Optimize Data Collection Process

Data collection or generation of primary data is a time consuming and expensive work. But we can optimize the data collection process by obtaining maximum information from minimum possible sample size. 

Methods of optimization in data collection are the following.

1.      Clear objective of study – What do we want to measure? 
2.      List of well worked out questions. Data collected are the answers to these questions.
3.        Methods of asking these questions. Tests related to these questions or art of asking these question
4.         Design of experiments conducted to furnish answers to our questions by minimizing the background noise.
5.        A sample representing the entire cross section of the population (always keep the objective of study in mind!)