Mobile Application Channel

The mobile application channel offers the greatest functionality, offers the most intuitive user interface and is the most convenient for the field worker to access and use once installed.

A tiny but powerful application is installed on the field worker's phone. The installation process is painless - similar to downloading a ringtone, game or wall-paper.

Key Features

  • Enhanced and intuitive user interface makes surveys simpler, faster and more convenient to conduct.
  • Multitude of question types not practically supported by other mobile channels are feasible such as multiple response and date questions.
  • Real-time validation allows responses to be validated whilst the survey is in progress improving data integrity and reducing "spoilt data".
  • Branching and custom logic enable more comprehensive and valuable surveys may be designed which ask questions based on previous responses given by the respondent.
  • Very low airtime cost to the field worker (usually in the order of cents per survey completed). The channel does not use SMS or voice to transmit data - GPRS, EDGE or 3G (where available) is used.
  • Enhanced mobility. Surveys are conducted "offline" and stored securely on the phone until a connection to the network can be established. This makes the capture process signficantly faster and allows surveys to be conducted even where no reception is available.

Device Support

Literally hundreds of devices (including many low cost handsets) are supported.
Read more about supported devices.

Other channel alternatives

The mobile application channel can work in conjunction with other channels:

The technology

Java platform: allows a phone to have third-party applications installed on it. This means functionality (such as the ability to conduct surveys) not originally built into the phone itself can be added, vastly improving the capabilities of the phone. Millions of mobile phones and other devices support the Java platform.

GPRS: a mobile network technology which allows data to be transferred (as opposed to voice for example). Essentially, it is how a phone connects to the internet. It is a very low cost alternative as the field worker is only billed for the data transferred (which is minimal for a survey). Newer technologies which provide faster transfer rates are becoming more common such as EDGE and 3G (used if available).


Featured case study

The Medical Research Council of South Africa is mandated by legislation to promote and conduct research for the improvement of health and quality of life of the public.

Mobile Researcher was selected by the MRC to fulfill its data collection needs for a large-scale baseline study conducted in Umlazi, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

Read the full case study.