THE DUTCH MODEL OF DATA-COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT FOR OFFICIAL SURVEYS

This article presents the methodological toolkit for data collection ( particularly questionnaire) design and development in use at Statistic s Netherlands (NCBS). The (re-)design of a continuous survey of living conditions is used to illustrate five development steps: (I) project preparation and risk analysis; (2) a qualitative study using explorato ry tools in a questionnaire laboratory; (3) a qualitative study in the field; (4) a quantitative pilot in the field; and (5) implementation. A pretesting program determines how, in Steps 1-4, respondents are co nsulted about design issues concerning both the questionnaire and its administration. 'Respondent-friendly' design changes can thus be imple mented before Step 5. The model is meant as a flexible framework for d eciding when to test what and by which tool. This includes the possibi lity of steps being omitted, repeated, combined, or interchanged. Vari ous test tools, like focus groups and cognitive interviews, are concei ved as special cases of meta-interviews, by which (meta-) data are col lected about and in addition to the intended data collection. The auth ors propose to use an eclectic classification of measurement error ris ks as a framework for describing risk hypotheses and test results. Ris k hypotheses mainly serve to guarantee efficient use of means and time available for Steps 1-4. Unanticipated meta-information is obtained i n the process.