Project Management

Pre Fieldwork

Briefing

  • Researcher briefs the Field leaders in each location over the telephone
  • Areas discussed include project objectives, methodology, sampling approach, quotas (if any), special protocols required, timeline and quality controls.
  • Questionnaire is briefed in detail including screening criteria, main questionnaire and showcard usage.

Field Preparation

  • Sampling frame determined including interview areas, starting points as well as contact sheet design, depending on nature of project
  • Questionnaires & show cards printed. Samples (if any) and incentives organized.

Interviewer Briefing

  • Conducted by Field Manger / Project Manager.
  • The briefing covers research methodology, complete questionnaire, show card use, and other requirements of project.
  • Mock calls: Mock interviews conducted right after the interviewer briefing – within office.
  • For CLT exercise – Researcher travels to brief the team.

Accompaniment

  • All interviewers participating in a project will be accompanied & observed for at least 2 interview amongst their first 10 interviews within the first 4 days of fieldwork.
  • Observers are experienced supervisor or team leaders

Field Management

Supervisor meets interviewers every 2-3 days, in some cases daily, for:

  • (1) Delivery of completed questionnaires, & field feedback (also based on researcher feedback)
  • (2) Exchange of blank questionnaires, call sheets, incentives or to set quotas.
  • (3) Control fieldwork quota & sample.

Quality Control During Fieldwork

Back-Checking

  • All Interviewers’ work is back-checked to confirm the quality.
  • Back-checks are regularly performed by the Supervisor at the beginning, middle or end of fieldwork.
  • Minimum 30% of the interviews are back-checked.
  • The % of back-checks are significantly more in case we see any irregularities for a particular interviewer.

Centralized QC Unit

  • Questionnaires from all field locations are further back- checked from our QC facility in Delhi.
  • These back-check calls are done over the phone and includes English, Hindi and regional languages.
  • Also, the QC checks is 25% of the entire sample.

POST FIELDWORK

Data Generation

  • Tables are generated as per researcher’s analysis plan
  • Thorough checking of all the tables for its filters, bases, weighted figures etc.
  • Thorough checking of output by team manager in case of complicated data

Data Cleaning

  • Here data cleaners ensure
  • 1. zero logical
    2. punching errors
  • Analyst re-checks the cleaned data

Data Entry

  • Data entry and data punching is done by our experienced vendors

Coding

  • A detailed code list is prepared by our researcher
  • Coding team develops codes for open end responses
  • These open end responses are checked randomly by our researchers

Scrutiny

  • 100% scrutiny of the questionnaires:
  • 1. For completion
    2. For logic and
    3. For other specific checks related to project