Research Modes
GeoPoll’s platform supports several different research modes, which fill a wide array of specific project needs. Each of these modes can be used independently or in combination with each other, and GeoPoll’s team can work with clients to design a custom solution for your project. The modes GeoPoll supports are:
- Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing
- Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing
- Interactive Voice Response
- Mobile web links
- Mobile application surveys and tasks
- Mobile-based focus groups
- In-person focus groups
- SMS Surveys
- SMS API and trigger-in surveys
More information about each of GeoPoll’s research modes can be found below:
Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing
Definition: Interviews conducted by voice calls from a local call center
Technology: GeoPoll’s proprietary Interviewer Application provides survey administration, quality controls, and automatic data upload to GeoPoll’s central platform
Reach: CATI can reach anyone with access to any type of mobile phone, literacy not required
Supported question types: Any text-based question type (single choice, select-all-that-apply, matrix, open-ended, etc) is supported
Benefits: Provides a remote solution that is closest in methodological rigor to traditional in-person interviews.
Short Message Service (Text Message)
Definition: Surveys conducted over a 2-way SMS conversation
Technology: GeoPoll’s SMS survey platform provides a seamless survey experience for respondents, with results automatically uploaded to our central platform
Reach: SMS can reach literate populations with access to any type of mobile phone
Supported question types: Most text-based question types (single choice, select-all-that-apply, open-ended, etc) are supported
Benefits: Can reach a large number of respondents in a short time quickly
Link-Based Surveys (Mobile Web)
Definition: Surveys conducted via a web link, usually optimized for mobile devices
Technology: GeoPoll can send web-based links from a third-party system via SMS or email to our database, or can use our own mobile web platform to script surveys
Reach: Link-based link surveys reach literate populations with access to the internet through a basic browser or smartphone
Supported question types: All text-based question types (single choice, select-all-that-apply, matrix, open-ended, etc) are supported, in addition to video and picture questions
Benefits: Can reach a large number of respondents in a short time quickly and cost-effectively
Mobile Application and Micro Tasks
Definition: Surveys and microtasks conducted via GeoPoll’s mobile application
Technology: GeoPoll’s mobile application enables surveys and tasks to be sent to our database of app users
Reach: The GeoPoll Application can reach literate populations with access to a smartphone and data
Supported question types: All text-based question types (single choice, select-all-that-apply, matrix, open-ended, etc) are supported, in addition to video and picture questions, microtasks, and geo-located tasks
Benefits: Can reach a large number of respondents in a short time quickly and cost-effectively and administer both surveys and tasks such as retail monitoring
Mobile-Based Focus Groups
Definition: Qualitative focus groups administered by a mobile chat group moderated by a GeoPoll-trained moderator
Technology: Mobile focus groups are administered through common chat applications such as WhatsApp
Reach: Mobile focus groups can reach literate populations with access to common chat applications
Supported question types: Supports an ongoing chat in which moderators provide prompts for discussion, asks questions, or request pictures or video from respondents
Benefits: Gathers rich qualitative data and can be maintained over a longer period of time than an in-person focus group
In Person Focus Groups
Definition: Qualitative focus groups administered in-person and moderated by a GeoPoll-trained moderator
Technology: Data from in-person focus groups is uploaded to GeoPoll’s central platform
Reach: Focus groups can reach any population who are able to travel to a central location
Supported question types: Supports in-person discussion in which moderators provide prompts for discussion and asks questions
Benefits: Gathers rich qualitative data through a traditional in-person setting
Interactive Voice Response (IVR)
Definition: Surveys administered by an automated voice call
Technology: Surveys administered by voice recording and keyed-in answers sent to GeoPoll’s central platform
Reach: IVR surveys can reach any population with access to a mobile phone
Supported question types: Supports single-choice questions
Benefits: Gathers data via voice call without the need for trained interviewers
Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI)
Definition: In-person interviews administered through a mobile application
Technology: Surveys administered through GeoPoll’s CAPI Application and uploaded to GeoPoll’s central platform
Reach: CAPI surveys can reach any population
Supported question types: Supports most question types
Benefits: Can reach any population and provides automated quality control checks
SMS API
Definition: SMS communications through GeoPoll’s API
Technology: Leverage GeoPoll’s API to send 2-way communications through our mobile network operator partnerships
Reach: GeoPoll’s SMS API is available in select countries in Africa and the Middle East
Benefits: Control your own conversation with GeoPoll’s database of respondents or your own mobile phone number list
GeoPoll’s Research Process
Assess Project Needs
GeoPoll’s team works with clients to assess the feasibility, sample needs, modes, and costing for their research project
Project Design and Planning
We work with clients to design questionnaires and sample frames, recruit and train interviewers (CATI/CAPI), and conduct a pilot if requested.
Research Production and Monitoring
The survey is sent into production and monitored on an ongoing basis. Quality checks are performed, and interim data can be delivered if required.
Quality Control
Post data collection, secondary quality checks are performed and data is cleaned by the GeoPoll research team.
Analysis and Output
Data is analyzed and compiled into the required output, including raw data files, basic tables and charts, interactive dashboards, written reports and visual decks.
Quality Controls
All GeoPoll projects go through a series of quality checks, both automated and manual, in order to provide the highest-quality data possible. These include:
Automated Data Quality Checks
GeoPoll’s platform automatically checks that answers fall within expected ranges and match provided options. The platform also flags unusual response patterns such as straightlining or satisficing.
Quality Control Dashboard
GeoPoll’s Quality Control Dashboard provides a visual representation of survey performance metrics, enabling GeoPoll to track both survey and individual interviewer performance for CATI and CAPI surveys. GeoPoll tracks metrics including completed interviews per day, refusal rates, ineligible rates, and length of interviews.
Manual Data Quality Checks
Before data is delivered to a client, GeoPoll’s Research Team performs manual data cleaning and quality control checks including removing duplicates, identifying outliers, removing nonsense answers, categorizing open-ended answers, and ensuring all answers are coded properly.
Interviewer Training
For CATI and CAPI surveys, all interviewers go through an extensive, project-specific training which includes graded practice interviews, answering difficult respondent questions, and more.
Call Recordings
For CATI, GeoPoll’s Interviewer Application records calls automatically and GeoPoll’s team reviews a percentage of all calls made per project. GeoPoll’s platform also automatically listens to call recordings and flags those with long pauses or little noise for manual review.
Choose Your Research Mode
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