DASH

Web Surveys

DASH handles web surveys of any length and complexity. Short surveys may be designed for a scrolling or paging implementation, and long surveys may have any number of question pages. There is no limit to the number of web surveys running in parallel nor to the number of respondents invited to each. Many hundreds of interviews are commonly entered simultaneously in DASH web surveys.

Web surveys are administered through the same forms as for CATI surveys and data entry. Mixed and multiple mode surveys may be designed in a single form with flexible access by CATI or web and with unique components for each mode.

Because DASH is an open platform, companies may customize their web surveys by incorporating their own or other application software into any web survey form.

Web Questionnaire Components

Questions and Text

any number of questions per page, text per question
any world language, any number of languages concurrently
any choice of colour, fonts, highlighting, margins
entry instruction text anywhere needed; help page options

Fields for Entry

radio, check and list fields for precoded lists
alpha fields and text boxes for open-ends; no entry limits
numeric, integer and decimal fields for raw data
display fields for form data, web site link, images

Fixed Option Lists lists unique to one field or shared across many text or images for list items any item value including text, positive/negative number, decimal presentation in single/multiple rows/columns sequential order, randomized, rotated; optional fixed position items	Dynamic Option Lists respondent-specific lists generated during interview built from fixed and/or dynamic lists, specific items, external files generated to any number of levels (e.g. unaided/aided recall series presentation in the order assembled, randomized, rotated
Grids simple grid; each cell in table is independent of all others row grid; questions are rows, option list the columns column grid; questions are columns, option list the rows option lists rotated or randomized where appopriate	Commands extensive options based on Tcl open source scripting language unconditional (always execute)or conditional (filtered) full control over timing of execution reference any kind of data in logic

Entry Controls

Error Checking missing data checks and commands for none, other-specify range checks on raw data items, lists, ranges consistency checks with previous entry or benchmark data summation checks against another field or reference value format checks or 'masks' for postal codes, custom needs	Page Order Controls branching on any combination of conditions rotation of page list/range from fixed or random start randomization of page list/range page skips within randomized/rotated pages for non-qualifiers rotation, randomization, chaining, nesting, filtering of page blocks
Question Customization sample/interview data recall ('piping'); survey personalization respondent-specific 'fills' in question text dynamic alteration of precoded option lists for only relevant items inclusion of previous other-specifies in subsequent lists prompting with date/time reminders based on current date/time	Data Manipulation During Interview execution of math formulas, summations, running tallies dynamic conversions of data to alternate measurement base insertion of dates, times, fixed data during interview response consolidation, back-edits, incidence counting, recoding

Web Survey Execution

Creating Email Invitations any text and/or HTML file or script for body of invitation personalization with insertions of sample file data at any location all components assembled on a single menu	Generating the URL menu-generated url with unique password for each email address optional assignment of interview language, post-interview web page in url embedding of url at any location in text of invitation
Issuing Email Invitations user-controlled issuing of email invitations optional attachment of separate file easy procedure for issuing reminder notices to incomplete cases	Interview Access Controls one-time limit or allow return to case resumption of interview at point of interruption user-controlled time-out for abandoned cases
Web Page Navigation text or graphical navigation buttons any order for selected buttons at top and/or bottom option to embed logo, progress bar on either button row	Quotas any number and complexity of quota definitions user-controlled quota termination page(s) 'active' limits (completes plus underway) to prevent overruns

Web Survey Reporting

marginals with full presentation options and weighting
data listings with flexible filters on respondents and fields

HTML tables suitable for web site posting
export options for all/part(s) of data file; data reordering option