Quality assurance for surveys

FairControl deploys its own interviewer team for surveys. Our own quality assurance system for field service work guarantees you adherence with the most stringent quality standards. Our quality controls extend across all stages of project implementation:

  • Development of questionnaires
  • Briefing
  • Interviewers
  • Data collection.

 

Development of questionnaires

  • The questionnaire is developed in close coordination with the customer.
  • The questionnaire is subjected to an intensive pre-test prior to carrying out the survey. This entails checking the questionnaire for intelligibility, plausibility and appropriate length.
  • For surveys abroad the translations are checked by outside third parties for analogous completeness and correctness.

Briefing

  • A briefing of all those involved in the project lasting several hours is held before each survey to communicate the necessary background knowledge and to ensure the correct procedure of the interview.
  • The central interview instructions and rules of conduct are summarised in detailed briefing documentation distributed to every interviewer, which have to be signed by every interviewer.

Interviewers

  • All interviewers undergo a multi-stage selection and training process in which their communication skills are thoroughly investigated and practical interview knowledge (e.g. CAPI knowledge) is taught.
  • For every project there is on-site support through a FairControl project manager so as to immediately respond to any queries or problems. The first interviews are observed live to ensure the correct procedure for the survey.
  • Interviewer selection is matched to the respective project setting to ensure authentic survey situations appropriate to the corporate image.

Data collection

  • Our face-to-face surveys are performed with CAPI wherever possible (e.g. on handheld PCs or mobile phones). This avoids manual transcription errors and ensures correct filtering. Not least, CAPI interviews are more effective and time-saving.
  • Control variables integrated in the CAPI questionnaire running in the background allow automatic quality control of each interview. Ambiguities in the interview length or the pattern of responses are identified immediately and are directly clarified with the respective interviewer.
  • CAPI-based performance of surveys allows us to respond immediately to unannounced changes in the framework conditions (e.g. reconfiguration of exhibition stands or cancellation / rescheduling of presentations at congresses) and to adapt the interview sheet on-site.