Electronic Data Collection for Empowering New Generations to Improve Nutrition and Economic opportunities (ENGINE)

The data collection for these studies takes place in the Oromia region for the Birth Cohort and in the Oromia and SNNP regions for the Agriculture Nutrition Panel survey. The electronic data collection process relies on Open Data Kit (ODK), a free and open-source set of tools that enables mobile data collection solutions to be installed on tablets. ODK provides a comprehensive solution for users who need to build a data collection form or survey, collect data on a mobile device, and send it to a server for aggregation. The data collection team is trained on how to use the tablet, ODK, and Connectify Hotspot, a program that enables people to share their computer's Internet connection with other devices through Wi-Fi. The data collection process involves creating a hotspot using Connectify, which allows research supervisors to connect the tablet to a network and send the data to the server located at Tufts University in Boston, USA. The data manager based in Jimma, Ethiopia, regularly checks the data on the server and runs data quality checks. This electronic data collection system eliminates the need for manual data entry on a computer, reducing data entry time and automating data registration at the point of collection on the tablet. The ODK system also controls data quality by installing mandatory questions that must be answered before proceeding to the next page. This ensures that enumerators cannot skip important questions or enter invalid data. The system also allows for the recording of GPS coordinates and skips questions based on previous responses. By using electronic data collection tools like ODK, Connectify, and tablets, data collection is simplified, reducing costs and environmental impact. The use of a simple seven-inch tablet replaces the need for hundreds of pages of paper, making it a green technology.