Moving to a Centralized Database for Surveys in Blaise at

NASS

Roger SchouNational Agricultural Statistics Service

IBUC XIIRiga, Latvia

NASS – 46 Field Offices

NASS – 6 Data Collection Centers

Virginia

Kentucky

Montana

Wyoming

OklahomaArkansas

Distributed Environment

• HQ-developed instrument typically distributed to 43 field offices

• 43 Blaise datasets• Physical transfer of forms from Data

Collection Centers to Client States• Survey management done in individual

field offices

Centralization Idea

• Blaise 4.8.1 – Storing data in generic tables in a central database

• Enable the Blaise data collection processes to be centralized

• Splash of an idea to centralize one or two applications(CASIC and Survey Management System)

Centralization Idea

• Current Status of Development:– Too many stovepipe applications– Development vacuums– Lack of sharing code

• Duplication of effort – Duplication of functionality– Management has the “I want it now” mentality

Centralization Idea

• Tidal wave - Centralization on an enterprise level– Blaise– Survey Management System– ELMO– Sample Design– EDR/EDC– PRISM– Analysis/Summary

Database Decision• Choosing a database

– Cost– Support– Commonality

• NASS databases– Sybase– Redbrick– FoxPro– Oracle– MySQL Blaise

?

Generic BOI Files

• Blaise creates 8 tables– Blaise_Case– Blaise_Data– Blaise_Dictionary– Blaise_Form– Blaise_ID– Blaise_Key– Blaise_Open– Blaise_Remark

Generic BOI Files

• All surveys will be stored in a fixed, pre-defined structure

• Translation tool to extract the data to our PRISM database (Sybase) will work for all Blaise data

Blaise data PRISM

Translation Tool

Versioning

• We plan on using Blaise versioning• Management made a requirement that

original reported data must be preserved

Folder Structures• At the onset we have to plan on allowing all field

offices to run CATI• Currently planning to continue to use the Blaise

call scheduler• The .BTR, .BOI, .BMI, .BDM, and .BXI files will

be stored in unique folders for each field office (instrument and externals)– It would be nice to store the instrument files (and

externals) in one common folder*

\hqapps\casic\surveyname\\data\casic\surveyname\fo\06\

User Access Rights

• Who can view and/or update the data?• Distributed – Physical Boundaries• Centralized – User Access Controls• Roles

– HQ Statistician– Field Office Statistician– Supervisor Interviewer– Interviewer

User Access Rights

• A policy has been written and management approved

• A team has been assembled to discuss the details and prepare for implementation

Additional CASIC Tables

• Information Tables– Survey Information Table– FIPS Allocation Table– User Information Table

• Sample Master Table• Error Limits Table• Previously Reported Data Table

Initializing the Database

• Three Steps:– Survey Setup (HQ)

• Folder creation– Initialize Preparation (FO)

• Name & address files validated– Initialize (CRON / HQ)

• Populate the database

• Easily monitored by Survey Administrators• Problems easier to isolate

Testing Plans

• Scheduler Testing– Make sure that we did not introduce issues

with the Blaise scheduler across field offices• Load Testing

– Must support a maximum of 600 users simultaneously

• Process Testing– What are the locking issues, if any, between

processes

Benefits

• Real-time reporting of survey progress• Eliminating physical movement of forms• Bringing survey processes together

– Seamless communication between systems– Eliminate “stove-pipe” applications

• Sharing of code

Challenges

• Implementing user access rights• Dealing with Blaise datamodel changes• Coordinating

– Interviewers across the country• Routing cases across call centers

– Multiple modes of data collection– Other processes being centralized

• Bridging the gap between applications during transition

Conclusion

• Exciting time of development• Positive attitude towards centralization

– Anticipating the benefits to be gained• Management is realizing the large scope

– Stepping back and realizing the development process (less of “I want it now”)

• Communication is open and working well• Many processes evolving together

Questions