PDAs for Data Collection in Resource-Poor Settings

Project HOPE’s experience

What is a PDA?

• PDA = Personal Digital Assistant

• Basically, a hand-held computer

• Touch screen – use stylus to operate

• Weight: 3.8 oz• Memory: 64 MB • New ones have wireless

capacity

PDA software for programming

• We use the Pocket PC Creation Software

• http://www.pocketpccreations.com/

• Many options exist

Screen shots

Check boxes, drop down boxes

How it works

• Enter data• (View data)• Upload data

from PDA to computer

• Export to Excel (or other program) for analysis

Steps to using PDA

1. Develop questionnaire on paper2. Test questions3. Thoroughly train staff on use of the PDA,

including field test 4. Set up procedures for uploading and backing

up data5. Set up databases or excel calculation sheets

to process and analyze the collected data

Why staff decided to use PDAs

• Lots of paperwork• Keep accurate and

accessible records• Provide “real-time”

data• Technology geeks in key

places• Ruled out other

alternatives

Advantages

• Savings in money, materials, and time

• Increased data quality and cleaner data

Advantages

• User-friendly and easy to transport• Less intimidating to respondents than

multi-page paper questionnaires• Easy transfer of data to database• Not labor intensive• Promotes data utilization • Environmentally friendly

Advantages

• Increases capacity of staff:– Technology use– Provides the tools they need to make decisions in

the field– Provides the ability to better manage your project

and make real-time decisions• Provides an integrated data system which also

collects information on the program’s everyday operating activities

Disadvantages

• Need human resources to manage and help staff use the PDAs

• Equipment requires maintenance and is sensitive to damage or possible theft

• Memory capacity is limited• Once the form is designed and linked to the

system, changes are difficult

Disadvantages

• Data must be downloaded as soon as possible to prevent possible loss of data

• In rural areas sometimes difficult to get power to charge battery

Settings

• Namibia• Mozambique

Settings

•Nicaragua•Guatemala•Thailand

Applications

• Baseline & final surveys (child survival KPC; OVC)

• HIV/AIDS prevention surveys• Household surveys (economic & health data) • Domestic violence surveys• Quality assessment checklists• Village mapping

Applications

Recommendations

• Detailed preparation and planning are crucial.• The M&E plan as a whole needs to be clearly

developed and detailed enough early in the project in order to design the information system.

• Questionnaire needs to be complete in order to create the screens used in the PDAs to collect information.

More recommendations

• Feedback & results to data collectors/field staff/beneficiaries is important (don’t let data get entered into machine never to come out again).

• Training is essential prior to implementation: – On survey questions (using paper)– Hands-on with instrument in field

• Backing up data nightly is critical.

Still more recommendations

• Having a technology “champion” at the field level is crucial to sustainability.

• Having a technology “champion” at HQ is crucial to supporting the field and usually to getting it started.

Conclusion

Project HOPE has found that PDAs can be an effective tool to help programs collect, manage, and efficiently use programmatic data in a variety of challenging resource-poor settings.