Live Online Best Practices in Data Collection, Survey Design & Mobile Tools Training Course
Live online, instructor-led · next cohort Nov 2, 2026 · from USD 800
Reports, evaluations and policy decisions are only as reliable as the data behind them, and poorly worded questions, biased samples or untrained enumerators quietly undermine all three. Five days equip research and programme teams to collect data that stands up to scrutiny. You work through research questions and indicators, questionnaire writing, question types and skip logic, sampling methods and sample size, translation, ethics and informed consent, and enumerator training. The mobile side is fully practical: building XLSForms, deploying them on KoboToolbox, ODK and CommCare, collecting offline, capturing GPS and photos, syncing and monitoring submissions on a server.
The last sessions cover data quality checks, back-checks, cleaning, documentation and secure storage. M&E officers, researchers, survey coordinators, programme managers, statisticians, field supervisors and students in NGOs, government, universities and research firms will gain directly. Delivery is in the classroom, online or in-house, with a CPD-accredited Certificate of Completion at the end. You leave able to design a survey from concept to analysis-ready dataset, pilot it on devices and manage a field team with confidence in the numbers they bring back.
At a Glance
How Live Online Training Works
Live online training, led by a trainer in real time, for participants anywhere.
More about live online training →- Format
- Live online, instructor-led
- Duration
- Mon - Fri (5 Days)
- Fee
- USD 800 (KES 80,000)
- Next start dates
- Nov 2, 2026, Nov 30, 2026, Dec 28, 2026
- Certificate
- Certificate of Completion
- What you need
- A computer with a reliable internet connection, a webcam and a headset
About this course
Organisations in development, health, agriculture and business now collect more data than ever, yet much of it cannot be trusted because the design and fieldwork were rushed. Ambiguous questions, convenience samples, missing consent procedures and unsupervised data entry all produce results that mislead decision makers. Mobile data collection has removed paper and double entry, but it has also made it easy to deploy a flawed form at scale.
This training course covers the whole survey process and the mobile tools that support it. Participants begin by linking the research purpose to indicators and then write and test questions that respondents can answer accurately. They learn probability and non-probability sampling, sample size calculation and weighting basics, and the ethical safeguards required when collecting personal data. Practical sessions teach XLSForm design, validation rules, repeat groups, cascading selects and multilingual forms, followed by deployment and monitoring with KoboToolbox, ODK Central and CommCare.
Participants work in teams on a live mini-survey: they draft the instrument, program it, pilot it on tablets or phones, review the submitted data and apply cleaning rules. Sessions also address supervision structures, daily quality dashboards and responsible data handling after fieldwork.
Training Objectives
By the end of the course, participants will be able to:
- Translate research questions into indicators and a clear data collection plan.
- Write unbiased questions and structure questionnaires with logical flow.
- Select appropriate sampling methods and calculate sample sizes.
- Build, test and deploy forms in XLSForm, KoboToolbox, ODK and CommCare.
- Apply informed consent, confidentiality and data protection practice.
- Train and supervise enumerators and monitor data quality during fieldwork.
- Clean, document and securely store survey data for analysis.
What you'll learn
Key Takeaways
Participants leave with:
- A tested questionnaire and an XLSForm they built during the course.
- A sampling plan and sample size worksheet.
- A deployed mobile form and an understanding of server management.
- An enumerator training outline and field supervision checklist.
- A set of data quality checks and back-check procedures.
- A data management and protection protocol for their next survey.
Training Methodology
The course is a workshop in which participants build a working survey. It relies on:
- Hands-on labs using KoboToolbox, ODK and CommCare on laptops and phones
- A team mini-survey piloted during the week
- Exercises in question writing, sampling and quality checking
- Review of sample forms and datasets with common errors
- Group feedback on each team's instrument and plan
Day 1: Planning the Data Collection
- From research questions to indicators and variables
- Quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods
- Choosing a survey type: cross-sectional, panel, rapid assessment
- Survey ethics, consent and safeguarding respondents
- Workplan, budget and field logistics
- Exercise: drafting a data collection plan
Day 2: Questionnaire Design
- Question types, response scales and wording pitfalls
- Sequencing, skip logic and respondent burden
- Sensitive topics and reducing social desirability bias
- Translation and back-translation
- Cognitive testing and piloting
- Exercise: writing and critiquing questions
Day 3: Sampling
- Population, sampling frames and units
- Simple random, systematic, stratified and cluster sampling
- Sample size calculation, design effect and non-response
- Purposive and snowball approaches for qualitative work
- Selecting households and respondents in the field
- Exercise: drawing a sample
Day 4: Mobile Data Collection Tools
- Choosing between KoboToolbox, ODK and CommCare
- XLSForm structure: survey, choices and settings sheets
- Constraints, relevance, calculations and repeat groups
- GPS, photos, audio and barcode capture
- Deploying forms, offline collection and syncing
- Lab: building and testing a form on a device
Day 5: Field Management, Quality and Data Handling
- Recruiting and training enumerators
- Daily monitoring, dashboards and spot checks
- Back-checks and detecting fabricated interviews
- Data cleaning, labelling and codebooks
- Secure storage, sharing and data protection
- Course review and survey roll-out plan
The course is designed for people who plan, run or use surveys, including:
- Monitoring and evaluation officers and managers
- Research officers and survey coordinators
- Programme managers who commission baselines and assessments
- Field supervisors and enumerator trainers
- Statisticians and data managers
- Public health and agricultural extension researchers
- Graduate students and university research staff
- Market research and consultancy staff
Participants who attend the sessions and complete the practical labs receive a CPD-accredited Certificate of Completion from Vision Reach Global Consultancy.
Choose Where You Want to Learn
Best Practices in Data Collection, Survey Design & Mobile Tools Training Course Venues
KenyaNairobiNext Nov 9· 13 dates$1,500- KenyaMombasaNext Oct 26· 13 dates$1,600
- KenyaNaivashaNext Nov 2· 13 dates$1,500
- KenyaKisumuNext Oct 26· 13 dates$1,500
- KenyaMachakosNext Nov 2· 13 dates$1,600
UgandaKampalaNext Nov 2· 13 dates$1,900
RwandaKigaliNext Oct 26· 13 dates$1,900
TanzaniaArushaNext Nov 9· 13 dates$1,900- TanzaniaDodomaNext Oct 26· 13 dates$1,800
- TanzaniaDar es SalaamNext Oct 26· 13 dates$2,000
- TanzaniaZanzibarNext Nov 16· 13 dates$2,600
NigeriaLagosNext Nov 16· 13 dates$2,800- NigeriaAbujaNext Nov 9· 13 dates$2,800
South AfricaPretoriaNext Nov 2· 13 dates$3,200- South AfricaJohannesburgNext Nov 2· 13 dates$3,400
- South AfricaCape TownNext Oct 26· 13 dates$3,800
UAEDubaiNext Oct 26· 13 dates$3,800
GhanaAccraNext Nov 16· 13 dates$4,500
Scroll sideways to see all 18 cities →
Frequently Asked Questions About Live Online Best Practices in Data Collection, Survey Design & Mobile Tools Training Course
Everything you need to know about this course before you register.
By the end of the Best Practices in Data Collection, Survey Design & Mobile Tools programme, you'll be able to translate research questions into indicators and a clear data collection plan, write unbiased questions and structure questionnaires with logical flow, select appropriate sampling methods and calculate sample sizes, and build, test and deploy forms in xlsform, kobotoolbox, odk and commcare. The full breakdown of topics is covered session by session in the Course Outline tab above.
The course is designed for people who plan, run or use surveys, including: Monitoring and evaluation officers and managers, Research officers and survey coordinators, Programme managers who commission baselines and assessments, Field supervisors and enumerator trainers, Statisticians and data managers, Public health and agricultural extension researchers, Graduate students and university research staff, and Market research and consultancy staff.
Best Practices in Data Collection, Survey Design & Mobile Tools Training Course typically runs as 5 Days. It's available as in-person classroom, live virtual, and in-house corporate training — every course can also be delivered on-site for your team on dates that suit you.
Best Practices in Data Collection, Survey Design & Mobile Tools Training Course is scheduled in-classroom in Nairobi, Kenya, Mombasa, Kenya, Naivasha, Kenya, and Kisumu, Kenya, and 14 other locations, plus a live interactive virtual classroom you can join from anywhere. Check the schedule panel above for exact upcoming dates and fees in each location.
The next live virtual cohort of Best Practices in Data Collection, Survey Design & Mobile Tools starts November 2, 2026, with new classroom cohorts also running on a rolling basis. Pick a date and location in the schedule panel above, then click "Register for the Course" — it takes a few minutes and your seat is confirmed once payment or a signed purchase order is received.
Yes — delegates who meet the attendance requirement receive a Certificate of Completion for Best Practices in Data Collection, Survey Design & Mobile Tools Training Course from Vision Reach Global Consultancy, issued in the name you register with, so double-check the spelling at checkout.
Best Practices in Data Collection, Survey Design & Mobile Tools Training Course is pitched at intermediate professionals. If you're unsure whether it's the right fit for your current role or background, message our training advisors before you register and they'll help you confirm.
Fees for Best Practices in Data Collection, Survey Design & Mobile Tools Training Course vary by delivery location and format and are shown in real time in the schedule panel above once you pick a date. Register 3 or more delegates on the same course together and a 5% team discount is applied automatically — larger cohorts can request a custom corporate quote.
Yes — Best Practices in Data Collection, Survey Design & Mobile Tools Training Course can be delivered on-site at your offices (or virtually for distributed teams), with case studies and examples tailored to your industry and the specific challenges your team is working through. Switch to the "In-House" tab in the schedule panel above to request a proposal.
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