June 2024 – CATI and SMS Surveys in Sub-Saharan Africa
Join us on June 27 at 10:00-11:30 EST for a webinar on “CATI and SMS Surveys in Sub-Saharan Africa”. Our excellent speakers, John Murunga (GeoPoll, Kenya) and Charles Lau from (GeoPoll, USA) will describe the design, implementation, and best practices for conducting CATI and SMS surveys in Sub-Saharan Africa. The webinar will be moderated by the WAPOR Education Committee Chair Chase Harrison (Harvard University, USA) and Committee Member Alhi Nguessan (EMC, Côte d’Ivoire).
Rapid increases in mobile phone penetration have opened up new possibilities for survey research in Sub-Saharan Africa. Computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI) and short message service (SMS) enable researchers to conduct rapid, cost- effective, and reliable surveys – even for geographically dispersed populations and inaccessible areas. However, these modes are still relatively new, and the research community is still investigating their representativeness and measurement properties. This webinar will describe the design, implementation, and best practices for conducting CATI and SMS surveys in Sub-Saharan Africa. The webinar has 4 parts. First, we will introduce each mode, highlighting each mode’s strengths, weaknesses, and how researchers implement surveys with each mode. Second, we describe some optimal use cases for CATI and SMS, highlighting successful research projects that have used these modes, along with some solutions to challenges that exist. Third, we summarise the research on the quality of CATI and SMS surveys from a total survey error (TSE) perspective, focusing on coverage, representation, and measurement issues. Fourth, we offer some best practices and practical guidance for researchers considering using CATI or SMS in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The Marketing and Social Research Association (MSRA) is a professional body established in Kenya to promote and advance the quality and standards of marketing and social research. The association seeks to create a culture of research excellence and ensure that the industry adheres to ethical and professional standards. Speaking about his focus and that of the association, especially as the industry and the world emerge from a challenging and disruptive pandemic and post-pandemic period, JP Murunga says that the onus is on everyone to seize the opportunities presented by the new, ever-evolving, and fast-paced environment. “MSRA remains committed to promoting excellence in the research industry. The new MSRA board will work collaboratively with all industry stakeholders to drive growth and development in marketing and social research in the region. We have learned from the past and are excited to embrace the ‘new’ and build a stronger, more resilient industry for the future,” says John Murunga.
John Paul Murunga is an experienced researcher with a career spanning fifteen years. He joined GeoPoll in May 2016 and currently heads business and client development in the Eastern Africa region.
Dr. Charles Lau is an internationally recognized expert in survey research who specializes in harnessing innovative methods to improve data quality and researching new data collection methods.
Dr. Lau has conducted surveys in more than 30 countries for clients in the international development and commercial sectors. His experience includes study design, questionnaire development and testing, sampling, data collection, data processing, and analysis. Dr. Lau has used multiple modes—mobile phone, face-to-face, and web—to study diverse topics around the world. He has conducted public opinion surveys with the general public and special populations for the U.S. State Department, USAID, and the Pew Research Center. With the U.S. CDC, he supported Ministries of Health in 10 countries to use mobile phones for disease surveillance. Dr. Lau also led a program of nationally representative surveys on technology adoption with over 200,000 respondents in 12 countries.
His scientific research focuses on improving data quality through innovative survey methods, sampling, and measurement strategies. He has published more than 20 peer-reviewed articles in journals, such as the International Journal of Public Opinion Research, Survey Research Methods, and the Journal of International Development, and recently served as an Expert Panel Member and Co-Moderator for a U.S. National Academies of Sciences panel on the quality of international survey data. Dr. Lau holds a PhD in Sociology and Masters in Epidemiology from the University of California, Los Angeles and a BA in Sociology from Brown University.