While CAWI instruments for business surveys are quite common in official statistics, only a few NSIs have implemented this mode for social surveys so far. This is currently and rapidly changing. However, it is common knowledge that web questionnaires for social surveys require different and deeper considerations when it comes to design. Some business questionnaires still look more like forms, spread sheets or templates. Additionally, expectations of respondents concerning electronic questionnaires are in turn more related to features they are used to while surfing in the internet, for instance automatic navigation, error checks and layout of pages. Apart from design and presentation of the questions themselves, CAWI instruments have an additional challenge to solve: Even though the technical functionality might be almost perfect, respondents do not necessarily know how to use the system and its functions. Thus, the usability still could be low what might lead to low quality of the collected data. In order to meet all these requirements and safeguard a high-quality data collection mode, the Federal Statistical Office of Germany (FSO) is engaged in developing and testing CAWI instrument for social statistics. Within this scope, basic decisions on the questionnaire (for example, unimode or specific question design) are discussed as well as applying either an underlying household or an individual approach.
This proposal for discussion intends to invite participants to bring along an example of an electronic questionnaire used for social statistics in their NSIs. These illustrations will be shown on screen in order to discuss design issues directly. The discussion organiser will present the currently in-house developed electronic questionnaire of FSO.