There are a variety of data collection options that fall under two categories:
Survey and Time and Motion:
SURVEY ITEMS:
– Free Text
Allows the participant to leave their own words as an answer to a specific question or prompt
– Radio Button
Used primarily for multiple choice questions where only one answer can be selected by the participant
– Dropdown
Used primarily for multiple choice questions, but presenting answers to a question listed in a dropdown box from which only one answer can be selected by the participant
– Checkbox
Used primarily for multiple choice questions, but allows for multiple answers to be selected by the participant
– Switch
Like checkboxes, these are used for multiple choice questions that allow multiple answers to be selected by the participant. The only difference is the visual format
TIME AND MOTION ITEMS:
– Counter
To count the occurrences of an activity or the total quantity of a physical object (eg: number of boxes of supplies)
– Timer
Recording a period of time for a task / event
– Grouped Timer
Recording a period of time for a series of tasks / events that only occur one at a time. Great for tasks that require events to occur in a particular order but with only one running actively. When a timer is started, all others in the same group will automatically turn off in response
– Fixed Timer
Recording an activity that has an extremely standard amount of time duration. For example, a piece of equipment always runs for 5 minutes. This is great for adding a time duration automatically when something occurs, and the time duration is always a constant, same amount
– Note / Comment Timer
Allowing the Researcher to collect timings as well as ‘journal descriptions and comments of what is being timed
– Retro Tag
Collects the time for an entire period, after which the Researcher can select or ‘tag’ the tasks / events that occurred within that period after the fact. Great for times when the Researcher won’t know what occurred until after the period of time is complete. (EG: a delay is occuring, but we don’t know what the cause is quite yet)
– Popup
A broad category or “collection” of tasks that go together. The subtasks under a popup are called “Child Tasks” and can be made up of data can be made up of Counters, General Timers and/or Note / Comment Timers. It gives you the option to record events associated to that task individually or include an overall timer as well. Great for larger workflows that each have individual steps. (EG: A ‘Documentation’ popup could have Child Tasks called ’email’ ‘system entry’ ‘filing’ as options)
– Pass / Fail Task
Collects the time for an entire period, after which the Researcher can assess whether the task was a success or not. Great for auditing purposes and categorising the reasons for failures occuring
