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Sensus Web for Web-based survey research.Best Practices. Best Value. Sensus Web lets you create CATI-type questionnaires for the Web. With straightforward efficiency, Sensus lets you create questionnaires ranging from standard scroll down form surveys to those with complex skipping, list handling, and multimedia requirements. And, Sensus generates Web-ready surveys that can be deployed on your server or on ours, using our Web survey deployment services. Sensus Web provides intuitive access to a broad range of features, including:
You can find details of these capabilities and others in the answers to the questions below, including what's new in Sensus 4.2. Or, view a complete list of Sensus Web features.
here to contact a Sawtooth representative about Sensus Web… Q: How do I write questionnaires?Sensus Web uses the same questionnaire scripting language as Sawtooth Software's Ci3 system. This scripting language is used by more research organizations than any other and is the same language that works with our WinCati system. It lets you create simple questionnaires easily and yet it is flexible enough for even the most complex of surveys. Because of its flexibility, Sensus Web lets you administer CATI-type questionnaires on the Web without the need for HTML or Java programmers.Sensus Web can handle all common question types, such as single response, multiple response, numeric, open-end, and constant sum. Branching can be as complex as you like; you can skip based on previous responses, combinations of responses, and even arithmetical computations. Sensus Web lets you restore responses to questions in later questions, so you can customize interviews to enhance respondent interest. You can create scroll down or scroll across screens of any size. You can place multiple questions and input fields on the screen so respondents can fill in responses in any order. You can include drop-down lists, radio buttons and check boxes. With Sensus Web, you have complete control over screen formatting for your questionnaire: you can place question and response text anywhere on the screen and use color and type fonts to guide respondents.
You can design question screens such as the one shown here any way you like. You can vary the text placement, font, font size, color, response controls, and more. Advanced Capabilities Sensus Web provides other advanced capabilities as well. You can randomize choices within questions, questions within blocks of questions, and blocks of questions within questionnaires. You can create and administer multilingual studies. You can write macros to create your own custom instructions that you can use throughout a questionnaire. And you can incorporate sound bytes and images as part of the interview as well. Sensus Web also lets you access other Web pages in the middle of a questionnaire. This capability can be used, for example, to conduct advanced research studies such as conjoint analysis studies using Sawtooth Software's ACA System for Adaptive Conjoint Analysis or CBC System for Choice-Based Conjoint. Time-Saving Features Sensus Web expedites questionnaire writing with its point-and-click menus, context sensitive dialog boxes, online help, text position indicator, use of colors for different parts of the questionnaire script, and comprehensive manuals. And to speed creation of longer surveys, you can access sections of your questionnaire quickly by using the on-screen question navigator. You can also import questionnaires directly from Sawtooth Software's Ci3 System or cut and paste from a word processor. You can bring in entire questionnaires or cut and paste questions from existing surveys, then edit them to form a new questionnaire. Sensus Web lets you insert or delete questions with little or no modification to your branching and skipping instructions. You can specify defaults for many of the instructions that govern questionnaire presentation and logic. For example, you need only specify text placement, screen color, answer ranges, and key assignments once. Of course, you can override these defaults at any time. Testing Aids Sensus Web's Test mode lets you test the entire questionnaire as if it were on a Web server, without having to actually upload it to a Web server. The Test mode lets you test the entire questionnaire through your Web browser. In addition to testing your questionnaire logic, the Test mode lets you save data so you can verify that data is being collected properly. Sensus Web's Auto Test feature will run through your questionnaire automatically a pre-specified number of times. You can specify the distribution for responses or let it respond to questions randomly using valid responses. For example, if you are asking for a response between 1 and 10, it will randomly provide a response between 1 and 10, however, if only certain responses permit the interview to continue, you can skew the distribution toward those responses. Auto Test records data each time it goes through the survey. Automatically recording large amounts of data lets you see if there are any questions not being answered and lets you set up your tabs in advance, speeding your analysis on the back end. In addition, Sensus Web provides a variable tracker, helping you ensure that your variables are being set the way you want to set them. Also, Sensus Web's debugger finds any scripting mistakes that you have made, taking you to the exact line in your questionnaire where you have made them. Q: How do I set up studies?A: In addition to providing you powerful, CATI-like questionnaire capabilities, Sensus Web gives you flexible and efficient setup for defining study specifications. Sensus Web's point-and-click interface lets you have easy access to the features you need to control your research.
E-mail Capabilities Using these statuses, Sensus Web can automatically send your pre-written messages to respondents at the appropriate times. For example, a login ID and password would be sent with an introductory e-mail when you initially recruit respondents; an encouraging, incentivizing e-mail could be sent to respondents who had partially completed the survey; and a reward could be sent with an e-mail expressing gratitude to those who had completed the survey. At any point you can personalize the message by merging information from your imported e-mail list as part of the message.
Respondent Authorization Other respondent authorization options let you provide the login IDs and passwords or choose to not use login IDs and passwords at all.
Quota Controls Sensus Web's optional Quota Module lets you create quota controls in a straightforward manner. Your quotas can be based on any combination of responses to questions in the questionnaire, ensuring that your quotas are filled appropriately. And, you and your clients can track quotas online while studies are in progress using the Quota Module's reporting capabilities. Q: How do I deploy studies?You have two options for deploying Sensus Web studies. You can deploy them on your own server or we can host your studies on our server. Either way, you can deploy your studies quickly following straightforward procedures. To deploy your studies on your own server, you would first need to have a Web server that meets the requirements outlined in our system requirements section below. Once you have the server and you have created your questionnaire, the rest is simple. Under the Field menu within Sensus Web, you would choose Deploy to Web and then Prepare/Upload Files. The FTP Connect window would pop up and you would input the FTP address of your server, the desired directory and your user name and password.
You can deploy your studies by first specifying a few key items. A checklist is then displayed prompting you to indicate which files you want to upload. After you upload, you would then just recruit your respondents and point them to the right site.
You would complete your deployment by using this simple interface. To have us host your studies, you would need to first set up a Sawtooth Technologies hosting account. You can see our Sensus Web Price List for Sensus Web and Sensus Web hosting prices. Once you have an account with us, we would provide space on our server and a user name and password for you. Then you would deploy your study as explained above, as if you were using our server as your own server. Whether you deploy on your server or ours, you and your clients can have online access to your data and you can also download your data for further analysis. Q: How do I process and analyze data?Sensus Web gives you the tools you need to quickly analyze, edit, and code your data - online or offline. Quick Analysis Export to Analysis Packages Data Editing
The data editor shown here lets you edit respondent data before it is converted for analysis. You can edit numeric or open-end data, and delete individual data records. A log of all edits is kept automatically. Openend Coding Q: What sets Sensus Web apart?Sensus Web is being used by commercial, not-for-profit, and academic research organizations around the world. It provides a unique combination of features and value. Sensus Web offers:Powerful Interviewing Capabilities E-mail Capabilities
You can use the E-mail module to:
Sensus' E-Mail module lets you release messages manually or automatically based on a time interval you specify or a change in the respondent’s interview status. For example, you can automatically send a reminder message a specified number of days after the release of the invitation message to respondents who have not taken the survey. Or, you can automatically send a thank you message with an electronic incentive attached to respondents immediately upon completion of the survey. The E-Mail module lets you import a list of e-mail addresses from a comma separated variables file (CSV). This file can be created using programs such as Microsoft Excel or Access. Each e-mail address can also include a title, first name, last name, login ID, password, and up to five pieces of information you might have about the respondent. Sensus lets you merge this information into e-mail messages to personalize the messages. Sensus embeds the login ID and password as part of the e-mail message link to the survey URL so respondents do not have to enter these security checks when they take the survey.
You can send e-mail messages to respondents for a variety of reasons using this comprehensive interface. And Sensus’ E-Mail module keeps a log of all messages sent. You can view the log at anytime to keep track of messages as they are being released. Quota Control
The Quota Module lets you screen respondents for qualification. Sensus checks if a respondent is a type of person you are looking for, and, if so, whether the quota cell for that person is open. If respondents fail to qualify or their cells are full, the interview is terminated. Quota limits for a study can be updated at any time.
You can set up quota limits using a straightforward interface and you can view quota reports online. Once the total quota for a study is reached, Sensus displays a screen indicating that interviewing for the study has been completed. You can customize this screen, including adding a link that takes respondents to another site. You can track your quotas using Sensus’ on-line quota report. This report shows you a count of completed interviews by quota cell and date. You can use this report to gauge how long it will take to complete the study. You can grant clients on-line access to this report so they can track their study’s progress directly. Offline Testing Straightforward Deployment Options Analytical Capabilities Ease of Learning Standard Technology User Benefits Affordability Value Q: What's new in Sensus 4.2?A: Sensus 4.2 now works with our WinCati computer-assisted telephone interviewing
A new script editor that can efficiently edit CATI-length questionnaires. The new editor displays an on-screen question list that lets you move quickly among questions. Auto Test, which lets you automatically run a questionnaire and generate simulated respondent data before a study is fielded. You can use Auto Test results to check the logic of your questionnaire and in setting up your analysis specifications. The ability to exchange information between Sensus sample and the interview. For example, you can now import user-specific, information from an e-mail list into the questionnaire. A new interview mode variable that you can use to skip questions or alter the way the question appears depending on the interview mode. Sensus also has a new toolbar toggle button that lets you choose how a mixed-mode question should look and function when administered by phone and online. Weekday evening and Saturday telephone support. A: For
questionnaire-authoring, Sensus requires a computer running Windows
98/NT/2000/XP for creating questionnaires and working with respondent data.
A Pentium III-class (or newer) computer with at least 128 megabytes of
memory and a CD-ROM drive is recommended. Sensus also requires that you
have the Microsoft Personal Web Server (for Windows 98/NT) or the Internet
Information Services (IIS) (for Windows 2000/XP) and Internet Explorer
version 5.0 or later installed on your PC.
A high-speed Internet
connection is recommended for deploying questionnaires, coding and editing
data online, and downloading respondent data. For deploying studies
on the Web, Sensus requires a Windows 2000/2003 server with IIS installed.
The server must permit the installation of third-party applications and
support files from Microsoft Visual Basic. The following are the
specifications for the Sensus questionnaire-authoring station and Web
server.
Component
Requirements
Questionnaire-Authoring Station
Pentium III or
newer PC
Microsoft Personal
Web Server (for Windows 98/NT) or Internet Information Services (IIS)
(for Windows 2000/XP) for working with respondent data
Internet Explorer
version 5.0 or later
A high-speed
Internet connection is recommended for deploying questionnaires,
coding and editing data online, and downloading respondent data.
* Sensus
questionnaire-authoring stations cannot run XP Home Edition, which
does not permit the installation of IIS.
Web Server
Pentium IV PC
Hard drive with 1
GByte of free space depending on size and number of studies
Windows 2000/2003 running IIS
**
Requirement depends on the amount of traffic on the server. 2 GHz is
the minimum requirement. Sensus Web's
pricing is
based on the number of question variables that you will need per
questionnaire. There is an annual maintenance fee of 20% of the initial
price after the first year. This fee includes license renewal, extended
support and system updates. All Sawtooth Technologies systems include a 60-day money-back guarantee: if you are not
satisfied, you can return any system for a full refund within 60 days. In addition, the
full purchase price of any Sawtooth Technologies system can be applied as a credit toward
the purchase of a larger system of the same type and version. See the Sensus Web price list for complete pricing
details. A: Sawtooth Technologies provides
on-site training for users who need assistance
getting started or who have projects to field immediately. Training can also be scheduled at the Praxis training facility in Sacramento, California for a reduced fee. A: A fully functional evaluation system is available that can be installed on any PC
meeting the questionnaire authoring requirements above. This
system has all of the capabilities of the full
system except it allows only 75 variables per
questionnaire and it does not let you deploy a study. It comes with a sample study and
complete documentation so you can easily
learn Sensus Web's
capabilities. References from current Sensus Web users are also available;
contact us if you would like to talk with individuals
at organizations such as yours. If you would like to speak with a sales person regarding Sensus Web or if you would like
more background on Web interviewing or about getting started with Sensus Web,
contact us. Sensus Web has been designed based on years of experience with computer-assisted
interviewing and on
feedback from hundreds of researchers. The result is an uncomplicated system that
brings the power of CATI interviewing to the Web. Sensus Web goes beyond the limits of
other systems to offer you easier access to greater functionality. Its
accessible, extensive capabilities
make Sensus Web the best value on the market. From questionnaire design to survey deployment, and quota control to online analysis,
Sensus Web delivers the features researchers want and need. For more information on Sensus Web's features, read
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