An Object-based Interviewing System

Abstract

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has developed an object-based interviewing system (OBIS). The key design feature is that each survey question is a function, which is treated as an independent object. The Survey Manager (SM) module maintains a stack of questions and calls each question function when directed. Each question, when called, calls the Interaction Facility (IF) to set up the appropriate screen. This modular approach to automated survey design offers maximum flexibility for system development and maintenance. The software is written in Common LISP and currently runs on Symbolics and VAX computers. The Bureau of Labor Statistics is funding a project to use OBIS to automate the Current Population Survey (CPS), an expenditure survey, and questions about intrahousehold communication to collect data to study communication and proxy response error. Keywords artificial mtelligence, computer-assisted surveys, current population survey, automated interviewing.

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References

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