7 Data Collection Tools (With Definition And Importance)

In the workplace, professionals often accumulate data from target audiences by distributing surveys, leading focus groups and conducting interviews. They may also use data collection tools to congregate the results of their experiments in online spaces. Learning about the applications that can collect and evaluate data can help you find a platform that can meet the research needs of the business you represent. In this article, we state the purpose of data collection tools, explain why they’re important and describe seven data collection tools you can use for your research initiatives.

What are data collection tools?

Data collection tools are software programs that can gather and analyze information. They can enable you to compile the results of your research experiments onto a digital platform. The features of data collection tools can make it easier for you to identify trends and draw conclusions to answer your research questions. You can also share access to the data with members of your team and store the information on online storage applications. Some tools provide templates for you to compose documents to collect data, allowing you to see the results as they arise from your mobile device or desktop computer.

Why are data collection tools important?

Data collection tools are important because they can organize the results of your research. Here are reasons that illustrate the significance of investing in the right software:

• Collaborating with coworkers: When learning about key audiences, you may collaborate with your coworkers to develop questionnaires and interpret your findings. Sharing access to your data on a platform can make it simpler for you to show the progress of your research and facilitate discussions about the meaning of the data.

• Streamlining the research process: Software applications for data collection can also save you time and resources throughout the research process. You can create documents, monitor the results and generate reports all on one platform, which helps you avoid the need to invest in several programs to accomplish the same goals.

• Delivering accurate information: It can be important for you to have access to accurate information when making decisions that affect your teammates and the company as a whole. Data collection tools can protect the integrity of your research, allowing you to identify and resolve discrepancies before drawing conclusions.

• Providing references for future projects: The storage capabilities of data collection programs can enable you to save your work and reference them for future projects. For example, if you want to distribute a survey to a certain demographic, you can access the platform to find a survey you created in the past and use it as a guide to build a new one.

7 data collection tools

Here’s a list of data collection tools you can use to analyze data in the workplace:

1. Formplus

Formplus can be useful for performing different types of research, such as qualitative and quantitative. The platform can gather information from surveys and focus groups, leaving you to analyze the figures in their original forms. You can use Formplus to personalize the layout and visual design of a company’s surveys. For example, you can incorporate the same color scheme and typeface to allow respondents to recognize the source of the questions. The platform can also insert the link to the survey into a company’s website, which can grant easy access to audience members who want to participate in the study.

2. Repsly

Repsly offers a mobile customer relationship management (CRM) tool. It can be useful for small and mid-sized businesses in the retail industry. You can track a company’s sales performance by identifying patterns in the merchandise customers purchase and the ones that are still on the shelves. The tool also enables you to monitor inventory and the productivity of members of the sales team. For example, the dashboard can display the number of hours employees worked in the store and the extent of their contribution to the store’s sales targets. There’s also a gallery that showcases pictures from the field.

3. GoSpotCheck

GoSpotCheck is compatible with computer and mobile users who collect field data. It delivers trends in the data in real-time and categorizes the figures to enable you to interpret your findings. You can access summaries of your insights in graphics on the dashboard, such as pie charts, line graphs and bar graphs. The platform can also allow you to apply filters to emphasize certain points of your research and report necessary details to your coworkers. If you want to share the data, you can export the figures in diverse formats or grant access to professionals on your team.

4. Zonka Feedback

Zonka Feedback can allow you to develop questions for a survey that measures customer satisfaction. The tool can be useful if you wish to gain insight into customers’ experience with a business you represent. You can learn the areas that appeal to customers and the areas where the company can improve to bolster satisfaction and retention ratings. Zonka Feedback can generate reports with live updates of the data you’re collecting. It also features a notification system to inform you of when new information is accessible. The data can be visible offline, and you can translate the insight into multiple languages.

5. Forms On Fire

Forms On Fire can transform a research document into a digital format, and it integrates with popular cloud systems. The software provides templates for you to enter the data you collected and share the information with your coworkers. The forms are accessible to you online or offline, and you can view them by using a mobile device or computer. In the workplace, Forms on Fire can be helpful if you’re working on a team of researchers and analysts. You can consolidate the data in reports, which can allow you to distribute your findings to clients or chief officers.

6. QuickTapSurvey

QuickTapSurveys can produce questionnaires that are accessible to you with and without an internet connection. You can include questions on the survey that can allow you to gather contact information from the respondent, such as email address and phone number, which can help you follow up with them. The platform collects survey results that you can view from your phone or computer, and it’s compatible with automation tools, such as MailChimp. Using QuickTapSurvey can be useful if you aim to distribute customer satisfaction surveys. You can also customize the appearance of the surveys to coincide with a company’s brand.

7. Fulcrum

Fulcrum is an application for obtaining and interpreting data from mobile devices. It can be useful for employees who still want access to their research while they’re out of the office. You can refresh the insights on the platform, which can allow you to make choices with current information at your disposal. Fulcrum also tracks the location of the data, providing the coordinates of its origin. You can unify the application with other software programs. You can also take photographs, sounds and video footage that are accessible within the application. The information within Fulcrum can upload to cloud systems.

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