Designing a multinational smartphone app survey during COVID-19: rewards, risks and recommendations

Jennifer C. Davidson; Dimitar Karadzhov; Graham Wilson

doi:10.1177/1525822X231218192

Designing a multinational smartphone app survey during COVID-19: rewards, risks and recommendations

Jennifer C. Davidson, Dimitar Karadzhov, Graham Wilson

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

31 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Cost-effective and user-friendly, mobile phone-assisted methods have remained underutilized in qualitative social science research. The scarce methodological guidance, together with recruitment and ethical challenges, has arguably stifled advancements in this area. COVID-19 exposed the need to better equip researchers with the expertise and tools to conduct remote research effectively. In 2020, we designed and launched a smartphone survey application to collect real-time data from children’s sector professionals across the globe regarding best practices in, and challenges to, responding to the pandemic. In this short article, we reflect on the efficiency, quality, and acceptability afforded by the smartphone app survey, and outline recommendations for enhancing rigor and feasibility. We also present data snippets illustrating the positive impact of participation on respondents—a seldom-documented aspect of app-based research. Altogether, we advocate a flexible, pragmatic, and user-centered study and app design that aligns with respondents’ specific, situational needs, and preferences.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	328-342
Number of pages	15
Journal	Field Methods
Volume	36
Issue number	4
Early online date	8 Jan 2024
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/1525822X231218192
Publication status	Published - 1 Nov 2024

Funding

The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This work was supported by the Scottish Funding Council Global Challenges Research Fund (Reference: SFC/AN/18/2020).

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

Keywords

COVID-19
remote research
smartphone app survey
app design

Access to Document

10.1177/1525822X231218192Licence: CC BY 4.0

Davidson-etal-FM-2023-designing-a-multinational-smartphone-app-survey-during-COVID-19-rewards-risks-and-recommendationsFinal published version, 873 KBLicence: CC BY 4.0

Complexities of protecting children from violence during the COVID-19 pandemic: providers' and policymakers' best practices, innovations and challenges in 12 countries
Davidson, J., Karadzhov, D., Collins, H. & Brown, A., 31 Dec 2023, In: Child Abuse & Neglect. 146, 15 p., 106480.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Open Access
File
2 Link opens in a new tab Citations (Scopus)

21 Downloads (Pure)
Effective child well-being practices, barriers and priority actions: survey findings from service providers and policymakers in 22 countries during COVID-19
Karadzhov, D., Wilson, G., Shields, S., Lux, E. & Davidson, J. C., 17 Nov 2023, In: Journal of Children's Services. 18, 3/4, p. 207-232 26 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Open Access
File
3 Link opens in a new tab Citations (Scopus)

25 Downloads (Pure)
Inspiring Children's Futures: Children's Participation: Adults' Perceptions of Child Participation and Young People's Views on Responses during Covid-19
Lee, L., Wright, L. H. V., Shields, S., Karadzhov, D., Davidson, J., Hope-Burchill, K., Singh, P., Machado, C. & Niyogi, O., 31 May 2022, Glasgow: University of Strathclyde. 24 p. (Inspiring Children's Futures Learning Report Series)
Research output: Book/Report › Other report

Open Access
File

'Making a Social Difference' Scottish Knowledge Exchange Award
Davidson, J. (Recipient), Shields, S. (Recipient), Karadzhov, D. (Recipient), Lux, E. (Recipient), Vaupel-Schwittay, H. (Recipient), Hope, K. (Recipient), Abueva, A. (Recipient) & Sobota, K. (Recipient), 25 Mar 2023
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)

Inspiring Ways To End Violence Against Children: The Podcast
Davidson, J. (Interviewee)
Jul 2021
Activity: Public Engagement and Outreach › Media Participation

Cite this

@article{ee22cf3816674ae38ceb015e1a30d6d5,

title = "Designing a multinational smartphone app survey during COVID-19: rewards, risks and recommendations",

abstract = "Cost-effective and user-friendly, mobile phone-assisted methods have remained underutilized in qualitative social science research. The scarce methodological guidance, together with recruitment and ethical challenges, has arguably stifled advancements in this area. COVID-19 exposed the need to better equip researchers with the expertise and tools to conduct remote research effectively. In 2020, we designed and launched a smartphone survey application to collect real-time data from children{\textquoteright}s sector professionals across the globe regarding best practices in, and challenges to, responding to the pandemic. In this short article, we reflect on the efficiency, quality, and acceptability afforded by the smartphone app survey, and outline recommendations for enhancing rigor and feasibility. We also present data snippets illustrating the positive impact of participation on respondents—a seldom-documented aspect of app-based research. Altogether, we advocate a flexible, pragmatic, and user-centered study and app design that aligns with respondents{\textquoteright} specific, situational needs, and preferences.",

keywords = "COVID-19, remote research, smartphone app survey, app design",

author = "Davidson, \{Jennifer C.\} and Dimitar Karadzhov and Graham Wilson",

year = "2024",

month = nov,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1177/1525822X231218192",

language = "English",

volume = "36",

pages = "328--342",

number = "4",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Designing a multinational smartphone app survey during COVID-19

T2 - rewards, risks and recommendations

AU - Davidson, Jennifer C.

AU - Karadzhov, Dimitar

AU - Wilson, Graham

PY - 2024/11/1

Y1 - 2024/11/1

N2 - Cost-effective and user-friendly, mobile phone-assisted methods have remained underutilized in qualitative social science research. The scarce methodological guidance, together with recruitment and ethical challenges, has arguably stifled advancements in this area. COVID-19 exposed the need to better equip researchers with the expertise and tools to conduct remote research effectively. In 2020, we designed and launched a smartphone survey application to collect real-time data from children’s sector professionals across the globe regarding best practices in, and challenges to, responding to the pandemic. In this short article, we reflect on the efficiency, quality, and acceptability afforded by the smartphone app survey, and outline recommendations for enhancing rigor and feasibility. We also present data snippets illustrating the positive impact of participation on respondents—a seldom-documented aspect of app-based research. Altogether, we advocate a flexible, pragmatic, and user-centered study and app design that aligns with respondents’ specific, situational needs, and preferences.

AB - Cost-effective and user-friendly, mobile phone-assisted methods have remained underutilized in qualitative social science research. The scarce methodological guidance, together with recruitment and ethical challenges, has arguably stifled advancements in this area. COVID-19 exposed the need to better equip researchers with the expertise and tools to conduct remote research effectively. In 2020, we designed and launched a smartphone survey application to collect real-time data from children’s sector professionals across the globe regarding best practices in, and challenges to, responding to the pandemic. In this short article, we reflect on the efficiency, quality, and acceptability afforded by the smartphone app survey, and outline recommendations for enhancing rigor and feasibility. We also present data snippets illustrating the positive impact of participation on respondents—a seldom-documented aspect of app-based research. Altogether, we advocate a flexible, pragmatic, and user-centered study and app design that aligns with respondents’ specific, situational needs, and preferences.

KW - COVID-19

KW - remote research

KW - smartphone app survey

KW - app design

U2 - 10.1177/1525822X231218192

DO - 10.1177/1525822X231218192

M3 - Article

VL - 36

SP - 328

EP - 342

JO - Field Methods

JF - Field Methods

IS - 4

ER -

Designing a multinational smartphone app survey during COVID-19: rewards, risks and recommendations

Abstract

Funding

UN SDGs

Keywords

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Research output

Complexities of protecting children from violence during the COVID-19 pandemic: providers' and policymakers' best practices, innovations and challenges in 12 countries

Effective child well-being practices, barriers and priority actions: survey findings from service providers and policymakers in 22 countries during COVID-19

Inspiring Children's Futures: Children's Participation: Adults' Perceptions of Child Participation and Young People's Views on Responses during Covid-19

Prizes

'Making a Social Difference' Scottish Knowledge Exchange Award

Activities

Inspiring Ways To End Violence Against Children: The Podcast

Cite this