2. Content of the Presentation
Components of the Mobile Data
Collection Platform
The PartMe Platform and features
Introduction to PartMe System
Getting started with the Data Collection
Tool
The PartMe system – Benefits so far
3. Components of the Mobile Data
Collection Platform
An open source tool built on an android
platform
Based on Google Technologies.
tools for designing complex studies
collecting data using a variety of mobile
devices (cell-phones, smart-phones, PDAs,
net-books, etc.) and managing the data that
is collected
4. Components of the Mobile Data
Collection Platform
Clients – these consist of the net-
books and handhelds (Android phones)
Server – it is an online system where
all information is stored, managed,
edited etc
5. Components of the Mobile Data
Collection Platform cont’d
Users – site admin, field officers,
programme officers, and others who need
access to the forms and other necessary
information
Users are able to Upload & Download
information in the form of Questionnaires
and Filled forms.
6. Components of the Mobile Data
Collection Platform cont’d
Uploads – questionnaires/forms
Downloads – questionnaires/forms are
downloaded on to clients i.e. net-books and
phones
7. Components of the Mobile Data
Collection Platform cont’d
Inputs – these are questionnaires/
forms that are uploaded onto the server
for access by users/clients
8. Components of the Mobile Data
Collection Platform cont’d
Engine – the engine transcribes
questionnaires/forms in to electronic format
(XFORMS) that can be deployed and
rendered on mobile devices.
It combines the software component
together to produce an output understood
by the clients and users.
It uses a mobile data application known as
the Open Data Collect (ODK).
9. Components of the Mobile Data
Collection Platform cont’d
The android application is run on soft phones
whiles an emulator is used on the net-
books to act like a phone to render these
forms
XML stands for eXtensible Markup Language
and is designed to transport and store data.
XML tags are not predefined.
This used in writing scripts for questionnaires
onto the PartMe system
15. Introduction to PartMe System
cont’d
Opendata Kit (ODK) is a free and open-source set of
tools which help organizations author, field, and
manage mobile data collection solutions. ODK
provides out-of-the-box solution for users to:
Build a data collection form or survey
Collect the data on a mobile device and send it to a server;
and
Aggregate the collected data on a server and extract the
useful formats
16. Introduction to PartMe System
Users work through the prompts and can save the
submission at any point
Finalized submissions can be sent to (and new forms
downloaded from) a server
Currently ODK Collect uses Android platform, supports a
wide variety of prompts (text, number, location,
multimedia, barcodes), and works well without
network connectivity
This application is fairly simple and straight-forward to use
17. Getting started with the Data
Collection Tool
To launch the application look for the ODK Collect
icon from the apps screen
18. Getting started with the Data
Collection Tool cont’d
After launching the application, you are presented
with the following screen with buttons which link to
the set of features available
19. Getting started with the Data
Collection Tool cont’d
Get Blank Form: This option allows you to pick up any
or all of the forms available to your (What happens in
the case of updates)
Delete Saved Form: This form allows you to delete
forms saved on your device. You can also delete blank
forms that have been previously downloaded
20. Getting started with the Data
Collection Tool cont’d
This slide take you through each feature in detail
Get Blank Form: This allows you to download available survey
forms from the server to your device.
Select which forms you wish to download. You can also select all
forms with the “Toggle All” button
Initiate the upload by tapping on the “Get Selected” button also
found at the bottom of the screen.
21. Getting started with the Data
Collection Tool cont’d
Fill Blank Form: a list of all the different survey forms you
have downloaded to your device. The details are the form
name and the date and time they were added. From this screen
select the form you wish to work on
22. Getting started with the Data
Collection Tool cont’d
The first screen introduces you to the form and
provides instructions on how to get through the form.
23. Getting started with the Data
Collection Tool cont’d
Each screen as you go through the form covers a single
question, with possible answers or a free form field where
applicable. The free form boxes always come with a keypad see
screen below
24. Getting started with the Data
Collection Tool cont’d
After choosing or entering an answer swipe, to go to the next
screen.
At any point you can save your incomplete form but hitting the
menu option > Save Form
Allows the form to be
saved.
Takes you back to the
summary screen.
25. Getting started with the Data
Collection Tool cont’d
You may also use the “Go To Prompt” button to return to the
Summary screen. From here you can address specific questions
in the order you prefer
26. Getting started with the Data
Collection Tool cont’d
Once you complete the form you will have a chance to rename
the form and mark as finalized. This means it is ready to be
uploaded
You can change the
name of the form.
Select to mark form as
final.
27. Getting Started with PartMe
System cont’d
You can also quit the form by hitting the “return” button. At
which point you can choose to “Save Changes” or “Ignore
Changes” and quit the application
28. Getting started with the Data
Collection Tool cont’d
Edit Saved Form: list of all survey forms you have saved. The
details shown here are the form name and the date and time
they were last saved to your device
From this screen select the form you wish to work on
29. Getting started with the Data
Collection Tool cont’d
You are now presented with a summary of the form.
The questions and answers you have provided
Tap on the item you want to change, this takes you
to a screen with the questions and the input box
To go through the form, you may swipe through the
screens as before or use the “Go To Start” and
“Go To End” buttons at the bottom of the screen
At any point you can save your incomplete form but
hitting the menu option > Save Form.
30. Getting started with the Data
Collection Tool cont’d
You may also use the “Go To Prompt” button to return to the Summary
screen. From here you can address specific questions in the order you
prefer.
You can also quit the form by hitting the “return” button. At which point
you can choose to “Save Changes” or “Ignore changes” and quit the form
31. Getting started with the Data
Collection Tool cont’d
Send Finalized Form: This screen allows you to upload your
completed forms to the server. On this screen you will be
presented with a list of all survey forms you have marked as
finalized. The details shown here are the form name and the
date and time they were finalized
Tap the forms to select which forms you wish
to upload. You can also select all forms with the
“Toggle All” button at the bottom of the screen
Once there are items selected, initiate the upload
by tapping on the “Send Selected” button also found
at the bottom of the screen
32. Getting Started with PartMe
System cont’d
You will be required to enter your username and password to
complete the upload
If there are no errors with the login details entered and the
connection to a server has been established, the application
would then proceed to send the form and provide the user with
the progress and result of the upload
33. Getting started with the Data
Collection Tool cont’d
You will see this prompt on successful upload
34. Getting started with the Data
Collection Tool cont’d
Delete Saved Forms: This screen allows you to delete both
saved forms and blank forms. Tap the tabs on the top of the
screen to switch between lists
To delete either type of form, tap the forms to select which
forms you wish to delete and hit the “Delete Selected” button at
the bottom of the screen and confirm to Delete
35. Glossary
Upload: To sending data from a local system (in this case the
Android device) to a web server or another device
Download: To receive data to a local system (in this case the
Android device) from a web server or another device
Server also (web servers): Web server can refer to either the
hardware (the computer) or the software (the computer
application) that helps to deliver Web content that can be
accessed through the Internet. The most common use of web
servers is to host websites, but there are other uses such as
gaming, data storage or running enterprise applications
Client: A software application or system that accesses a service
made available by a server.
36. Outcome of data collected using
the system
Exported Data from the PartMe System
into an Excel sheet
Data exported to SPSS for analysis
Example of frequencies from data
analyzed
37. The PartMe system – Benefits so
far
Timeliness in receiving questionnaires and
submitting completed questionnaires/data
from field (an average of 6 weeks to 2
weeks)
Reduced cumbersome coding, data entry
and cleaning processes resulting in quick
data analysis and reporting
Prevented loss of questionnaires both
uncompleted and completed through
public means of transport
38. The PartMe system – Benefits so
far cont’d
Reduced cost of sending and receiving
parcels to and from the district partners
Increased accessibility of accurate and
relevant data and information for
effective PM&E
Ability of FNGOs and DHMCs to use the
system to transmit data/information
