Mobile Data Collection

Android App based Systems

ODK for Beginners
Resources
• MDC tool selection assistant: http://humanitarian-nomad.org/online-selection-tool/

• USAID mHealth Compendium: http://www.jhsph.edu/departments/international-

health/_documents/USAIDmHealthCompendiumVol2FINAL.pdf

• mHealth Project Databases: https://www.k4health.org/toolkits/mhealth-planning-guide/project-

repositories

• A list of every mHealth system out there:

https://fusiontables.googleusercontent.com/fusiontables/embedviz?viz=CARD&q=select+*+from
+1Lmrf9lUAiXxIQ-wBxs9ApJG4GL2CE7hHgb2GHm8+order+by+col5+asc&tmplt=5&cpr=2

• A great review of Mobile Data Collection systems by the curator of the mHealth fusion table:
http://craigappl.github.io/Decisions-Decisions/
Why use MDC?

Research Study Data

Question Design collection

error error

Interpretation
and Study Data
Conclusions Results analysis
error

M. Goodman, EPI Methods I, Fall 2014,

RSPH
What is ODK?
ODK
• Closest thing to a standard in MDC
• Open-source
• Works in low-tech and low-resource settings
It’s a suite of applications
• ODK Survey – drag and drop interface for survey design
• XLS Forms – Excel interface for survey programming
• ODK Collect – Android based application for data collection
• ODK Aggregator – Cloud based data aggregation
• ODK Briefcase – Physical data aggregation
• And many more…
Why use ODK?
It turns anybody who can use Excel into a
programmer!
Very easily translatable
Lot’s of systems use ODK
 Tech Process

Design form •Excel

We will spend most of
our time today on these
steps.
Convert and •XLS Form
Validate Converter
•ODK Validate
Form

•ODK Aggregate
We will get to Load form on Server or Hard
Connection
this if we have Tablet •ODK Collect
time, but will
focus on this in
•ODK
the second ODK Aggregate Aggregate
Server
class. Data •ODK Briefcase
Let’s build some forms!
Requisites
1. Laptop with Excel
2. Internet connection
3. ODK reference spreadsheet
4. Sample hand washing Survey
 Step 1: Set up your Excel Sheets
• Two sheets, one named “survey”, the other “choices”

• Survey should have three columns:

• “type” “name” “label”

• Choices should have three columns:

• “list_name” “name” “label”
ODK Skills
1. Entering different types of variables into the form
2. Working with selection lists (multiple / single)
3. Creating question lists
4. Contraints
5. Relevancy
 Step 2: Start creating your variables
• Look at the ODK reference sheet to determine what type of variable you’re
interested in and insert them step by step into the excel sheet

• Be comfortable with:
• Entering different types of variables into the form
• Working with selection lists (multiple / single)
• Creating question lists
• Contraints
• Relevancy

• You can use the sample Hand Washing form or one of your own
 Step 3: Convert and Validate
• Go to: http://opendatakit.org/xiframe/
• Upload and convert your excel form, remember it should be titled “form”

• Validate your form. You can download the ODK Validate application
here: https://opendatakit.org/use/validate

• Or you can validate your form against the CommCare Standard online
here: https://www.commcarehq.org/formtranslate/
Future Sessions
• 3/18 : ODK programming (part 2) and Treatment Algorithms
• 4/1 : Google Maps API and real time data visualization (guest speaker)