Difference between revisions of "Field Management"

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Field management is the process of planning, monitoring and overseeing  [[Primary Data Collection  | primary data collection]] activities. Correct and careful management of fieldwork activities and field staff is essential to completing '''data collection''' on time, on [[Survey Budget|budget]], without missing observations, and at high quality. Without direct and usually intensive supervision of these critical aspects, unknown errors can enter the [[Master Dataset|dataset]]. If these errors are made systematically by the data collection team, they can induce biases of unknown size and direction into the estimates of program effects for even the best-executed interventions.


== Read First ==
== Read First ==
<onlyinclude>
* Field management is a key piece of any evaluation; it ensures timely, consistent and accurate [[Primary Data Collection|data collection]].
Careful management of field staff, contractors, and survey firms is essential to completing data collection on time, on budget, without missing observations, and at high quality. Without direct (and usually intensive) oversight of this critical process, unknown errors can enter the dataset. If these errors are made systematically by the data collection team, they can induce biases of unknown size and direction into the estimates of program effects for even the best-executed intervention.
* Insufficient supervision of field management aspects can result into systematic errors in the [[Master Dataset|dataset]] and biased estimators.
</onlyinclude>


== Aspects of Field Management ==
Field management activities can be divided into three broad areas:
# '''Fieldwork organization''': planning all details of fieldwork, defining how the [[Survey Pilot|survey]] will be implemented, and [[Questionnaire Design|piloting questionnaires]], and field protocols.
# '''Field staff management''': selection, training, and supervision of field staff, including [[Enumerator Training|enumerators]], contractors and [[Survey Firm|survey firms]].
# [[Data Quality Assurance Plan|Data Quality Assurance]]: designing protocols and quality control methods to [[Monitoring Data Quality|monitor]] ongoing [[Primary Data Collection|data collection]] and ensure data consistency and quality.
== Guidelines ==
== Guidelines ==
Essential steps for good field management include:  
The following steps are essential to ensure good field management:  
* Developing clear, detailed [[Survey Protocols]]
# Developing clear, detailed [[Survey Protocols]]
* Creating a [[Data Quality Assurance Plan]]
# Conducting a comprehensive [[Survey Pilot]], selecting field staff, and [[Enumerator Training | training enumerators]]
* Conducting [[Back Checks]]
# Creating a [[Data Quality Assurance Plan]]
* [[Monitoring Data Quality]] while data collection is ongoing
# Conducting [[Back Checks]]
# [[Monitoring Data Quality]] while [[Primary Data Collection|data collection]] is ongoing


== Additional Resources ==
== Additional Resources ==
* [[Enumerator Training]]
*DIME Analytics (World Bank), [http://web.worldbank.org/archive/website01542/WEB/IMAGES/SURVEY.PDF Planning for, Preparing, and  Monitoring Household Surveys]
* [[Preparing for Data Collection]]
* [[Preparing for Data Collection]]
* [[Preparing for the survey checklist]]
* [[Preparing for the survey checklist]]
* [[Random Audio Audits]]
* [[Monitoring_Data_Quality#Random_audio_audits|Random audio audits]]
* [[Checklist: Preparing for a Survey Pilot]]
* [[Checklist: Preparing for a Survey Pilot]]
* [[Field Coordinator]]
* [[Field Coordinator]]
* [[Piloting Survey Protocols]]
* [[Checklist:_Piloting_Survey_Protocols|Piloting Survey Protocols]]
* [[Structuring a Survey Pilot]]
* [[Structuring a Survey Pilot]]
* [[Survey Budget]]
* [[Survey Budget]]
* [[Survey Firm]]
* [[Survey Firm Procurement]]
* [[Survey Firm Procurement]]
* [[Survey Firm TOR]]
* [[Survey Firm TOR]]
* [[Survey Pilot]]
* [[Survey Pilot Participants]]
* [[Survey Pilot Participants]]
* [[Survey Protocols]]
* [[Survey Protocols]]
* [[Timeline of Survey Pilot]]
* [[Survey_Pilot#Timeline|Timeline of Survey Pilot]]
* [[Training Guidelines: Content and Structure]]
* [[Training Guidelines: Content and Structure]]
[[Category: Research Design]]
[[Category: Field Management]]
[[Category: Field Management]]

Latest revision as of 17:01, 8 August 2023

Field management is the process of planning, monitoring and overseeing primary data collection activities. Correct and careful management of fieldwork activities and field staff is essential to completing data collection on time, on budget, without missing observations, and at high quality. Without direct and usually intensive supervision of these critical aspects, unknown errors can enter the dataset. If these errors are made systematically by the data collection team, they can induce biases of unknown size and direction into the estimates of program effects for even the best-executed interventions.

Read First

  • Field management is a key piece of any evaluation; it ensures timely, consistent and accurate data collection.
  • Insufficient supervision of field management aspects can result into systematic errors in the dataset and biased estimators.

Aspects of Field Management

Field management activities can be divided into three broad areas:

  1. Fieldwork organization: planning all details of fieldwork, defining how the survey will be implemented, and piloting questionnaires, and field protocols.
  2. Field staff management: selection, training, and supervision of field staff, including enumerators, contractors and survey firms.
  3. Data Quality Assurance: designing protocols and quality control methods to monitor ongoing data collection and ensure data consistency and quality.

Guidelines

The following steps are essential to ensure good field management:

  1. Developing clear, detailed Survey Protocols
  2. Conducting a comprehensive Survey Pilot, selecting field staff, and training enumerators
  3. Creating a Data Quality Assurance Plan
  4. Conducting Back Checks
  5. Monitoring Data Quality while data collection is ongoing

Additional Resources