RESOURCES: CAPI and BLAISE
Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing [CAPI] has been used
by the major UK survey agencies since the mid 1990's. CAPI involves an interviewer taking a laptop computer into the respondents home to capture responses to the survey. Self completion is possible using CAPI with the respondent entering their responses into the computer. Data is then transferred via a modem to the field centre ready coded saving time and enabling survey results to be published in a much more timely manor.

BLAISE is the programming language that is used for CAPI by the major UK survey agencies. It is one of many possible languages that can be used - these languages are explained further by the Association for Survey Computing.

Tony Manners (2003) stated that; "Computer Assisted Interviewing is widely acknowledged to be the most important technological development in the survey process in recent decades". CAPI was first used in the UK on the Labour Force Survey 1990 by the Office for National Statistics, and it cut the data delivery time from 7 weeks to 4 days. By 1995 all Office for National Statistics social surveys used CAPI methods.

Advantages of Using CAPI:

  • Cost savings:
    • No need for data entry at field centre
    • Fast and reliable results
    • No paper printing costs
  • Questionnaire:
    • Many more complex questions
    • Interviewer help hot keys
    • Checks the data as go along
  • Fieldwork Savings
    • The data can be downloaded quickly
    • No typing in the responses or coding data
    • Data ready to analyse very soon after fieldwork (some data cleaning)
    • Can be used on handheld machines for surveys on the move – e.g. at airports for the International Passenger Survey

Disadvantages of CAPI:

  • Costs
    • Very high set up costs – cannot be used for a small survey outside large agencies
  • IT
    • Computer programmers needed who are familiar with survey research AND IT
    • Time saved at end is needed at the beginning to programme and code the questions
  • Interviewers:
    • Respondents may be weary of a machine
    • Problems with power etc…
    • Need extra training to start with
  • Researchers / Academics
    • Difficult to decipher CAPI questionnaires on paper

Links and References;

Article by Tony Manners
Qb Information on CAPI
Social Research Update article on CAPI
International Blaise User Group
Association for Survey Computing