Mobile_Data_Collection.md

Data Management

For Scientific Research

Photo: © Stanza. Used with permission.

Session 2: Mobile Data Collection

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Photo: D. Hakes / The Carter Center

Election observation, Cairo polling station, May 24, 2012.

Data Collection Goals

Ideal features of data collection:

• Standardized
• Ease of collection by researchers
• Ease of survey use by participants
• Flexibility with types of data samples
• Data security

Common Data Collection Problems

• Consistency between form or survey data and database structure
• Transcription or legibility errors between data collection and database storage
• Forms may need to be updated or changed
• Literacy or language barriers with written surveys
• Extra equipment needed to collect non-text data
• Secure data transfer and storage

Open Data Kit

left: 50%

Open Data Kit is an open source tool for solving many data collection problems. It consists of:

• An Android tablet or phone and app for data collection
• A server instance to store and view collected data
• Powerful form and survey creation

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Image: eHealth Africa

ODK Solutions: Secure Data Collection

ODK Collect is designed with security in mind...

• Data transmission to the server is encrypted with SSL

And in our department, with our own ODK Aggregate server ...

• Access to the ODK server is protected by a firewall
• Each ODK project has a unique database instance
• Each database instance has a unique account and password
• The ODK server is regularly updated and backed up
• The ODK server is in a secured room with auxilliary power

ODK Solutions: Several Data Types

Collecting data on a phone or tablet allows for the following data types to be collected:

• Text
• Images
• Video
• Audio
• GPS coordinates
• Barcode scanning

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Image: Google Play Store

ODK Solutions: Powerful Forms

Forms are powerful and flexible, for example:

• Alternate languages for survey questions
• Audio, image, and video components to questions
• Branching question paths: If A1 is 'yes', show Q2
• Calculations on answered questions: Q3 = A1 + A2
• Multiple choice questions: single or multiple answer
• Repeatable question sections
• Automatic meta data, such as survey start and end times

ODK Demos...

We will now demonstrate:

• ODK Collect (app)
• ODK Aggregate (server)
• ODK Form Creation

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Image: Michalis Vitos

ODK Collect Demo

• How to get the ODK Collect App
• How to get forms
• How to fill them out
• And how to upload

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Image: AI-DEV Group, Makerere University

ODK Aggregate Demo

• Logging onto the Aggregate instance
• User accounts
• Viewing data and forms
• Exporting data

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Source: Open Data Kit

ODK Form Creation Demo

There are three ways to make data input forms for ODK:

1. Using ODK Build web app
2. Manually, by editing an XML file in a text editor
3. Using XLSForms from a Spreadsheet (XLS)

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Source: Open Data Kit

Hands-on Group Exercise

Working as a group, create some ODK forms for your project.

Photo: SarahStierch / Wikimedia

Discussion

We will discuss your ODK forms.

Graphic: Jagbirlehl / Wikimedia

In the Coming Sessions...

• More Systems Analysis Diagrams
• Requirements Document
• Feasibility Study
• Relational Database Design
• Entity-Relationship Diagrams
• MySQL Workbench

Action Items (videos, readings, and tasks)

	ODK Videos - Watch one or two Business Data Modeling DFD: How to Draw a DFD and DFD Example - 3 parts SLD: Swim Lane Diagram Tutorial and Business Process Models in Visio
	PCfB textbook: Chapter4. Command-line Operations: the Shell Skim: eBook: Visual Models for Software Req. - Ch. 20 and 21 Skim: Wikipedia articles: Data model, DFD, Swim lane Optional- Skim: RDDaI3CE textbook: Chapters 1-2
	Make ODK forms for your research project. Upload the forms to the in-house ODK Aggregate Server. Be ready to present them for next session. Find an alternative to ODK, compare/contrast, and present.

See Also

• ODK
• Comparison of Mobile Solutions for GIS Data Collection and Display
• EpiCollect.net
• GIS Cloud Mobile Data Collection
• iFormBuilder Mobile Platform
• Automating Crop Surveillance

Questions and Comments

Image: © Nevit Dilmen / Wikimedia

Some Parting Words

Image: Geek and Poke. Used with permission.