Developing new quality indicators in social surveys

This paper discusses in detail issues dealing with the technical aspects of designing and conducting surveys. It is intended for an audience of survey methodologists.

Rather than having to rely on traditional measures of survey quality, such as response rates, the Social Survey Division of the U.K. Office for National Statistics has been looking for alternative ways to report on quality. In order to achieve this, all the processes involved throughout the lifetime of a survey, from sampling and questionnaire design through to production of the finished report, have been mapped out. Having done this, we have been able to find quality indicators for many of these processes. By using this approach, we hope to be able to appraise any changes to our processes as well as to inform our customers of the quality of the work we carry out.