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Quality & Ethics

Surveysphere Africa > Quality & Ethics

Our Quality Assurance Philosophy

Surveysphere Africa’s quality approach is driven by three strategic principles:

  • Rigor
    We apply scientific and methodological precision to every stage of research — from sampling to data analysis — to ensure the highest degree of validity.
  • Accountability
    Each project follows a transparent process with clear audit trails, checklists, and supervisory structures.
  • Consistency
    Our standards are uniform across all countries and teams, guaranteeing that multi-country data are comparable and consistent.

Pre- Fieldwork Quality Control

The first layer of our quality control begins long before data collection. We emphasize planning, training, and tool design to prevent errors before they occur.

  • Research Design Validation
    Every study begins with a methodological review by our internal technical committee, ensuring that objectives, indicators, and sampling plans are robust, context-specific, and statistically sound. We validate the sample frame, determine appropriate stratification, and ensure all socio-demographic groups are represented accurately.
  • Instrument Design and Translation
    Questionnaires and guides undergo expert review, cognitive testing, and pilot testing to ensure clarity, cultural relevance, and alignment with research goals. All tools are translated and back-translated into local languages to ensure linguistic accuracy and cultural appropriateness. We test digital survey forms for logic consistency, skip patterns, and automatic validations before deployment.
  • Enumerator Recruitment and Training
    Enumerators are selected based on experience, language proficiency, and regional familiarity. Training covers research ethics, consent procedures, interviewing skills, and technical use of data collection tools (ODK, SurveyCTO, KoboToolbox, etc.). A post-training evaluation test ensures only competent and certified enumerators are deployed. Supervisors and quality controllers receive additional training on verification protocols and reporting procedures.
  • Instrument Design and Translation
    Before full rollout, all tools and processes undergo pilot testing in a similar environment to the target population. Lessons from the pilot inform final refinements in question wording, device configuration, and workflow design.

Fieldwork Quality Control

Once fieldwork begins, our multi-layered control structure ensures real-time supervision, monitoring, and verification across all locations.

  • Field Supervision Structure
    Each field team consists of enumerators, team leaders, supervisors, and quality control officers. Supervisors conduct daily briefings, spot checks, and observation visits to ensure protocol adherence. Regional coordinators provide oversight across multiple teams, ensuring consistency in procedures.
  • Digital Data Collection & Real-Time Monitoring
    All quantitative studies use Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI) on Android devices equipped with GPS, timestamps, and logic constraints. Real-time dashboards monitor interview progress, location tracking, and data submission status. The central monitoring team can detect anomalies instantly (e.g., speed of interviews, missing data, GPS mismatch). Automated flagging systems identify outliers and inconsistencies for immediate follow-up.
  • Back-Checks and Re-Interviews
    A minimum of 15–20% of interviews are verified via phone or in-person back-checks by independent quality officers. Re-interviews are conducted where inconsistencies are identified or where GPS or metadata raise quality concerns.
  • Daily Data Review and Feedback
    Field data are reviewed daily by central data validators using online dashboards. Feedback loops ensure errors are corrected immediately, and corrective training is provided on-site where needed. Supervisors submit daily field reports summarizing progress, challenges, and quality observations.

Post- Fieldwork Data Quality Control

After fieldwork, data undergo rigorous cleaning, verification, and validation to ensure full integrity before analysis and reporting

  • Data Cleaning and Logic Checks
    Data are exported from collection platforms and reviewed using Stata, SPSS, R, or Python. Logic checks identify missing values, duplicates, or inconsistent responses. Range and consistency tests ensure every response falls within expected parameters.
  • Statistical Verification
    Sampling weights, standard errors, and confidence intervals are computed and validated. Random data samples are cross-verified with field records and GPS coordinates to confirm authenticity.
  • Qualitative Data Validation
    Transcripts from FGDs and KIIs are reviewed against audio recordings for accuracy and completeness. Content analysis follows a double-coding process to ensure inter-coder reliability. Quotations used in reports are verified for authenticity and contextual correctness.
  • Documentation and Audit Trail
    All projects include a full Quality Control Report documenting training records, back-check logs, and data verification results. Metadata (GPS, timestamps, and interviewer IDs) is archived for future audits.

Data Security and Ethical Compliance

Surveysphere Africa upholds strict data protection and research ethics at every stage.

  • All field staff sign confidentiality and data protection agreements.
  • Respondent consent is obtained prior to participation, in accordance with ESOMAR and GDPR standards.
  • Data are encrypted both in transit and at rest, stored on secure cloud servers with restricted access.
  • We anonymize datasets before sharing with clients or external parties
  • Sensitive studies involving minors or vulnerable populations follow additional ethical clearance protocols

Continuous Quality Improvement

Quality control at Surveysphere Africa is not a one-time process — it is a culture of continuous improvement.

  • We conduct post-project reviews to evaluate what worked well and where processes can improve.
  • Field supervisors and analysts participate in regular capacity-building workshops on new technologies and methodologies.
  • Our internal “Quality Learning Loop” captures lessons from each study and integrates them into future protocols.
  • Performance metrics (error rates, re-interview scores, supervisor ratings) are tracked and used to strengthen future operations.

Technology-Enabled Assurance Systems

These systems allow our central quality team to oversee projects across multiple countries simultaneously, maintaining full visibility and control.

  • ODK & Survey CTO Integration
    All surveys feature in-built skip logic, validation rules, and consistency checks.
  • GPS and Metadata Tracking
    Every interview is geotagged, timestamped, and linked to the enumerator ID.
  • Audio Monitoring
    Random interviews are recorded (with consent) to verify authenticity and adherence to the script.
  • Dashboards
    Live dashboards display response rates, team performance, and error trends in real time.
  • Data Forensics
    Statistical and machine learning tools identify fabricated or suspicious data patterns automatically.

Quality Governance and Accountability

Our Quality Assurance Unit (QAU) operates independently from field operations to ensure objectivity. The unit reports directly to the Research Director and oversees all aspects of quality planning, auditing, and verification.

  • Developing standard operating procedures (SOPs)
  • Certifying field staff and partners
  • Conducting independent quality audits
  • Maintaining a centralized Quality Knowledge Repository for reference and training

Partnership and Compliance

We maintain full compliance with ESOMAR International Code, ISO 20252 Market, Opinion, and Social Research Standards, and relevant national research ethics committees. Our clients can therefore be confident that all deliverables from Surveysphere Africa meet or exceed global benchmarks for credibility and professionalism.