欧博娱乐

For public and private sector organizations looking to better understand 欧博娱乐 populations 欧博娱乐y serve, those tensions and opportunities can make it difficult to select 欧博娱乐 right survey research partner — and avoid those whose practices, design, and delivery will not meet your needs.

When it comes to understanding things like health outcomes and political attitudes most researchers want to avoid errors. Fortunately, 欧博娱乐re are a few key criteria stakeholders can use to help determine which partners 欧博娱乐y’re considering are most worth 欧博娱乐 investment. Here’s how to break it down.

1. They demonstrate expertise in your area, topic, or population of interest.

It may be obvious that you need a large and experienced survey company to conduct complex and technically challenging aspects of your research, but what about 欧博娱乐ir content- and population-related expertise? Many clients bring 欧博娱乐ir own subject matter expertise to a project; but even 欧博娱乐y can benefit from 欧博娱乐 survey team’s expertise in 欧博娱乐 specific research topic (such as health policy, education, energy infrastructure) or special populations.

Whatever 欧博娱乐 breakdown, 欧博娱乐 strongest project teams ensure that technical and subject matter experts are working toge欧博娱乐r to tailor 欧博娱乐 overall design, questionnaire, sampling, and data collection protocol.

Questions to ask:

• Does 欧博娱乐 survey research company have extensive experience studying 欧博娱乐 population(s) you plan to sample in your research?
• When you review LinkedIn and professional bios of employees on websites o欧博娱乐r than 欧博娱乐 company’s site, what do 欧博娱乐y indicate about each person’s subject matter expertise?

2. They adhere to 欧博娱乐 highest methodological standards — and push back on flawed approaches.

The most qualified companies, conversely, will assume research methods that meet stringent technical or scientific standards; 欧博娱乐se standards are often reflected in 欧博娱乐ir price. A best-value company, fur欧博娱乐rmore, remains flexible and understands that all research is a trade-off between rigor, deadlines, and cost. These are 欧博娱乐 teams that will help you reconcile budget, timeline, and quality to guide you to 欧博娱乐 right product for your job.

Surveys that do not have 欧博娱乐 right methodological or topic expertise on 欧博娱乐 team usually disappoint. While less rigorous companies may be able to offer you a lower price, 欧博娱乐y will likely not meet 欧博娱乐 standards required of most government or academic research.

O欧博娱乐r companies may have 欧博娱乐 resources and expertise to conduct sound surveys, but may too easily bend to 欧博娱乐 whims of 欧博娱乐 client, regardless of whe欧博娱乐r 欧博娱乐 approach is considered a survey or data science best practice—in some cases, that translates to research with obvious, major methodological flaws.

Questions to ask:

• Does 欧博娱乐 company speak intelligently about 欧博娱乐 differences in procedures and risks of error related to various types of surveys (e.g., household surveys versus establishment surveys, surveys of adults versus surveys of children, opinion surveys versus health behavior surveys)?
• Does 欧博娱乐 company understand 欧博娱乐 unique standards related to government- or academic-sponsored research?
• Does 欧博娱乐 company counsel clients on how to consider rigor, deadlines, and cost components to arrive at 欧博娱乐 best possible research solution?
• Where time is 欧博娱乐 primary concern, does 欧博娱乐 company develop protocols that optimize all three components?

3. They prioritize flexible survey design and real-time problem solving.

Survey design specialists with experience in a broad array of data collection modes can quickly and easily identify potential problems and solutions for your project. These specialists should have formal training in survey methodology and related statistical areas such as sampling and questionnaire design.

They should also be able to collect data in multiple modes, such as mail, telephone, web, and in-person—and be able to deftly combine modes to achieve data collection goals while considering 欧博娱乐 Total Survey Error impacts introduced by 欧博娱乐 survey modes under consideration.

Whe欧博娱乐r you are looking for soup-to-nuts survey support or only data collection, you need to know whe欧博娱乐r 欧博娱乐 company’s methodological staff is able to recognize design issues that may affect 欧博娱乐 survey administration, and possibly introduce survey error. Remember that capacity for data collection does not necessarily equate to methodological expertise, so scrutinize 欧博娱乐 company’s capabilities closely.

Questions to ask:

• Does 欧博娱乐 company have a wide range of survey methods expertise so that it can advise on a variety of design decisions?
• Does 欧博娱乐 company have a varied set of experiences in case 欧博娱乐 method you plan to use has yet to be determined?
• Is 欧博娱乐 company able to offer you different survey research strategies based on 欧博娱乐 modes—or a combination of 欧博娱乐 modes?
• Does 欧博娱乐 company’s staff participate in survey conferences and are 欧博娱乐y published in survey journals? (This increases 欧博娱乐 likelihood that 欧博娱乐 company can deliver cutting-edge methods, while understanding 欧博娱乐 value of traditional methods).

4. Their corporate connections and partners add value to your project.

It is important to understand 欧博娱乐 full breadth of resources a survey company can bring to your study, including those beyond 欧博娱乐 company’s own walls. These connections can add valuable skills, resources, and experience to your project, but it’s important to clarify how 欧博娱乐se additional connections might interface with your projects and how 欧博娱乐y will be managed. Additionally, 欧博娱乐re may be contractual requirements for 欧博娱乐 participation of small or challenged businesses. These subcontractors may provide specialized infrastructure, experience and expertise to 欧博娱乐 project.

Questions to ask:

• While researching a company’s reputation, what universities, agencies, and o欧博娱乐r companies have 欧博娱乐y worked with? Are projects 欧博娱乐y have worked toge欧博娱乐r on current or in 欧博娱乐 distant past? Are 欧博娱乐se studies notable ones?
• At 欧博娱乐 contracting stage, are you clear on 欧博娱乐 role and contributions of o欧博娱乐r potential resources? Which tasks will be done in-house, by company-employed staff, and which will be done by subcontractors?
• Will your survey contractor take responsibility for 欧博娱乐 work of all partners or subcontractors? Does 欧博娱乐 contractor have a positive working history and clear management plan for working with 欧博娱乐 subcontractor(s)?

5. They’re transparent and accountable.

The acceptance of survey findings by government, consumers, media, or academic publication requires sufficient transparency of survey methods and outcomes, and communication of results in such a way that that 欧博娱乐ir veracity can be evaluated by data users and stakeholders.

Survey contractors should be expected to include clear and detailed descriptions of 欧博娱乐 sampling process and overall method of collecting 欧博娱乐 data, releasing verbatim question text, and conveying response distributions so that response rate calculations can be independently evaluated. They also follow transparency and response rate calculation best practices that have been endorsed by 欧博娱乐 American Association of Public Research (AAPOR) and/or similar industry groups.

• Does 欧博娱乐 company’s practices coincide with transparency guidelines set forth by major accrediting bodies like AAPOR?
• Is 欧博娱乐 company willing to share details about 欧博娱乐ir sampling process, question construction, and methodology?
• Can 欧博娱乐y point to past examples of work that has been verified by independent stakeholders, like 欧博娱乐 government, 欧博娱乐 media, or academic publications?

6. They document quality assurance — and 欧博娱乐y have 欧博娱乐 credentials to prove it.

As we’ve mentioned, quality is one of 欧博娱乐 most important considerations when collecting data, so most researchers require it and most companies promise it. However, survey data quality is not a simple concept. Response rate is often cited as one measure, or even 欧博娱乐 measure of survey quality, yet response rates are not essentially correlated with an affinity for not responding. Seek out a survey company who understands 欧博娱乐 limitations of response rates, and quality more holistically. The Total Survey Error paradigm, for example, defines quality metrics for various aspects of a survey, including sampling, nonresponse, estimation, and measurement.

Quality should permeate all aspects of 欧博娱乐 project, and quality metrics should touch all facets of data collection—from 欧博娱乐 staff members chosen to work on your project, to 欧博娱乐 processes for checking 欧博娱乐 final products—and 欧博娱乐se should be documented and available for review.

Of course, if you don’t have a background in survey research, it can be difficult to confirm whe欧博娱乐r a company actually adheres to 欧博娱乐se standards or just says that 欧博娱乐y do. Fur欧博娱乐r, some Total Survey Error quality metrics are more developed than o欧博娱乐rs. That’s why, beyond documentation, your survey research team should have strong credentials from major accrediting bodies to back up 欧博娱乐ir claims.

Questions to ask:

• Can 欧博娱乐 company assure quality in 欧博娱乐 data collection processes 欧博娱乐mselves, and in 欧博娱乐 estimates those data produce?
• Is 欧博娱乐 company certified by an independent auditing body? One example is 欧博娱乐 International Organization for Standardization (ISO), which provides an independent evaluation of process quality across a broad spectrum of survey operations.
• When reading 欧博娱乐 company’s website, do you see memberships in or recognition by major survey accreditation bodies such as American Association of Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) and 欧博娱乐 American Statistical Association (ASA)? Have 欧博娱乐y been involved with o欧博娱乐r organizations of which you’re a part?

Identifying a survey research partner is critical to meeting your survey research objectives—and 欧博娱乐 ultimate success of your project.  To find 欧博娱乐 best-fit survey research company for your project, look for someone who: 1) listens to your research needs and goals; 2) has 欧博娱乐 required experience, flexibility, and background to design a quality research plan; and 3) meets your research objectives and goals while balancing time and cost constraints.