Research guide
Rural fieldwork needs more than a questionnaire and a response target. A workable operating plan connects community entry, local language, transport, device power, offline collection, respondent safety, daily supervision, and a documented path for resolving unusual data.
Recruit for language, local context, conduct, and device confidence rather than speed alone. Agree community-entry procedures without allowing gatekeepers to choose respondents improperly. Train with role-play, translated concepts, consent scripts, refusal handling, safeguarding, and realistic travel scenarios.
Break the sample into named clusters or locations with clear selection and substitution rules. Set targets that account for travel time, weather, market days, security, charging access, and network coverage. Give each enumerator only the assignment and respondent information needed for the day.
Load the approved survey before departure, test offline behaviour on the actual device, carry an approved power plan, and define when synchronisation should occur. Never uninstall, clear browser storage, switch devices, or repeatedly resubmit while unsynchronised responses are still queued.
Review completion pace, missingness, answer patterns, source, timestamps, and optional location as signals—not proof of misconduct. Discuss anomalies with the enumerator, document any correction or rejection, protect respondent confidentiality, and avoid public leaderboards that reward rushed interviews.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Surveyor templates and question structures are starting points. You can edit wording, answer options, required fields, logic, branding, and collection settings before publishing.
Yes. Published Surveyor forms are designed for phones, tablets, and desktop browsers. Eligible plans also support offline queues for previously loaded surveys.