Live Online Operational Excellence in Data Collection, Survey Design & Mobile Tools Training Course
Live online, instructor-led · next cohort Nov 2, 2026 · from USD 800
Decisions on programmes, policy and investment are only as good as the data behind them, and weak questionnaires, biased samples and untidy field operations quietly corrupt results. Five days teach you how to run data collection that stands up to scrutiny. You learn survey planning, question writing and testing, sampling and sample size, translation and piloting, then move to building digital forms with skip logic, constraints and calculations in KoboToolbox, ODK and similar tools. Further sessions cover enumerator training, tablet and phone deployment, offline collection, GPS and photo capture, supervision, back-checks, data cleaning and secure storage.
The programme suits survey managers, research officers, monitoring and evaluation staff, field supervisors, data managers, statisticians and programme officers in NGOs, government bureaus, universities, market research firms and development projects. Participants build and test a real form on their own device and run a mock field exercise with live monitoring. Afterwards you can design a questionnaire fit for purpose, choose a defensible sampling approach, configure a mobile data collection workflow, monitor incoming submissions for quality problems and prepare a clean dataset for analysis. Join in a classroom, online or in-house, and receive a CPD-accredited certificate.
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 collect more data than ever, from household surveys and baseline studies to facility assessments and customer feedback, yet much of it cannot be trusted. Ambiguous questions, inconsistent interviewing, lost paper forms and late discovery of errors waste budgets and weaken evidence. Mobile tools have made it possible to collect faster and with built-in checks, but only when the survey has been designed properly and the field operation is well managed.
This programme covers the whole data collection chain in a single week. Participants begin by defining information needs and choosing between quantitative, qualitative and mixed approaches. They then practise questionnaire design, response scales, ethics and consent, sampling methods and sample size determination. The central sessions are practical: building forms in KoboToolbox and ODK with validation rules, repeat groups and multilingual labels, loading them onto devices, and managing servers, user permissions and sync. Later sessions cover enumerator recruitment and training, pilot testing, supervision, monitoring dashboards, spot checks and back-checks, plus data cleaning, documentation and protection of respondents' information.
Instruction relies on guided labs and a live field simulation in which participants collect, monitor and clean data. Each person leaves with a tested form, a field manual outline and a data quality plan.
Training Objectives
Participants will be able to:
- Translate research questions into a survey design and data collection plan.
- Write clear, unbiased questions and choose suitable response formats.
- Select a sampling approach and calculate a defensible sample size.
- Build mobile forms with skip logic, constraints, calculations and multiple languages.
- Deploy forms to devices and manage submissions, users and servers.
- Train and supervise enumerators and organise fieldwork logistics.
- Apply quality assurance through monitoring, spot checks and back-checks.
- Clean, document and protect data before analysis.
What you'll learn
Key Takeaways
Participants complete the week with:
- A tested questionnaire translated into a working mobile form.
- A sampling plan with a sample size worksheet.
- An enumerator training outline and field manual skeleton.
- A monitoring checklist covering spot checks and back-checks.
- A data cleaning log and codebook template.
- A data protection and consent checklist for fieldwork.
Training Methodology
Participants learn by building and testing, through:
- Guided labs on KoboToolbox and ODK using participants' own phones or tablets
- A live field simulation with monitoring and back-checks
- Questionnaire clinics where drafts are critiqued by peers
- Worked sampling calculations using spreadsheets
- Short demonstrations of troubleshooting common device problems
Day 1: Planning Data Collection and Survey Design
- From information needs to indicators and survey objectives
- Quantitative, qualitative and mixed method choices
- Types of survey: household, facility, panel and rapid assessments
- Research ethics, consent and respondent protection
- Survey budget, timeline and team structure
- Case study: a baseline survey that went wrong
Day 2: Questionnaire and Sample Design
- Question wording, order and response scales
- Avoiding leading, double-barrelled and sensitive-question bias
- Translation and back-translation
- Probability and non-probability sampling methods
- Sample size, design effect and non-response
- Exercise: drawing a sample and testing questions
Day 3: Building Digital Forms
- Choosing between KoboToolbox, ODK and other mobile platforms
- XLSForm structure: survey, choices and settings sheets
- Skip logic, constraints, calculations and repeat groups
- GPS, photo, audio and barcode capture
- Languages, media and form versioning
- Lab: building and testing a multilingual form
Day 4: Field Operations and Mobile Deployment
- Server setup, user roles and device configuration
- Offline collection, synchronisation and battery management
- Recruiting and training enumerators
- Piloting the tool and revising the form
- Field logistics, security and community entry
- Mock field exercise with live submissions
Day 5: Quality Assurance and Data Management
- Real-time monitoring of submissions, duration and location
- Spot checks, back-checks and enumerator performance review
- Detecting fabrication and outliers
- Cleaning, labelling and documenting datasets
- Secure storage, access control and data sharing
- Exporting to Excel, SPSS, Stata or R and action planning
The course is useful to anyone who plans or runs data collection, particularly:
- Monitoring, evaluation and learning officers
- Survey managers and field coordinators
- Research officers and graduate researchers
- Data managers and information management officers
- Field supervisors and lead enumerators
- Statisticians in national statistics offices and county planning units
- Market and social research analysts
- Programme officers in health, education, agriculture and livelihoods projects
- Consultants who conduct baseline and endline studies
Participants earn a CPD-accredited Certificate of Completion from Vision Reach Global Consultancy by attending all sessions and delivering their working form and data quality plan.
Choose Where You Want to Learn
Operational Excellence 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 Operational Excellence 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 Operational Excellence in Data Collection, Survey Design & Mobile Tools programme, you'll be able to translate research questions into a survey design and data collection plan, write clear, unbiased questions and choose suitable response formats, select a sampling approach and calculate a defensible sample size, and build mobile forms with skip logic, constraints, calculations and multiple languages. The full breakdown of topics is covered session by session in the Course Outline tab above.
The course is useful to anyone who plans or runs data collection, particularly: Monitoring, evaluation and learning officers, Survey managers and field coordinators, Research officers and graduate researchers, Data managers and information management officers, Field supervisors and lead enumerators, Statisticians in national statistics offices and county planning units, Market and social research analysts, Programme officers in health, education, agriculture and livelihoods projects, and Consultants who conduct baseline and endline studies.
Operational Excellence 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.
Operational Excellence 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 Operational Excellence 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 Operational Excellence 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.
Operational Excellence 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 Operational Excellence 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 — Operational Excellence 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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