Data Experts Consulting

DEC’s primary focus is data. We have experience and knowledge in building elegant and secure solutions applicable on all stages of data processing including:

• collection
• transmission
• storage
• management
• editing
• analysis
• archiving

This flexibility of building applications on a wide range of software platforms as well as extensive expertise in data processing provides our customers with the most effective and working solutions for all their software needs.

Software development platforms include:

• Development of integrated and distributed software solutions using a variety of platforms and development environments with focus in data collection, management and analysis
• Software development/database platforms: .NET, Java, Win32, ASP.NET, WCF, WPF, MS Silverlight, SQL, DirectX, OpenGL, CSPro, SPSS, STATA
• Operating systems: MS Windows, MS Windows Phone, Android, iOS
• Programming and markup languages: C#, Java, Javascript, C++, Python, VB.NET, VBA, J#, ANTLR, Delphi.NET, Delphi 32, HTML/HTML5/CSS3, XML, XAML, jQuery
• IDEs: MS Visual Studio, Eclipse, NetBeans

Even though DEC specializes in data processing and software solutions, when it comes to survey implementation, DEC offers a wide range of expertise to support the survey on every stage of its implementation.

• Survey design

  Prior to data collection, tools and methodologies need to be developed in any given survey. DEC provides expertise in questionnaire development as well as survey implementation protocol. This also includes detailed manual preparation for all levels of survey personnel.

• Sampling

  For a survey to be representative on national or regional levels, proper sampling frame needs to be developed and implemented. DEC provides services and tools for efficient and accurate sampling frame design.

• Listing

  Household surveys typically require collecting data on all households in sampled enumeration areas before the random eligible household selection may take place. DEC provides CAPI solutions for collecting such data, augmented by GPS and real-time Web-based reporting.

• Data collection system development

  Independently of the complexity of the survey, DEC has tools and knowledge to develop secure, efficient software system for it with focus on automation and protocol adherence.

• Interviewer training

  DEC has extensive experience in conducting trainings for survey staff on any level. Large portion of this experience lies in comprehensive interviewer training methodology.

• Data collection monitoring and quality control

  With integration of cloud-based data synchronization and automation service, SyncCloud, DEC can deploy automated networks of applications in the field and provide instantaneous data aggregation and presentation without the need for a dedicated data processing specialist. Additionally, DEC provides a complete set of data quality analysis tools ensuring proper survey protocol implementation and quality check on every level of the field operation.

• Data editing and imputation

  Once data collection is completed, further steps are required for preparing this data for analysis and publication. DEC provides knowledge base and tools needed for these tasks.

• Key indicator analysis

  DEC is well-equipped to provide expertise in statistical data analysis and complex indicator tabulation in a variety of subject.

• Final report writing

  The final deliverable of a survey is usually a publication of its findings. DEC provides expertise in preparation of such documents in a multitude of world languages.

DEC assists its customers in designing and developing data analysis and tabulation applications using standard statistical software packages such as CSPro, SPSS, SAS, and STATA for large-scale population surveys such as DHS. Analyses include both univariate statistics as well as bivariate associations correlations.

DEC’s main focus is in demographic and public health data. We have in-depth knowledge and experience in analyzing data by international standards set by World Health Organization (WHO) on complex topics that include but not limited to:

• Infant mortality
• Maternal mortality
• Fertility
• Anthropometric indicators
• Biomarker analysis (Anemia, HIV)
• Unmet need for family planning
• Contraceptive use and discontinuation rates
• Sexual activity and concurrent sexual partners

DEC also provides expertise in running comparative quantitative tables on multiple data sets of existing DHS data.

DEC provides a large variety of training related to software development, data analysis, data collection and data entry procedures. We have extensive expertise in providing technical assistance for implementing data collection operation in CAPI surveys. Training fieldwork personnel is a large part of it. Apart from designing software for implementing CAPI data collections, we provide training in all of its aspects:

• CAPI design and workflow
• Interviewers’ procedures training
• Field supervisors’ procedures training
• Survey data collection central office procedures training
• Distributed Web-based systems for data synchronization
• Short-range wireless technologies (Bluetooth)
• Managing data flow during fieldwork
• Data editing and cleaning
• Data collection quality and reporting
• Automation of geo-location data collection

Apart from survey implementation, DEC provides training in general areas of data analysis and software development as follows:

• Survey data processing methodologies
• Quantitative and qualitative data analysis methodologies
• Hierarchical and relational data structures
• DHS data processing methodology training
• Statistical packages: CSPro, SPSS, STATA, and SAS
• Object-oriented programming
• .NET framework:
  • ASP.NET
  • Windows Forms
  • Windows Presentation Foundation
  • Windows Communication Foundation
• Java
• Web development:
• HTML-5
• CSS-3
• Javascript
• SQL
• Adobe ColdFusion
• Python, Visual Basic, Delphi
• Text parsing and recognition

IT Governance ensures that the appropriate policies and controls are in place for effective service delivery, informed decision-making, risk management and maximization of value.

Government agencies depend on IT governance to define who is responsible for what and how IT decisions are taken. It enables IT to adhere to business objectives and optimize value from investment. It can protect against misalignment IT usage and business strategies.

DEC works with its customers to define and work with the IT governance models that are right for them. We work with our customers to implement the best processes and tools that can deliver on those business objectives, and provide measurable success. We help our customers seize upon opportunities, improving efficiency, decreasing costs and reducing complexity.

The most important letter in acronym CAPI is “I”, which stands for “Interview”. No matter how robust the entire survey structure is, if interview is not performed properly, the result of the whole project may be void and null. We believe that development of proper interview protocols and then encoding these protocols into the data collection programs helps reduce human error during interview and relieve technical and procedural burdens from interviewers, therefore allowing them to focus on the most difficult part of the interview process – human interaction.

For this task we start with utilizing established software packages such as CSPro and Survey Solutions, and then augmenting them with custom build components to provide field teams with seamless user-friendly experience when dealing with mobile devices, so they can concentrate on doing their jobs rather than fighting with technology.

Our data collection systems provide a comprehensive workflow tracking and reporting layer, which prevents most interview errors right there on the spot. Utilizing “interview path” approach to questionnaire design helps greatly in maintaining interview logic and flow, while completely automating all necessary interview skips and filters.

Our systems easily accommodate extensive, multi-level questionnaires and interview protocols of any complexity with multi-lingual support for any written world language.

Along with sophisticated interviewing tools and methodologies, we offer comprehensive training services for interviewers and other survey personnel, as well as provide continuous technical support during all stages of CAPI data collection.

What happens before and after interview is equally important to what happens during the interview. We call these stages “Data Management”. As complex as the interview process is, the survey needs to accommodate multiple interviews in various location happening concurrently.

Data management includes two major aspects:

• Fieldwork personnel management. Role distribution and development of strong vertical and horizontal protocols and communication scenarios for every role.
• System management. In CAPI, just as there are multiple people involved in fieldwork, there are also multiple digital devices that need to perform their tasks and communicate with one another.

We at DEC have developed multi-platform component-based flexible framework for accommodating any data management scenario. Once again, the focus is on automation. Our client-side tools in conjunction with our cloud infrastructure allow for automated execution of complex routines in a globally distributed network environment. All protocols are strictly enforced by the system, allowing survey staff to concentrate solely on their human tasks.

Two-way data transmission accommodated by SyncCloud service automatically and securely delivers required reference data and system updates to all field devices, while at the same time transmits collected data back to the cloud data storage or any other designated locally deployed central data repository.

While reliance on automated protocol enforcement and data management yields great results in improving CAPI data collection efficiency and quality, there is still one area that is vital to successful survey implementation – reporting. Timely progress reports and monitoring of key data indicators during fieldwork are essential for producing quality data.

Through our SyncCloud service we provide comprehensive automated data aggregation and reporting platform which allows for production of sophisticated analytical reports right in your browser window. When we say automated, we mean 100% automated. All reports are populated by the system immediately after a field device synchronizes with the cloud. Reports may be formatted with multiple pages that include dynamically generated tables, graphs, and maps. Data in the reports may be disaggregated down to any required unit analysis, including interviewer. Each report item can generate alerts for any indicators that fall outside of expected or projected values. Furthermore, the system automatically produces a timeline for each submitted value, so data may be filtered for any specified period.

No specialized software or hardware is needed to view and analyze report data. All that is needed is a Web browser and an Internet connection.