Survey Research & Field Operations

High-quality evidence depends on high-quality data, and this data is contingent on on rigorous field operations — a part of the research process that is often underestimated but frequently determines whether a study succeeds or fails. We provide end-to-end survey and field research services, from initial research design through to final, analysis-ready datasets.

Our work begins with research design and sampling strategy — determining what population needs to be reached, what sample size and design will support the statistical power a study requires, and how to construct a sampling frame that is representative and practical to implement in the field. We then move to questionnaire development, translating research questions into survey instruments that are methodologically sound, culturally appropriate, and manageable in length and complexity for both respondents and enumerators. We also come on board to assist with different stages of the survey design based on the client’s needs.

Field operations are where design meets reality. We manage digital data collection using established platforms suited to the operating environment, and we build field protocols — enumerator training, supervision structures, quality assurance checks, and real-time data monitoring — that catch problems as they arise rather than after data collection is complete. This includes systematic checks for data quality issues such as fabrication, inconsistency, and non-response patterns, alongside back-checks and spot-checks conducted independently of the primary field team.

We have particular expertise in delivering this work in difficult field environments — remote or linguistically challenging areas, populations that can demand a strategic insight to ensure representative cross sections, or those reluctant to engage with research, in contexts where social expertise becomes a critical part of being able to build trust to get honest responses.

This experience shapes how we plan logistics, budget contingency, and design fallback protocols for fieldwork that does not go as originally planned, which is to say, most fieldwork.

Data governance is treated as integral to field operations rather than an afterthought: informed consent processes, secure data storage and transfer, anonymisation and confidentiality protocols, and compliance with relevant data protection regulations are built into our field protocols from the design stage.

We have delivered survey research across the subcontinent in Governance & Public Policy and Health & Nutrition, for partners including Stanford University, Harvard University, the International Foundation for Research and Education and more.