The data gathering techniques used by the United states
department of treasury:
four different data collection techniques:
1.Observation
2.Questionnaire
3.Interview
4.Focus group discussion
Observation
Seeing is believing, they say. Making direct observations of
simplistic phenomena can be a very quick and effective way of
collecting data with minimal intrusion. Establishing the right
mechanism for making the observation is all you need.
Advantages
- Non-responsive sample subjects are a non-issue when you’re
simply making direct observation.
- If the observation is simple and doesn’t require interpretation
(e.g. the number of cars driving through an intersection per hour),
this model doesn’t require a very extensive and well-tailored
training regime for the survey workforce.
- Infrastructure requirement and preparation time are minimal for
simple observations.
Disadvantages
- More complex observations that ask observers to interpret
something (e.g. how many cars are driving dangerously) require more
complex training and are prone to bias.
- Analysis may rely heavily on experts who must know what to
observe and how to interpret the observations once the data
collection is done.
- There is the possibility of missing out on the complete picture
due to the lack of direct interaction with sample subjects.
Use Case
Making direct observations can be a good way of collecting
simple information about mechanical, orderly tasks, like checking
the number of manual interventions required in a day to keep an
assembly line functioning smoothly.
Questionnaires
Questionnaires, as we consider them here, are stand-alone
instruments of data collection that will be administered to the
sample subjects either through mail, phone or online. They have
long been one of the most popular data collection techniques.
Advantages
- Questionnaires give the researchers an opportunity to carefully
structure and formulate the data collection plan with
precision.
- Respondents can take these questionnaires at a convenient time
and think about the answers at their own pace.
- The reach is theoretically limitless. The questionnaire can
reach every corner of the globe if the medium allows for it.
Disadvantages
- Questionnaires without human intervention (as we have taken
them here) can be quite passive and miss out on some of the finer
nuances, leaving the responses open to interpretation. Interviews
and focus group discussions, as we shall see later, are
instrumental in overcoming this shortfall of questionnaires.
- Response rates can be quite low. Questionnaires can be designed
well by choosing the right question types to optimize response
rates, but very little can be done to encourage the respondents
without directly conversing with them.
Use Case
The survey can be carried out through directly-administered
questionnaires when the sample subjects are relatively well-versed
with the ideas being discussed and comfortable at making the right
responses without assistance. A survey about newspaper reading
habits, for example, would be perfect for this mode.
Interviews
Conducting interviews can help you overcome most of the
shortfalls of the previous two data collection techniques that we
have discussed here by allowing you to build a deeper understanding
of the thinking behind the respondents’ answers.
Advantages
- Interviews help the researchers uncover rich, deep insight and
learn information that they may have missed otherwise.
- The presence of an interviewer can
give the respondents additional comfort while answering the
questionnaire and ensure correct interpretation of the
questions.
- The physical presence of a persistent, well-trained interviewer
can significantly improve the response rate.
Disadvantages
- Reaching out to all respondents to conduct interviews is a
massive, time-consuming exercise that leads to a major increase in
the cost of conducting a survey.
- To ensure the effectiveness of the
whole exercise, the interviewers must be well-trained in the
necessary soft skills and the relevant subject matter.
Use Case
Interviews are the most suitable technique for surveys that
touch upon complex issues like healthcare and family welfare. The
presence of an interviewer to help respondents interpret and
understand the questions can be critical to the success of the
survey.
Focus Group Discussions
Focus group discussions take the interactive benefits of an
interview to the next level by bringing a carefully chosen group
together for a moderated discussion on the subject of the
survey.
Advantages
- The presence of several relevant people together at the same
time can encourage them to engage in a healthy discussion and help
researchers uncover information that they may not have
envisaged.
- It helps the researchers
corroborate the facts instantly; any inaccurate response will most
likely be countered by other members of the focus group.
- It gives the researchers a chance to view both sides of the
coin and build a balanced perspective on the matter.
Disadvantages
- Finding groups of people who are
relevant to the survey and persuading them to come together for the
session at the same time can be a difficult task.
- The presence of excessively loud members in the focus group can
subdue the opinions of those who are less vocal.
- The members of a focus group can often fall prey to group-think
if one of them turns out to be remarkably persuasive and
influential. This will bury the diversity of opinion that may have
otherwise emerged. The moderator of a focus group discussion must
be on guard to prevent this from happening.
Use Case
Focus group discussions with the lecturers of a university can
be a good way of collecting information on ways in which our
education system can be made more research-driven.