Mobile User Survey Templates

Purpose

Many projects choose to use a survey or questionnaire to assess the ability of the mobile users. Dimagi has worked with various implementing partners to develop some tools which can be modified and used with your mobile workforce. These can be mobile-device-focused (e.g. how to use the phone/ application), or content/ domain-focused (e.g. gauging the mobile users knowledge about their domain-specific area of work).

Use

Training (one-time or periodic)

The tools could be used prior to training during a pilot session, or at the beginning of a training session. Some organizations choose to have a pre-test and post-test over the course of a multi-day training to see where improvements have been the greatest, and where additional help is needed. A refresher training session is also a good opportunity to use one of these tools.

Ongoing

If there are people in a supervisory role they could complete these continuously during the course of their regular visits or meetings.

Built-in

CommCare apps can be built to include some sort of assessment component that can be remotely monitored. While this concept has not been thoroughly tested, the proof of concept already exists.

Types of Surveys

Samples of each type of survey are attached to this page.

Mobile Experience Survey

These tools are used to assess ability or claimed knowledge about how to do certain actions on a mobile device. For example, you may want to know if your users can type on a phone, if they can look up a name in a list, or if they know how to charge the phone. This will inform decisions about what needs to be covered during training, and what areas will need more time/emphasis. The outcomes of this survey can also inform critical design decisions- for example, if overall literacy is a challenge, CommCare can be developed with settings that are optimal for low-literate or illiterate users.

It may also be a program objective to improve mobile literacy, and these tools can form the basis of an assessment method.

Technical (Domain-specific) Knowledge

Understanding what the mobile users already know about their domain-specific area of work, and what areas they need support on, will greatly assist in many a true "job aid" with more incentive to use it.

CommCare started as a job aid for Community Health Workers (CHWs) so you will find that the attached examples are meant to assess relevant knowledge.

By using these tools over time you can see changes in knowledge retention on the part of the CHW, which may also be a program metric.

Examples