Comparison
Four methods side by side
A general table for a first idea. Once we see your target audience and questionnaire, we recommend the set-up that fits best.
| Criterion | PAPIFace to face on paper | CAPIFace to face on tablets | CATITelephone interviews | CAWIOnline surveys |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interview channel | Face to face, paper form | Face to face, tablet or computer | Telephone, form on computer | Web link, no interviewer |
| When data is ready | After forms are collected and data is entered | As interviews are uploaded from devices | As each interview ends | As answers arrive |
| What drives cost | Field travel, printing and data entry | Field travel, devices and questionnaire software | Interviewer time and call list | Reaching respondents and reminders |
| Interview depth | Suited to long and sensitive questions | Suited to long questionnaires with many rules | Suited to short questions that can be read aloud | Suited to questions respondents understand alone |
| Best suited to | Fields where devices or connectivity are difficult | Complex questionnaires, quotas tracked closely | Respondents spread across different cities | Audiences with high internet use and a contact list |
- PAPIFace to face on paperView method
- Interview channel
- Face to face, paper form
- When data is ready
- After forms are collected and data is entered
- What drives cost
- Field travel, printing and data entry
- Interview depth
- Suited to long and sensitive questions
- Best suited to
- Fields where devices or connectivity are difficult
- CAPIFace to face on tabletsView method
- Interview channel
- Face to face, tablet or computer
- When data is ready
- As interviews are uploaded from devices
- What drives cost
- Field travel, devices and questionnaire software
- Interview depth
- Suited to long questionnaires with many rules
- Best suited to
- Complex questionnaires, quotas tracked closely
- CATITelephone interviewsView method
- Interview channel
- Telephone, form on computer
- When data is ready
- As each interview ends
- What drives cost
- Interviewer time and call list
- Interview depth
- Suited to short questions that can be read aloud
- Best suited to
- Respondents spread across different cities
- CAWIOnline surveysView method
- Interview channel
- Web link, no interviewer
- When data is ready
- As answers arrive
- What drives cost
- Reaching respondents and reminders
- Interview depth
- Suited to questions respondents understand alone
- Best suited to
- Audiences with high internet use and a contact list
Selection guide
Which method suits you?
Answer three questions and see the methods that stand out. We finalise the set-up together once we see your questionnaire and target audience.
Methods that stand out for your answers
- PAPIFace to face on paper
- CAPIFace to face on tablets
- CATITelephone interviews
- CAWIOnline surveys
Suitable methods appear here as you choose.
Get a quote for this set-upMethods
We run the fieldwork in every method
PAPIFace to face on paperWe run your paper-and-pencil face-to-face fieldwork end to end: we build and train the interviewer team, collect the forms from the field, carry out controlled data entry and deliver clean data.
CAPIFace to face on tabletsWe set up your tablet-based face-to-face fieldwork: the questionnaire is tested on the device, interviewers are trained on both the questionnaire and the device, and interviews are checked as they come in.
CATITelephone interviewsWe manage your telephone fieldwork from one centre: we train the interviewer team, set up the call and appointment plan, check interviews and deliver clean data, wherever in the country your respondents are.
CAWIOnline surveysWe manage your online survey end to end: we set up the questionnaire to work smoothly on every device, plan link distribution and reminders, filter out careless answers and deliver clean data.
Mixed mode
Several methods in one project
Some audiences are hard to reach through one channel. In that case we combine methods: on tablets in city centres, on paper where connectivity is weak, and by phone for respondents who can’t be reached face to face.
In a mixed-mode set-up, the questionnaire must follow the same flow in every channel and the data must merge into one structure. We plan this before going into the field.
- PAPI
- CAPI
- CATI
- CAWI
One data structure