Survey and Sample Design
Sampling and surveys are applied because the cost of a census of the entire population is not efficient or too resource intensive. Sampling and surveying can be less expensive, but is itself costly. Knowledgeable survey design is key to achieving objectives while conserving resources. Optimal sample design can dramatically improve the effectiveness of sampling and surveying, and producing required precision while minimizing costs. We have extensive experience with complex sample and survey design. Our past sampling and surveying services include:
- Public survey design, analysis and report production.
- Population surveys: construction of housing inventory and GIS profile of the study area.
- Stratified and other sample designs for inventory and audit control.
- Bootstrap estimates of the precision of complex survey results.
- Design of acceptance sampling plans.
- Weighted, multi-stage, proportional sampling strategies using ratio estimation.
- Application of models to determine accuracy of tax assessments, using sample of field measurements.
- Sampling to evaluate extent of alleged fraud.
- Sample testing to verify contract performance.
- Statistical sampling to identify audit target selection.
- Automated computer programs for designing samples, random sampling, and compute estimates.
- Surveys to project number of persons who use wheelchairs denied access to retail stores.
- Sampling to assess compliance of Child Welfare Department with settlement agreement.
- Analysis of property tax assessments.
- Demographic analysis, including GIS techniques, for extending demographic information.
- Design and execution of a door-to-door survey of voters to determine the impact of disparate treatment of absentee ballots.
