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Enumerator Training

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Enumerator training is an extremely important part of the primary data collection, and should be planned in advance. It is a joint effort between the field coordinators, the survey firm, and other members of the impact evaluation team (or research team). The research team must prepare and approve an enumerator manual (or field manual). The enumerator manual acts as the basis for the training content, and helps organize the training.

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  • The research team should make sure all members of the field team are familiar with the survey protocols and survey design by the end of the enumerator training.
  • Always train more enumerators than are required for the field data collection.
  • Select the best enumerators at the end of the training, based on rigorous assessments.
  • The field team should follow the scientific approach of enumerator training, and train enumerators to ensure confidentiality of respondents during the survey.
  • Broadly, the training can be divided into the following components - objectives, planning, content, structure, and enumerator assessment.

Training Objectives

The research team should use the enumerator training to provide the rest of the team members with a clear overview of the context, objectives, and relevance of the impact evaluation. A good, well-organized enumerator training deals with the following aspects:

  • Key roles: The training should also ensure that all members of the research team, survey firm, and the field team understand their roles and duties. This allows everyone to take responsibility of their tasks, and remain committed throughout the process of data collection. For instance, the survey firm executes the tasks involved in data collection, while the field coordinators (FCs) supervise these tasks, and ensure quality of the work done by enumerators and the survey firm. Similarly, the research assistants (RAs) provide support in preparing the data quality assurance plan.

Planning

Before starting with enumerator training, it is important for everyone involved in the data collection to be aware of their roles and responsibilities. Planning is a continuous process that requires constant interaction between the survey firm and the field coordinators (FCs). This stage has the following components:

Logistics and recruitment

The survey firm is responsible for coordinating logistics and recruitment, which includes:

  • Finalizing the training venue.
  • Providing materials like printed questionnaires (or survey forms) and training agenda.
  • Providing tablets, pens, and notebooks.
  • Hiring potential enumerators and skilled supervisors to help with the training.

In this process, the survey firm should coordinate with field coordinators (FCs) to understand the context of the impact evaluation, and become familiar with the questionnaire content.

Train support staff

In the context of enumerator training, the following people are considered a part of the support staff - survey facilitators, survey firm managers, and potential supervisors. The field coordinators (FCs) are responsible for training support staff to make sure they are familiar with various aspects of the project, including the context of the study, the questionnaire content, and the potential survey protocols. The support staff can then work with the survey firm during the actual enumerator training.

Enumerator manual

An enumerator manual (or field manual) is extremely important because it is the primary resource used during the enumerator training. It also acts as an important resource for enumerators during the field survey. Field manuals contain all field protocols, provide crucial guidelines to the survey firm, and also provide content for the training Refer to Figure 1 below for a field manual template. A comprehensive field manual should list the following:

  • Study objectives: The field manual should briefly explain the purpose of the study, and the possible outcomes that the research team hopes to achieve. This provides enumerators and field teams a good reference during the actual field interview, and helps them understand their roles more clearly.
  • Roles and responsibilities: The field manual should also list the roles and responsibilities of each member in the field team. This allows field staff to take more responsibility for their work, and perform their tasks efficiently.
  • Survey protocols: Survey protocols play an important role in ensuring high data quality in the field. The field manual should list all protocols, along with examples that explain the importance of following these protocols.
  • Key terms: The field manual should clearly define all key terms that are used in the questionnaire, as well as throughout the field manual. Key terms include common acronyms like open data kit (ODK), and technical terms like sampling frames.
  • Description of questions: The field manual should also explain the questions that are part of the questionnaire, along with common rules and methods for asking questions during the field interview.
  • Frequently asked questions (FAQs): Finally, the field manual should include a list of frequently asked questions (FAQs). These are questions that often come up during the training sessions, and help to resolve common doubts that may arise during fieldwork.
Figure 1: Template for developing a field manual

Finalize training time frame

The training time frame refers to the duration of the enumerator training, and depends on factors like:

  • Length and complexity of the questionnaire. If the questionnaire is longer, and is more complex (that is, has several modules, and many repeat groups), then the training will also need to be longer to make sure enumerators are comfortable with the questionnaire.
  • Capacity of potential enumerators. If the potential enumerators are more experienced, the duration of the training will be shorter, compared to a situation where the potential enumerators have less experience.
  • Complexity of study design. Again, if the study itself is based on a complex theory of change, or is trying to answer questions that were not a part of any previous studies, the training too will have to be longer to explain the objectives and protocols.

Further, keep the following points in mind when deciding the time frame:

  • Sufficient rest. Include sufficient time to rest after the sessions.
  • Practice sessions. Include extra days for practice in the classrooms, as well as in the field.
  • Extra day for enumerator selection. Include at least one day for the process of selecting enumerators for the actual survey.
  • Field manual. Use the field manual as a guide for finalizing the time frame, since the manual contains all information about the study and its various aspects.

Assessing Enumerators

After the enumerator training is complete, the field coordinators (FCs), the survey firm, and the supervisors should coordinate to conduct the enumerator assessment. Always train more enumerators than are needed for the actual survey (or interview). This motivates enumerators to perform better. It also ensures that a group of qualified enumerators are available as backup in case a few enumerators are unable to conduct the interviews on a given day. The following are the main criteria for enumerator selection:

  • Quiz scores
  • Field practice
  • Participation
  • Interpersonal skills
  • Previous experience

Quiz scores

Although quiz scores may seem like a highly academic criteria of enumerator assessment, they offer important feedback which field teams can use to improve the training sessions. It is important to reassure the enumerators that the quiz scores act more as measure of how much progress each enumerator has made during the enumerator training, and less as a measure of performance. Be creative while preparing the quiz. The quiz should assess the following:

  • Understanding of materials. Use the quiz to get an idea of how well an enumerator has understood the training materials such as field manuals, protocols, and standard guidelines for conducting interviews.
  • Reading skills in different languages. The quiz should also evaluate basic reading skills in the relevant languages. This also includes assessing familiarity of enumerators with the translated versions of the questionnaire in various languages. For example, if the questions are to be asked in English and Hindi, it is important to ensure that enumerators are able to read out the questions in both languages during the interview.
  • Understanding of questions. The quiz should also assess if enumerators are able to understand the meaning and relevance of certain questions. For example, in a COVID-19 pulse survey, it would be important for the research team to assess how households are preparing to deal with the economic and health-related consequences of COVID-19. In this case, for a question about how households assess the threat of COVID-19, enumerators must be able to understand the question themselves, before asking the respondents. Further, enumerators should be able to explain how respondents can answer the question using a scale from 1 to 5, with 1 meaning "No threat", and 5 meaning "Severe threat".
  • Numeracy skills. The quiz must also assess basic numeracy skills (like counting, adding, etc.) of enumerators, including the ability to enter responses on a tablet.

NOTE: The research team and the field staff should also keep the following things in mind while designing a quiz:

  • Be well-organized. Create the quiz before the start of enumerator training. Edit the quizzes based on observations during the training sessions.
  • Conduct regular quizzes. Carry out one quiz per day to test understanding of topics covered on the previous day. Correct the quizzes quickly, ideally on the same day. Share feedback simultaneously, to allow enumerators to correct their mistakes and fill any gaps in their understanding.
  • Be transparent. Inform enumerators before the start of training that they will be required to take regular quizzes. Share the skills that they should focus on in order to fully utilize the training. This also allows enumerators to concentrate better during sessions.
  • Encourage enumerators. Quizzes can often be stressful, so motivate enumerators throughout the training. Inform the enumerators that their scores in these quizzes are only one of the several criteria for evaluating them. Provide constructive feedback to enumerators after sharing results of each quiz.

Field practice

Field practice is a very important part of enumerator training, as it allows enumerators and the rest of the field staff to test survey protocols, as well as the survey content. Field practice can take the following forms:

  • Team exercises: These involve enumerators getting together to practice questionnaire modules in pairs or in groups.
  • Mock interviews: Trainers can also conduct mock interviews with enumerators, and holding discussion sessions afterwards.
  • Pilot interviews with administrative officials: In some cases, it is also useful to conduct practice interviews with government officials. Data from these interviews is not included in the final dataset. These are only meant to provide feedback which is especially useful when the field team is not familiar with the culture and social norms in the location of the study.

Keep the following things in mind regarding field practice:

  • Plan regular sessions. Plan field practice sessions in such a manner that potential enumerators conducts at least one practice interview per person.
  • Use facilitators to monitor. Split the enumerators into groups, and assign one experienced enumerators as a facilitator in each group. The facilitators can monitor and observe interviews to ensure that enumerators are following all protocols.
  • Keep regular feedback sessions. The facilitators should take notes on each enumerator's performances during practice, and share their comments at the end of the day.

NOTE: The following is an observation checklist which facilitators can use to observe enumerators during field practice:

  • Use of proper equipment: It is important to ensure that each enumerator is using the proper equipment during the practice interview. For example, a pen and a notebook in case of a pen-and-paper interview (PAPI), and tablets in case of a computer-assisted personal interview (CAPI).
  • Selection of the correct respondent: It is important to ensure that the enumerator selectes the corrected respondent during practice. Interviewing incorrect respondents can cause serious problems for data quality, such as duplicates, missing values, and even outliers.
  • Proper introduction: The enumerators should be able to correctly and concisely introduce the survey objectives to the respondent. They must also be able to read out the informed consent form in the language spoken by the respondent.
  • Introductory sentences: The enumerators should be able to read the introductory sentences before questions (if any), as well as all questions correctly in the language spoken by the respondent.
  • Clarifications and polite probing: Sometimes a respondent may have trouble understand a question, or their answer might not be satisfactory. In such situations, the enumerator should be able to clarify as and when required. They must also be able to probe the respondent in a polite manner, and at the right time.
  • Familiarity with the survey and confidence: The facilitators must also check how familiar the enumerators are with the survey content. Also evaluate the level of confidence in practice sessions for each enumerator.
  • Language proficiency: Check the level of comfort and fluency of enumerators in each of the languages used in the questionnaire.
  • Interactions with the respondent: Evaluate enumerators on their interactions with the respondent, both verbally and non-verbally. The enumerators should be polite and respectful throughout.
  • Patience and attention to detail: The enumerators should answer all follow-up questions from respondents patiently. Evaluate enumerators on their attention to detail and whether they stick to all protocols.
  • Creating a conducive environment: Evaluate enumerators on whether they make the respondents feel comfortable during the interview. The enumerator should reassure the respondent that the impact evaluation study will protect their rights, including their right to privacy.

Participation

Another criteria to evaluate enumerator performance is their participation throughout the training sessions. Facilitators should observe each enumerator and take regular notes. They can score enumerators on a scale of 1 to 5, where "1 = Poor", "2 = Weak" "3 = Average", "4 = Strong", and "5 = Excellent". Some criteria to evaluate participation are:

  • Punctuality: Facilitators should keep note of enumerators who are punctual for training sessions. This also encourages enumerators to take the sessions seriously.
  • Active participation and initiative: This includes awarding a higher score to enumerators who take part in classroom discussions, and take initiative to improve in areas where they might be weaker.
  • Attitude and integrity: The attitude of enumerators during the training is also a very important aspect. Facilitators should take note of, and award higher scores to enumerators who are eager to learn and correct mistakes, and respond positively to feedback after quizzes and training sessions.
  • Team work: The field team often faces various challenging situations in the field. The training sessions are therefore a good time to think about creating a positive atmosphere in the team. Award higher scores to enumerators who work well in a team, and are willing to help their teammates with any issues they might face.
  • Communication skills: Good communication skills are also an extremely quality important for enumerators. Enumerators should be able to convey their issues, clarify any doubts they face, and participate in review sessions to improve the overall quality of the survey.

Best Practices

Conveying the importance of their role in the research will allow enumerators to take ownership of the project, a key requirement in ensuring enumerators remain committed throughout the duration of the data collection phase. This will be particularly important for projects lasting several weeks or requiring a significant amount of travel, both of which can result in enumerator fatigue.

Scientific approach

The first, and foremost, of the qualities of a good survey team is a commitment to the scientific method. A scientific method is the standard approach for such surveys and in order to produce concrete, defensible and valuable results, this method must be applied. Enumerators must be instructed on what the scientific approach means for them: that they are committed to identifying the true situation on the ground, not one that seems to be real but rather arises from errors in the way we have measured opinions.

The only way that a comparison between organisations is valid is to use the same survey method for all respondents. This means:

  • Introducing the process in the same way in each organization
  • Making people feel equally comfortable that the process is anonymous
  • Making people feel that their responses will be confidential
  • Giving each group roughly the same amount of time to fill in the questionnaire
  • Guiding the discussion session in a similar way
  • Collecting and filing all the questionnaires systematically

If we deviate from this approach, for example by treating one group differently to all the others, we won’t be able to tell if the differences between that group and the others are down to actual differences or just responses to our differential treatments.


Clearly, there will be times when the situation deviates from a perfect replication of all other interviews and will not correspond to any items on the FAQs. To ensure that this is accounted for, enumerators should be able to discuss aspects of the methodology of the project, so it is advisable to include this in the training.

Confidentiality and anonymity

One of the key selling points of the interview for many respondents will be a commitment to anonymizing all interviews and safeguarding respondents’ confidentiality. The tablet goes a long way in helping enumerators achieve this through the use of de-identified IDs, however enumerators must ensure all interactions with respondents adhere to the strictest degree of confidentiality. This entails:

  • Holding all opinions, claims, and other features that can be associated with individuals (confidential information in trust and confidence)
  • Using such confidential information only for the purposes set out in the training, and for any other purpose, or disclosed to any third party
  • Not to copy or retain any written information or record that could be associated with identifying features of individuals, or identifying features of any sort, outside the survey team’s own collections.
  • At the conclusion of the surveys, or upon demand by the survey team, all confidential information, including questionnaires, written notes, photographs, memoranda or other types of notes taken to be returned to the survey team.
  • Confidential information is not to be disclosed to any employee, consultant or third party unless it has been approved by the survey team.

Interview practice and pilot interviews/ field testing

Before going out in the field it is imperative that all enumerators practice interviewing at least twice, both as a way to familiarize themselves with the questionnaire and to receive feedback on their interviewing (and scoring if applicable) by the trainers and Field Coordinator. It is normal for the first few interviews conducted by each enumerator will be of a lesser quality, so it is important that these can be discarded as ‘practice’ and not used as part of the dataset.


Be intentional about including some team building exercises into the training too. As an FC, it is also worth having a think about what your management style you want to apply, and how want to be perceived as the manager of this data collection – you set the tone for this already during the enum training

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This article is part of the topic Primary Data Collection

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