Selected Country Experiences​
Kenya's approach to developing census tools was highly consultative. A secretariat was formed to draft the tools, which were then reviewed by a technical working committee (TWC) and approved by a steering committee. The process incorporated lessons from the 2009 Census and national government commitments. Stakeholder engagement played a key role, with requests reviewed and approved by the TWC. The questionnaire development followed a structured process: identifying user needs, pretesting, piloting, and finalisation. After finalizing the paper version, the questionnaire was digitised with skip patterns and prefilled fields. Benchmarking with other African countries and support from the US Census Bureau helped refine the tools. The questionnaire was translated into Kiswahili, and various manuals were created for training and fieldwork. A CAPI manual and an in-app help feature supported enumerators during data collection.
For cartographic mapping, Kenya developed a comprehensive set of forms and manuals for each phase. These included rural and urban household listing forms, administrative area listings, and templates for map production. Tools like the Enumeration Area (EA) digitisation schema ensured consistency in geographic data. Verification forms helped identify mapping issues, administrative disputes, and newly gazetted units.
During enumeration, Kenya used five questionnaires: a main one and four short forms for specific populations (emigrants, travelers, street persons, and institutional populations). A hybrid questionnaire was also used, focusing on individual characteristics.
Namibia began its tool development by reviewing past census questionnaires and aligning with the UN P&R for PHCs. Consultations with stakeholders and the NSA census team helped identify relevant questions, while others were excluded for contextual relevance. New modules, like the Washington Group Short Set on disability, required further in-country consultation. After content approval, the electronic data collection application was developed, with multiple field and pilot tests conducted. The questionnaires were refined during Master and Trainer of Trainer sessions, and critical issues identified during the pilot were addressed in the CAPI application.
For enumeration, Namibia developed three main tools: the main census questionnaire (Form A), two additional forms for institutional and special populations, and an instructional manual.
Botswana’s census tool development was led internally by the National Statistical Office (NSO), with support from the US Census Bureau. Statisticians created the paper questionnaire and edit specifications, which guided the development of the electronic data collection application. A multidisciplinary team—including statisticians, cartographers, developers, and data entry supervisors—was responsible for testing the application and documenting results after system tests.