Use of Tablet Computers to Implement the Local

Governance Performance Index (LGPI) in Tunisia

Lindsay J. Benstead - Assistant Professor of Political Science, Portland State University Kristen Kao - Research Fellow, The Program on Governance and Local Development, University of

Gothenburg Pierre F. Landry - Professor of Political Science, Director of Global China Studies, New York University -

Shanghai Ellen M. Lust - Professor of Political Science, University of Gothenburg, Director of the Program on

Governance and Local Development Dhafer Malouche - Associate Professor of Statistics, University of Carthage

Drawn from Experience with Local Governance Performance Index (LGPI) in Tunisia, 2015

Examine Opportunities, Challenges and Recommendations, focus on issues of Survey Methodology

Questionnaire Development and ProgrammingOpportunities: Develop and implement complex questionnairesBetter capabilities for implementing experiments Randomization of modules, questions and items

Challenges: Tablets have advantages but also disadvantages

need different mindset, including at the design stage

Recommendations:Design and program the survey directly into the interfaceConsider carefully how earlier randomization procedures affect later onesHow correction vs. confirmations of answers should be allowed?

SamplingProcess: -6 of 24 governorates-Households randomly sampled using PPS -Points of light data used as a proxy for local population density, GPS Locations

Reaching Final Sampling Areas

SamplingOpportunities: Aids interviewers reach right location – esp. GPS samplingRandom selection of the respondent (the “Kish grid”)

Challenges: Does not fully solve the challenge of sampling manipulation by interviewers

Recommendations:Do not allow survey to go backwards and redo the Kish table

Pre-Testing and Piloting

Opportunities: Maximum benefit from a field pilot because the data is coded immediately Easier and less conspicuous use of recording focus groups, behavior coding, and cognitive interviewing

Challenges: Serious ethical considerations and political risks

Recommendations:Run pre-tests multiple times and pilot a few weeks before you want to fieldWrite the costs of using these techniques into budgets

Quality-Control and Data Forensics

Opportunities: Review data every night allows for early identification of need for more training or possible cheating Detect errors before survey is complete

Recommendations:Use tablet features in data forensics, particularly time stampsProgram the timer to stop when interviews are suspended and to note when cases are closed and reopened

Final Thoughts

Tablets allow new opportunities to improve surveys, and methodology

Use of tablets for CAPI, crowdsourcing and SMS surveys differ

Concerns about tablets should be vs. reality of pen-and-paper surveys, not utopia

Amiseginalew!Thank you!

Merci! شكرا Tack! 谢谢！