USSD MOBILE TECHNOLOGYUSSD MOBILE TECHNOLOGYUGANDA’S EXPERIENCE

Presentation by:

Deogracious Mutyaba

UGANDA BUREAU OF STATISTCS

CONTENTS

IntroductionFacts about USSD TechnologyMethodologyImplementation•USSD Sampling•Bio-Data Registration•Data Collection

Key FindingsRecommendationConclusion

INTRODUCTION

Although efforts to automate data collection using mobile technologies have taken effect at Uganda Bureau Of Statistics (UBOS), very few of these effort are implemented using Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) Technology.

USSD is a protocol used by GSM cellular telephones to communicate with the service provider's servers.

UBOS in collaboration with UNICEF Uganda explored the feasibility of collecting data using any mobile phone using USSD technology with an aim of reducing cost and duration with affecting the quality of data.

FACTS ABOUT USSD TECHNOLOGY

• Allows up to 182 alphanumeric characters in length for the messages.

• creates a real-time connection during a USSD session to the server. The connection remains open,

allowing a two-way exchange of a sequence of data.

• In Uganda, messages sessions last only 3 minutes.

• Message sessions are accessed through unique short code. During implementation in Uganda , the

unique short-code is *257#.

• Sessions are only accessible in area with mobile network connectivity for the chosen service provider.

• The interactive menus only provide three datatypes as user input. That is to say, Alpha-numeric,

numeric and multi-choices (a derivative from numeric)

• The technology does not save data/inputs on a mobile phone device.

• The technology runs on both ‘smart’ devices and ‘non-smart’

METHODOLOGYIn collaboration with UBOS, UNICEF developed a USSD management system (called “U-SURVEY”) with technical support from Thoughtworks ® Ltd.

U-SURVEY has a web-administration platform which was developed using python and PostgreSQL as the relational database management system; and USSD protocol menu as the interviewer’s interaction interface.

The web-administration platform allows system administrators, statisticians and analysts to design and manage surveys; and monitor interviewers / investigators. USSD protocol allows the interviewers / investigators to collect data.

USSD technology had to be subjected to the same statistical principles as other data collection methods, to properly evaluate its feasibility as an alternative of data collection tool.

SAMPLE DESIGN

Field testing was undertaken in six statistical regions of Uganda to ensure geographical spread. Districts, Enumeration Areas and Households were randomly selected.

METHODOLOGY

FIELD TEST

The field test opted to use 3 of the Multi Indictor Cluster Survey (MICS) 5 data collection tools. That is to say, the household questionnaire, woman’s questionnaire and the under-five child’s questionnaire.

The mobile device data collectors were asked to use their personal phones, which had to be “low end phones.” That is to say, no smart phones or touch screens (these tend to have low daily battery life).

Therefore the field test was supposed to address three fundamental questions:•Is USSD Technology a viable option for data collection?•How efficient are low mobile phones in facilitating systematic data collection of large surveys?•To what extent can off-station survey interviewers (such as the UNICEF volunteers called•U-Reporters, given only a lunch allowance) be relied on to collect information in a nationally representative household survey.

The web-administration platform can be accessed as a website using the URL[http://mmics.unicefuganda.org/] and it has the following functionality;

•Create users, Administrators, Researchers and Data-Entrants;

•Manage Survey Geography Data;

•Create and Manage Survey Questions in Question Bank, Question Modules, Groups and

•their logic;

•Create and Manage Surveys, Survey Batches and Batch logic;

•Create and Manage Survey Investigators;

•Download Data and track non-response and completeness

IMPLEMENTATION

The USSD menu, can only be accessed by dialing the short code [*257#]. With the USSD menu, you can accomplish the following:

•List households in the Enumeration Area;

•Sample Households for Survey;

•Take survey

IMPLEMENTATION

Number of Households:

Specify the number of households in your area of enumeration (25 in this case)

USSD SAMPLINGAcknowledgement of Receipt:

The interviewer receives a USSD message acknowledging receipt of the number of households

Sampled Households:

The interviewer receives a normal text message. Specify the Household numbers of the sampled Enumeration Areas (EAs)

Register Households:

Select option 1 to register households

BIO-DATA REGISTRATIONHousehold Selection:

Select option 1 to register Bio-data details of the household members in Household HH-1 (Household 1)

Household Member Type:

Select option 1 to register Bio-data details of the household head or option 2 to register Bio-data details of other members.

Member Registration:

Name, Sex, Age, Date of Birth are captured

BIO-DATA REGISTRATIONOther Members’ Question:

Select option 1 to register Bio-data details of another member or option 2 to register members of another household.

Registered Households:

HH-1 and HH-2 are registered but HH-3 and HH-4 are yet to be registered. User can use # to see the other households

Take survey:

Select option 2 to take a survey that is currently open in your enumeration area..

DATA COLLECTIONSelect household for interview:

Select option 1 to select household HH-1-Kakembo John for interview or # to see other households

Choose member to interview:

Select option 1 to select Kakembo John for interview or 3 to select Deo Mutyaba for interview

KEY FINDINGSSTRENGTH WEAKNESSUSSD Technology provides:

•real-time feedback

•Reduction in survey time once interviewer master USSD technology

•No worry for data safety since the connection is to server.

The U-SURVEY benefits:

•logical flow of the questionnaire.

USSD Technology:

•Only 182 alphanumeric characters in length.

•Three data structures

•3 minutes timeouts.

Phone gadget:

•Small screen low-end phones.

•poor back navigations, it is extremely had to navigate.

OPPORTUNITIES THREATS

USSD Technology :

•Eases monitoring of Interviewer/investigator performance.

•Longer battery life.

•Eases financial logistical support due to the availability of mobile-money

services.

The U-SURVEY:

•Wording changes can in the middle of the survey.

•The use of personal mobile phones guaranteed the security

mobile phone network issues:

•Poor Network coverage (for the chosen service provider).

•no reliable connectivity to any network service provider

•Fluctuation of USSD prices

Phone gadget:

•No electricity in remote areas.

•Old phone handsets

RECOMMENDATIONSome of the limitations and shortcomings can be solved in the following way:

•During design of surveys, questionnaires should be broken down into small batches of questions.

•Network coverage survey should be done.

•To minimize data collection errors, data validation checks should be emphasizes.

•Learning curve.

•Minimum device specs: - screen size – 320x240 pixels and a battery life of at least 8 hours before

recharge.

•The NSOs, should get into a public private partnerships (PPPs) with the telecoms.

CONCLUSION

This technology is an option when conducting surveys with straight forward questionnaires in regions with network coverage.

The statistician an opportunity of producing real-time indicators.

Success when using USSD technology for data collection, is dependent on collaboration with the private firms that provide GSM network connections and USSD charges