Gallup researchers have designed and conducted tens of thousands of measurement-based engagements in our 70-year history, ranging from large and complex customized evaluation studies to monthly omnibus tracking studies and polls. Last year alone, we completed over 10 million surveys of consumers and business executives all over the world. Our data collection methods include phone, mail, Web, IVR, and multiple-mode surveys.
Phone
The Gallup Organization operates one of the world's largest telephone research data-collection systems. With an unparalleled capacity for completing small- to large-scale projects, Gallup's telephone interviewing teams have conducted more than 20 million interviews over the last five years, averaging 10,000 completed interviews per day across 200 individual survey research questionnaires. Gallup's telephone survey capabilities include extensive use of the latest computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI) and automated sample management technologies. In addition, our interviewers often leverage our pre-recruited Gallup Panel members to conduct quick, efficient telephone research. On an average day, Gallup processes approximately 2 million sample records, using state-of-the-art data processing procedures and quality sample methodologies.
Mail
Gallup offers the capability to produce mailed or self-administered questionnaires in a variety of formats in multiple languages. For assured quality control and maximum efficiency, questionnaires are printed and mailed by Gallup, using our internal print shop for production, distribution, and fulfillment tracking. More than 150,000 surveys can be processed in one day by our optical scanning center.
Optical Mark Recognition Capability
For high-speed, low-cost data collection and capture, Gallup offers optical mark recognition (OMR) scanning capabilities. Our four state-of-the-art optical mark readers use reflective read technology and a digital line-scan camera that captures survey data at a very high rate: approximately 4,000 sheets per machine, per hour. Unlike conventional optical scanning systems that read surveys based on a universal setting, Gallup uses an algorithm that determines the characteristics of each individual page. To establish an algorithm, all response positions on a page are examined to assess how the respondent has filled out the questionnaire. Based on that assessment, the algorithm for that page is developed. This algorithm then becomes the mark discriminator for that page, differentiating at the pixel level between intended responses and cross-outs, erasures, and stray marks. In addition, our scanning confidence level is 100%. All "out data" (anything the computer can't read at the 100% confidence level) are automatically sent to one of 50 operators at the optical scanning center for verification. Every question type, from closed-ended to alphanumeric to verbatim, can be verified within the single system, significantly streamlining the data collection process at 10,000 items per hour.
Optical Character Recognition/Image Capture System
Gallup has an additional survey processing approach that minimizes handling of surveys and improves the speed, accuracy, and efficiency of the data collection task when compared to hard copy surveys, but is less expensive and more appropriate for smaller data collection studies. Specifically, as each survey is received in Gallup's scanning facility, it can be immediately be scanned using our proprietary optical character recognition and image capture system. This system produces a digital image of all the contents of the survey. The scanning procedure minimizes hand sorting while maximizing flexible and efficient electronic sorting, processing, and reporting.
Web
Gallup began using Web-based surveys in 1996. By 1998, Gallup formalized its operations by constructing a comprehensive Web-based system with full-time programming staff devoted exclusively to supporting its Web operations. Today, our systems support more than 450 simultaneous Web surveys -- fielded in multiple languages -- with tens of thousands of respondents each.
Gallup has in place a system for capacity planning for all of its Web surveys, and monitors Web use in real time to identify capacity needs and to assess the quality of our projections against actual usage. Should circumstances warrant, our system architecture has been designed so that it can be expanded immediately upon demand. Gallup's Internet survey services also include complete sample management, including e-mail invitations and reminders.
Gallup has developed its own Java-based Internet data collection software to control survey execution. Data that are collected on the Web are stored in an Oracle ® database. Gallup's Web servers are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
IVR
Interactive Voice Response (IVR) is a data collection technology in which the computer plays a recording of the question to the respondent over the telephone, and the respondent indicates the response by pressing the appropriate key on his or her touch-tone telephone keypad. IVR is created by programming the computer to play prerecorded prompts to the respondent based on the respondent's answers. Ideally, IVR is used when the data desired are numeric or can easily be linked to a numeric code, such as, "press 1 if yes; press 2 if no" (though open-ended data can also be collected via IVR). IVR is especially appropriate for surveys that are short and repetitive.
