Adding choice after starting data collection

Hi,

Just want to double check as we have a large and complex application involving case management:

If I add or remove a choice to a single choice question after data collection has started, will this affect my export data or my case management function?

Will it remove and then re-add the whole question, in which case I will have to select "include deleted questions" in my export in order to see data entered before the change? Or will if just change the choices, not the whole question??

Thanks for

Natasha

Hi, any advice would be great please.

If it's unclear, we can leave the questions as is and live with it. I just want to know the risks of making small changes to question options after data collection has started.

Thanks

Natasha

Hi Natasha, as far as I know, adding or removing a choice to a question
will not cause any major upsets as long as the name of the case property to
which you're saving the answer hasn't changed. The property can be set to
any available option in the app at the time of saving, so a given case
would continue to reflect that unless the case itself is updated. You would
just have to be conscious of analyzing aggregates or configuring reports,
because you're changing the 'buckets' where data can fall, so looking over
time would be inconsistent. It might be good to keep track of when you're
deploying the option edits so you can filter exports to before/after the
options changed.

Hope this helps!

Jordan

··· On Fri, May 19, 2017 at 3:56 PM, Natasha Lelijveld < natasha.lelijveld@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi, any advice would be great please.

If it's unclear, we can leave the questions as is and live with it. I just
want to know the risks of making small changes to question options after
data collection has started.

Thanks

Natasha

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Jordan Levinson
Dimagi India | Field Manager
D - 1/28 Vasant Vihar | New Delhi 110057, India
t: +91 11.46704670 | m: +91 9599692119

- We're hiring! Find out more here http://www.dimagi.com/about/careers/.
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Hi Jordan,

Thanks so much for your help. Just a quick follow on question: we are using
case management and will be following up several weeks after enrollment, so
if I set the dates pre and post edits, I guess I won't see the follow up
data?

Tash

Hi Natasha, as far as I know, adding or removing a choice to a question
will not cause any major upsets as long as the name of the case property to
which you're saving the answer hasn't changed. The property can be set to
any available option in the app at the time of saving, so a given case
would continue to reflect that unless the case itself is updated. You would
just have to be conscious of analyzing aggregates or configuring reports,
because you're changing the 'buckets' where data can fall, so looking over
time would be inconsistent. It might be good to keep track of when you're
deploying the option edits so you can filter exports to before/after the
options changed.

Hope this helps!

Jordan

··· On 19 May 2017 11:57 am, "Jordan Levinson" wrote:

On Fri, May 19, 2017 at 3:56 PM, Natasha Lelijveld < natasha.lelijveld@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi, any advice would be great please.

If it's unclear, we can leave the questions as is and live with it. I just
want to know the risks of making small changes to question options after
data collection has started.

Thanks

Natasha

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Jordan Levinson
Dimagi India | Field Manager
D - 1/28 Vasant Vihar | New Delhi 110057, India
t: +91 11.46704670 <+91%2011%204670%204670> | m: +91 9599692119
<+91%2095996%2092119>

- We're hiring! Find out more here http://www.dimagi.com/about/careers/.
-

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Hi Natasha, I hope I'm understanding your question. You can of course
configure your exports or reports however it makes sense...without knowing
the specifics, just thinking that if you make changes to how your data is
being 'binned' by adding or removing choices once collection has started,
your data will be inconsistent over time. If you're looking at anything in
aggregate or long-term, could be helpful to note exactly when you
implemented the changes so you can be sure you're comparing only apples
with apples, so to speak.

Best,
Jordan

··· On Fri, May 19, 2017 at 4:57 PM, Natasha Lelijveld < natasha.lelijveld@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi Jordan,

Thanks so much for your help. Just a quick follow on question: we are
using case management and will be following up several weeks after
enrollment, so if I set the dates pre and post edits, I guess I won't see
the follow up data?

Tash

On 19 May 2017 11:57 am, "Jordan Levinson" jlevinson@dimagi.com wrote:

Hi Natasha, as far as I know, adding or removing a choice to a question
will not cause any major upsets as long as the name of the case property to
which you're saving the answer hasn't changed. The property can be set to
any available option in the app at the time of saving, so a given case
would continue to reflect that unless the case itself is updated. You would
just have to be conscious of analyzing aggregates or configuring reports,
because you're changing the 'buckets' where data can fall, so looking over
time would be inconsistent. It might be good to keep track of when you're
deploying the option edits so you can filter exports to before/after the
options changed.

Hope this helps!

Jordan

On Fri, May 19, 2017 at 3:56 PM, Natasha Lelijveld < natasha.lelijveld@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi, any advice would be great please.

If it's unclear, we can leave the questions as is and live with it. I
just want to know the risks of making small changes to question options
after data collection has started.

Thanks

Natasha

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Jordan Levinson
Dimagi India | Field Manager
D - 1/28 Vasant Vihar | New Delhi 110057, India
t: +91 11.46704670 <+91%2011%204670%204670> | m: +91 9599692119
<+91%2095996%2092119>
www.dimagi.com

- We're hiring! Find out more here
http://www.dimagi.com/about/careers/. -

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Jordan Levinson
Dimagi India | Field Manager
D - 1/28 Vasant Vihar | New Delhi 110057, India
t: +91 11.46704670 | m: +91 9599692119

- We're hiring! Find out more here http://www.dimagi.com/about/careers/.
-

Hi Natasha,

Adding to the support that Jordan has provided - if you haven't already,
you may want to review our Help Site page on Making Changes to a Deployed
Application
https://confluence.dimagi.com/display/commcarepublic/Making+Changes+to+a+Deployed+Application,
where we outline risks and considerations. After looking at this page,
please let us know if you have additional questions or need further
clarification. We certainly want to ensure these resources are clear and
can help you, and others, decide whether and how to make changes to a
deployed application.

My best,
Alexandra

··· On Fri, May 19, 2017 at 8:16 AM, Jordan Levinson wrote:

Hi Natasha, I hope I'm understanding your question. You can of course
configure your exports or reports however it makes sense...without knowing
the specifics, just thinking that if you make changes to how your data is
being 'binned' by adding or removing choices once collection has started,
your data will be inconsistent over time. If you're looking at anything in
aggregate or long-term, could be helpful to note exactly when you
implemented the changes so you can be sure you're comparing only apples
with apples, so to speak.

Best,
Jordan

On Fri, May 19, 2017 at 4:57 PM, Natasha Lelijveld < natasha.lelijveld@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi Jordan,

Thanks so much for your help. Just a quick follow on question: we are
using case management and will be following up several weeks after
enrollment, so if I set the dates pre and post edits, I guess I won't see
the follow up data?

Tash

On 19 May 2017 11:57 am, "Jordan Levinson" jlevinson@dimagi.com wrote:

Hi Natasha, as far as I know, adding or removing a choice to a question
will not cause any major upsets as long as the name of the case property to
which you're saving the answer hasn't changed. The property can be set to
any available option in the app at the time of saving, so a given case
would continue to reflect that unless the case itself is updated. You would
just have to be conscious of analyzing aggregates or configuring reports,
because you're changing the 'buckets' where data can fall, so looking over
time would be inconsistent. It might be good to keep track of when you're
deploying the option edits so you can filter exports to before/after the
options changed.

Hope this helps!

Jordan

On Fri, May 19, 2017 at 3:56 PM, Natasha Lelijveld < natasha.lelijveld@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi, any advice would be great please.

If it's unclear, we can leave the questions as is and live with it. I
just want to know the risks of making small changes to question options
after data collection has started.

Thanks

Natasha

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Jordan Levinson
Dimagi India | Field Manager
D - 1/28 Vasant Vihar | New Delhi 110057, India
t: +91 11.46704670 <+91%2011%204670%204670> | m: +91 9599692119
<+91%2095996%2092119>
www.dimagi.com

- We're hiring! Find out more here
http://www.dimagi.com/about/careers/. -

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Jordan Levinson
Dimagi India | Field Manager
D - 1/28 Vasant Vihar | New Delhi 110057, India
t: +91 11.46704670 <+91%2011%204670%204670> | m: +91 9599692119
<+91%2095996%2092119>
www.dimagi.com

- We're hiring! Find out more here
http://www.dimagi.com/about/careers/. -

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