PILOT TESTING DATA COLLECTION INSTRUMENTS.

Pilot Testing Data Collection Instruments

What is Pilot testing?
Basically, pilot testing means finding out if your survey, key informant interview guide
or observation form will work in the “real world” by trying it out first on a few people.
Why pilot test?
The purpose is to make sure that everyone in your sample not only understands the
questions, but understands them in the same way. This way, too, you can see if any
questions make respondents feel uncomfortable. You’ll also be able to find out how
long it takes to complete the survey in real time.
When to pilot test?
Once you have a version your project is happy with, but before training your data
collectors about how to administer it. (During data collector training you will want to
conduct another type of test—a field test. In that case you are testing your team, rather
than the instrument.
Who to test it on?
People that represent the various subgroups within your intended sample. Remember,
you want to make sure that everyone will understand your data collection instrument
in the same way. So if you plan to conduct a representative public opinion survey, you
might want to include both old and young people, well-educated and less educated,
native English speakers and recent immigrants in your test sample. At a minimum,
involve several people from each subgroup so their views can be confirmed by others. 

                                                Next ..................