Features of Case Management Systems

Transcription

1 Features of Case Management Systems Vesa Kuusela Social Survey Unit Statistics Sa Finland & Working group set by BCLUB

2 Outline Characteristics of different data collection organisations Case management if different systems Kernel of CMS for CAPI General purpose CMS Conclusions

3 Case Management System (CMS) A system to manage sample data in surveys that use CAI Only situations where a sample is available before data collection are treated Excludes Random Digit Dialling and quota sampling Comprises of Case assignment Delivery of sample points to interviewers Installation and management of sample within interviewers computers Administration of case statuses Sending interview data to central database Assembling one data file from interviewer s data files Case management differs between modes

4 Typical features CAPI work Interviews are conducted face-to-face at respondents homes Stand-alone laptop computers with appropriate communications facilities Connect to central office only at given frequency, not continuously Interviewers are located all over the country approximately in the same density as population Distances between interviewers and potential respondents have to be reasonable Supervision is arranged either centrally or through regional offices Interviewers organise their own work as they find appropriate

5 Schematic display of CAPI system

6 CMS in CAPI Includes two separate parts: office system and laptop system The Case Assignment System produces a dedicated sample for each interviewer assigned to the survey Case Assignment can be partly automatic or manual It takes place either at a central office or at regional offices, often following the arrangements for supervision The dedicated sample is delivered to each interviewer and installed in his/her laptop Delivery is inherently connected to the information system design, including the communication system and communication protocol In laptops, CMS installs samples, feeds cases to CAI software, collects data to be transmitted, maintains the status of each case, etc. With the help of the communication system, interviewers return completed cases at a given frequency CMS also has to include a system for reassignment of cases

7 A CMS kernel for CAPI Urgent need in new (smaller) CAPI organisations! The part of CMS in laptop is relatively simple, once the architecture t has been decided d either database or object based architecture the (tele)communications protocol has been designed Office part of CMS has to be suited to the personnel organisation, work processes, and possibilies for case assignment The main tasks remain the same, howewer

8 Typical features of CATI Interviewers work at one or more CATI centres Distances to respondents have (practically) no importance Desk-top computers connected continuously to a network (and file server) Supervision takes place at the CATI centre Management decides works shifts and working hours Interviewers have only marginal possibilities i to arrange their own work

9 CMS in CATI Case management is handled by a program called Call Scheduler Call scheduler feeds cases to available workstations (interviewers) Cases are nor dedicated di d to specific interviewers i Case assignment is automatic and random Completed interviews are automatically stored in the central database No need for reassignment of cases

10 Typical features of CAWI Does not involve a personnel organisation No interviewers or supervisors Central component is a web server where the sample file is installed Server can reside nearly anywhere

11 CMS in CAWI In CAWI, Case management does not exist in the same sense as in CAPI or CATI Respondents are told about the survey in a letter or by Responding is their choice, alone System includes a program that checks whether response has been given If response has not arrived at the given time, a reminder may be sent Reassignment does not occur Instead of case management, one could speak of sample management

12 Automatic CMS for mixed-mode surveys Requirements for case management are different in different data collection modes CMS in CAPI vary considerably In CATI, the call scheduler applications are good enough In CAWI, only sample management is needed It appears difficult to make a general purpose p system that serves all modes appropriately

13 A suggestion for solution A hierachical system On top, a deamon process that transports cases from one subsystem to another, and keeps track of the case statuses A case can be active only in one mode at a time In each subsystem, case management is arranged with by CMS typical to the mode Before a case can be moved from one mode to another, the deamon checks the feasibility of transfer

14 Requirements for sample data In CAPI sample Address of the sample point is necessary Sometimes address may be inaccurate and interviewer has to locate the household Names of respondents? Telephone numbers are not needed In CATI sample A valid telephone number is necessary Address is needed only if advance letter is sent to respondent In CAWI sample Either a valid postal or address Name of respondent? Telephone numbers are not needed

15 Transfers need a checking mechanism From CAWI to CATI or CAPI CAWI respondents have to be notified about transfer Response in CAWI has to be told to CAPI and CATI interviewer immediately From CAPI to CATI or CAWI Transfer only after field interviewer s consent NB! Laptops are not connected to office continuously Before transfer, the deamon process has to check the existence of required information for the new mode

16 Thank you for your attention