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CSPro for Data Entry Workshop

CSPro for Data Entry Workshop. Carolina Population Center May 16-21, 2011. Useful Links. U.S. Census Bureau website http://www.census.gov/ipc/www/cspro CSPro Users http://www.csprousers.org Twitter http://twitter.com/cspro Mailing list for CSPro questions cspro@lists.census.gov.

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CSPro for Data Entry Workshop

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  1. CSPro for Data Entry Workshop Carolina Population Center May 16-21, 2011

  2. Useful Links • U.S. Census Bureau website http://www.census.gov/ipc/www/cspro • CSPro Users http://www.csprousers.org • Twitter http://twitter.com/cspro • Mailing list for CSPro questions cspro@lists.census.gov

  3. History

  4. Census Bureau Involvement • U.S. Census Bureau has a long history of using technology to process censuses, going back to Hollerith and the 1890 census • International Programs Center has been helping countries process census data for decades • Off-the-shelf software in the past was not affordable, not easy to use, or otherwise was not practical for some countries where IPC worked

  5. Integrated Microcomputer Processing System (IMPS) • Census Bureau developed and supported, with funding principally from USAID • DOS-based, text-based, used a COBOL compiler to enhance functionality • Several modules: • Entry (CENTRY) • Editing (CONCOR) • Tabulation (CENTS) • Variance Calculation (CENVAR) • Operational Control (CENTRACK) • CSPro does not have the latter two modules (yet)

  6. Combination of IMPS and ISSA • USAID was funding the development of two statistical processing software packages: • IMPS • ISSA: Integrated System for Survey Analysis • Developed by SERPRO and Macro International • Both software packages were in need of an update to enter the Windows/GUI world • CSPro combines the best features of both software packages: • The ease-of-use of IMPS • The advanced functionality and logic language of ISSA • Called: Census and Survey Processing System

  7. CSPro in One Slide • CSPro is a free software package used by hundreds of organizations and tens of thousands of individuals for entering, editing, tabulating, and disseminating census and survey data. CSPro is designed to be as user-friendly and easy to use as possible, yet powerful enough to handle the most complex applications. It can be used by a wide range of people, from non-technical staff assistants to senior demographers and programmers. The funding for CSPro comes from USAID.

  8. Release History • CSPro 2.0 (the first version) released on May 5, 2000 • CSPro 3.x (2005) included a much more powerful tabulation system • CSPro 4.0 (2008) added support for PDA devices • Most recent version (CSPro 4.1) released on May 5, 2011 • CSPro 4.1 (2011) added additional tools for CAPI operations on portable computers such as tablets

  9. Worldwide Use • Used in over 160 countries by: • National Statistical Offices • NGOs • Universities • Hospitals • Militaries • Businesses • Has processed the census data for countries as varied as Djibouti (less than one million people) to Bangladesh (over 150 million people)

  10. CSPro Processes… • Censuses (population and housing; agriculture; and economic) • Demographic and labor force surveys • Household income and expenditure surveys • Major international projects such as: • Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), Macro International • Living Standards Measurement Study (LSMS), World Bank • Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS), UNICEF

  11. Future? • IMPS to CSPro marked the transition from DOS to Windows • With low-cost computers proliferating (tablets, smartphones), will there be another paradigm shift in the future?

  12. Strengths and Weaknesses

  13. Cost • CSPro is free and will be forever • Some software packages charge both designer and implementer fees • Some software packages charge by number of data collection points

  14. Support • Census Bureau provides free support for CSPro via email: cspro@lists.census.gov • There are CSPro consultants available for hire, though not many • Many applications have been created, though few available on the Internet • Very few Internet websites devoted to CSPro

  15. Platform • Works on any modern machine with Microsoft Windows • Data entry can be done, one question at a time, on Windows Mobile PDAs (versions 5 and 6, not Windows Phone 7) • The growth and activity in low cost tablets and smartphones is not centered around Windows • No way to turn applications into Internet applications

  16. Robustness • Has been tested and used for over ten years • Can handle census-sized applications • Can export data to major statistical software formats, and often is used in combination with other programs • Most major bugs have been fixed, though some known bugs (generally minor) remain

  17. Data File • Flat file, text-based format • Advantages: • Human readable • Possible to create and modify without a data entry application

  18. Data File (continued) • Disadvantages: • Large file sizes, though smaller when compressed • Extra files (e.g., an index) must be stored as separate files • Modifying an entry can force the whole file to be rewritten • Fixed width fields mean that changing a dictionary means reformatting existing files • Inability to store variable-length text • Processing is slower • Not compliant with common database programs and languages, e.g., SQL • Only one user can write to a file at any given time

  19. Keyed Data Entry • CSPro was specifically designed for keyed data entry • Can track the rates of keyers • A verification operation can be established • Has two modes that dictate how much control a keyer has over an operation: operator- and system- controlled modes • Operational control of files can be challenging to new users, particularly if managing an operation with many keyers • Not ideal for keying letters unless they are Latin letters • Key-from-image not supported natively

  20. CAPI Data Entry • Supports CAPI controls (e.g., radio buttons) but as popup windows, not built into the form • No UNICODE support, though kludges mean CSPro can support data entry in most languages • Subject-oriented, non-linear, data entry is difficult to program • Designing the dictionary, forms, and data entry is done in three places, rather than all integrated

  21. Logic Language • Robust, and designed specifically for data entry and processing • Easy tasks are simple to program and require few programming skills • Some tasks could be programmed more cleanly in an object-oriented framework • Simple debugging (tracing) is possible, but dynamic modification of the code is not, requiring a rebuild of the application for any small change • The syntax of features added later (e.g., CAPI functions) is sometimes awkward • Can run slowly as it is an interpreted language • Inability to include standard modules across many applications

  22. Editing and Tabulation • Editing module is specifically designed for census editing, an uncommon task • Tabulation is simple, drag and drop, and can create complex tables with some programming • Area processing • Inability to perform complex analysis via the tabulation module • Editing, and especially tabulation, are slow when run on large data sets

  23. Missing Modules • Census variance • Operational control system for data entry, and for application design • Cleaner interface with industry standard GIS products, rather than the built-in MapViewer

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