Building and Using Standard-based Survey Software

Mark Cameron & John Weisberg
Techneos Systems Inc

Techneos Systems is the developer of the Entryware system for data collection using mobile computers. The current release of Entryware products (v4.0) provides both case data and metadata support for the SPSS MR Data Model. This paper (in a case study format) will examine two areas related to standards for survey software.

1. What issues must developers address in deciding whether to support survey software standards, and which ones to support?
2. What challenges does standards compliance present during development? How does a firm measure the impact on its business of having standard compliant products?

• Do researchers display support for survey software standards by purchasing compliant software?
• Do they realize the benefits that standards are claimed to provide?
• Is there anything they expect from the developers of standards and standard-based software that is not being provided?

The first part of the paper will be based on our experience in developing and marketing standard-based software, input from developers of non-competing products, and secondary research.

The second part of the paper will rely on information provided by users of standard-based software, and on secondary research.