Data Handling

Data File

When a project is complete, the survey results can be sent by email, shared using available sharing methods on the device or exported using file sharing with a direct computer connection.

In general, most researchers will choose to use the email option. It is simple and intuitive to participants. File sharing is more likely to be useful if the researcher provides the participants with devices, which are then returned.

The results are exported as a CSV file. There will be a data file for each participant ID. A run-once survey may be run with different participant IDs and thus there may be more than one file. If there is one participant ID, as is always the case for a scheduled survey, there will be one output file per project (see the image below). Unopened survey runs (i.e., that have not been responded to) are not saved or recorded.

The first four lines of the data file are as follows:

  1. Survey Name, Install Id
  2. Author
  3. Subject ID
  4. Blank

The Install Id is a unique identifier set on intallation of the app. It is not used for any device tracking or identification purposes nor is it uploaded to a server. It is purely used for import into the PIEL Data app in case a participant sends multiple copies of the data file. The PIEL Data app will not merge duplicate records.

Below this header information, every 3 lines reports on one survey run. The first line of a survey run has “Start time” and “End time” headings in Columns A and B and question numbers from Column C on. The second line has the start and end timestamps in Columns A and B and the responses listed from Column C on. The third line is a timestamp for each response.

The following data file (opened as a spreadsheet) is for 2 survey runs with the following question types:

  1. List
  2. Checkbox
  3. Slider
  4. Text

Opening Data Files

Warning. Make sure you keep a copy of the original data files.

The data files are "csv" text files. These files can be opened by many software programs, probably the most convenient being spreadsheet programs.

It is important that you do not save the files as "csv" files and overwrite the original data files. Some spreadsheet programs will alter the format.

Merging Data Files

The PIEL Survey data files require merging to enable import into statistical software. To facilitate this, you can use the PIEL Data app.