Data collection platform
Choosing Data Collection Platform:
As with all IT choices, there are several factors to consider when choosing a data collection platform.
- Features– Does the platform provide the necessary features? This must be the first consideration.
- Cost – Consider all costs associated with a platform: initial and continuous payments to a vendor, costs related to number of users or size of data
- Alignment with staff experience – Is your staff proficient with the technology? Experience takes time to develop.
- Mobile offline capability – Many contexts have significant geographic areas with limited or negligible mobile connectivity. In most contexts, it is important to choose a platform designed for offline data collection. If 90% or more of locations within a context have strong mobile connectivity, consider a connected system like Redcap or a custom system. In terms of simplicity, validation, and features, an online system has huge advantages over an offline system.
- Reliability and Maturity – It is important to choose a platform with a broad user base, a strong track record, and a steady stream of updated features. In general, you’re not looking for cutting edge technology, you’re looking for stability.
- Use within the field - Choose a system that is commonly used in the fields Public Health or Statistics. This allows sharing of tools and experience.
- Scalability - Can the system handle the expected number of records? Can it handle the internet traffic? If the system doubles in scale over time, can the system grow to manage it? Are certain feaures only useful at smaller scales?
- Data store in accessible Relational Database - Direct access to the database will provide your IT staff with an addtional avenue for troubleshooting and feature development.
- API availability - An API allows your system to more easily connect with external systems. Most modern applications are developed with a user interface that connects to an API for data reads and writes. In general, this API can be used by other clients (think external systems) to access and interact with the data.
Candidate Systems
ODK (Open Data Kit)
ODK is an open-source mobile data collection platform. It enables users to fill out forms offline and send form data to a server when a connection is found. Once on the server, the data can be viewed, downloaded, and acted upon.1 ODK was originally developed in 2008. New features are added regularly and it has a long track record. ODK has significant support resources including an online forum and extensive online documentation.
Kobo Toolbox, ONA, SurveyCTO (Customized ODK systems)
These are platforms built upon the open source ODK platform. The core software structure and features are similar to ODK, but they have worked to expand features. There is often a fee associated with usage of these platforms. Sometimes these systems can have feature advantages over ODK, but as ODK has developed, these systems features can fall behind ODK.
CommCare
Open-source, commericially supported mobile data collection platform. Managed by Dimagi company. Servers provided and hosted by Commcare.
CSPro
Designed for offline context and offline management. Strong track record. Developed and supported by US Census Bureau. Limited API.
Survey Solutions
Mobile data collection platform. Built and supported by the World Bank. Data colleciton is similar to ODK, it enables users to fill out forms offline and send form data to a server when a connection is found. Well designed interfaces. Strong features, documentation, and active forum. Extensive Rest API and GraphQL API.
Redcap
Redcap is stronger in online settings. It provides offline mobile data collection, but it has limitations in terms of scale of data that can be synchronized and managed efficiently.
Custom
A custom data collection platform could be built using generic software tools to create an application tailored to a specific context. To match the features of existing systems, the development cost of a custom system is estimated to be very high. In general, this is not recommended without careful evaluation of available systems (some listed above) and how they could be adapted.
Pros and Cons of Data Collection Platforms
| Platform | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| ODK (Open Data Kit) | Offline data collection, Long track record, Broad user base, many tools from VIVA, highly adaptable, longitudinal support, API and web management interface, Open source | |
| Kobo, ONA, SurveyCTO (Customized ODK systems) | Many features from ODK Aggregate and some custom features | Usage fee |
| CommCare | Offline data collection, strong track record. | Forms must be designed using web interface. Usage fee. |
| CSPro | Designed for offline context and offline management. Strong track record. Developed and supported by US Census Bureau. | Management is via Windows based system. Programming interfaces in windows format are dated. Limited support for web distribution and management. Limited API via CSWeb. |
| Survey Solutions | Offline data collection, strong track record, significant user base, longitudinal support, API and web management interface, API and web management interface, advanced online form designer | Forms must be designed using web interface. |
| Redcap | strong features for online data collection, long track record, broad user base, longitudinal support, API, web management interface | Not designed for large scale offline data collection. |
| Custom | Can be built to fit unqiue situations. A good option in areas with strong internet connectivity. | Starting from scratch requires more resources and time. Risk of re-inventing the wheel. Longer testing period. Difficult to match features of existing offline systems. |
| Last updated |
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| May 7, 2025 |