Collecting data using SMS with KoBoCollect

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Michael Hulet

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Aug 4, 2015, 4:33:33 AM8/4/15
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Dear all,

At BlueSquare we are working on CVS (Community Verification Satisfaction) projects. We collect data mainly in South Kivu. Surveyors interview people in the community about the quality of service they received from school or health centers/hospitals. Their answers have an influence on the payment the service provider will receive from NGOs. That's part of the RBF (Results Based Financing) program.

We would like to collect data using SMS as the availability of network is limited and surveyors won't have access to internet while collecting data. Forms are small and we already did it with feature phones quite successfully. Now we are looking for a solution to collect data using an ODK Android app (with synchronized forms) and submitting data using SMS.

Is it doable with KoBoCollect?
How would you handle this challenge?

Thanks in advance for your valued answers.

Michael

Ted Johnson

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Aug 5, 2015, 3:45:53 AM8/5/15
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Michael,

Since nobody has responded to your question yet vis-a-vis KoBoCollect, I think that DataWinners does what you need if what you mean is:

Collect data by smartphone app (ODK based) OR submit data by SMS. With DataWinners you can create forms that can be submitted either of these ways or by a Web form.

If what you mean is that you want a smartphone app that converts the form data to an SMS, then no, that is not what DataWinners does, and I don't know if KoBoCollect does that either.

For more information, go to this page and click the "Receive Accurate Data" icon, which shows how the SMS channel works:





I hope this is helpful. Let me know if you have any questions:

Vinck, Patrick

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Aug 5, 2015, 9:30:38 AM8/5/15
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Hi Michael,

 

You are correct that KoBoCollect does not support sending the forms as SMS at the moment. We do have quite a bit of experience working in the Kivus, however.

As you probably know, forms are saved on the devices and stay there until you have connectivity. Our approach is generally to have the interviews done during the day and connect to a 3G cellphone network or wifi network to sync the data once it is available.

 

If you need the SMS feature then I don’t think it has been fully implemented yet within the open—source/free ODK community, lthough it is entierely possible to do. There are fee-based solutions (I think MAgpi supports SMS, not familiar with datawinners), and there are a number of other tools out there that focus on sms data collection (rapid sms,…) .

 

Hope this helps, and good luck with the project,

 

Patrick

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