many groups doing big surveys on Windows tablets (DHS, MICS). I would recommend trying both before you make your decision.

[reeve]

OK, I'm learning. So "designed for key from paper" means no touchscreen on Windows CSPro? Even on radio buttons? Then our choice would be Windows with more flexibility for designing the screen with multiple questions but no touchscreen OR Android with a touchscreen but only one question per screen. Right?

We are definitely planning to experiment with a few different options for hardware, so we can try a few software options too. We are still at the pilot stage.

Thanks!
Reeve

[josh]

There are radio buttons on Windows. By default they are bit small for touch but you can make the font size bigger and then it is ok. No swipe.