7. Deployment and Supervision of Field Personnel
Recommendations
Countries are encouraged to use a high-speed bandwidth that is not internet dependent considering that multiple tablets are connected to the network simultaneously during provisioning of tablets to minimise costs, as was the case in Kenya.
The mobile device management software should be procured well on time to avoid last-minute device enrollment because without device enrolment, it is not possible to manage or install apps on the devices and this delays the entire process.
Unique identification for the tablets should be based on geocodes. This is key because batching of tablets should be done down to the sublocation level for easy tracking and allocation, as was the case in Kenya and Botswana.
Prioritise investments in digital infrastructure and tools to support efficient and high-quality field operations and logistics.
Develop comprehensive training programs to ensure that all field personnel are proficient in the use of digital technologies.
Implement robust data security measures to protect the confidentiality and integrity of collected data.
Establish clear protocols for data transmission, storage, and retrieval.
Set up a support centre at the headquarters of the census implementing agency, staffed by employees who have been well trained on the questionnaire content and have Information and Communications Technology (ICT) skills. Provision of efficient support centre equipment such as laptops, phones, desks, and seats.
The census call centre should have a clear work cycle with an ICT incident management system whereby problems and inquiries are received from the enumerator or supervisor during enumeration, and the call centre agent sends the case to field or headquarters technical support team, updating as to whether the case has been resolved.
Include the monitoring dashboard at the time of training of field staff so that its essence is made known at that stage. As a result, the data collecting exercise will function better as field staff are aware that their performance is continually being evaluated in relation to targets.