Support and documentation

Software is only as good as a user's ability to exploit it. Support and documentation, which should show new users how to use and exploit the software's functionality, are a large determinant of that ability. The utility of support and documentation is rated in two complementary ways. One is breadth, which concerns the variety of support and documentation, as well as the number and type of places to which a user can turn for instructions. Another is quality, which concerns the clarity, usefulness, and

comprehensive nature of the support and documentation.

The CAPI programs evaluated here present three different profiles for support and documentation: i) internal, where all references and resources are a part of the proprietary package ii) external, where all references and resources are outside of the software and iii) mixed, where some references and resources are internal and others are external.

The CAPI programs also fit another type of profile: established or start-up. Established software tends to have a larger set of documentation and support services available. Start-up software tends to have fewer or more fragmented support.

Breadth: Two CAPI packages, both established, stand apart from the rest in their superior breadth of support and documentation. Benefiting from the references and resources of both its free and licensed software, CSProX has substantial breadth. Through its predecessor CSPro, CSProX has a beginner's guide, an extensive user manual, a set of example programs, and technical support from the US Census Bureau (although the manual for this separate product covers very little CAPI functionality). Through its licensed version, CSProX offers a compendium of new commands and fee-based training and consultative

services. The latter can be done in several languages, the former only in English. Another member of the old guard of CAPI products, Blaise has accrued an impressive array of support and documentation over the years. It offers a set of user manuals, numerous example programs, free message boards, fee-based support, user conferences, and fee-based training. Its user community is large and vibrant.

Another member of the old guard, CASES also provides extensive support and documentation that falls just short of the example set by CSProX and Blaise. Like these two packages, CASES provides large manuals for beginners as well as for those digging more deeply into the software. By way of further

42 assistance, CASES also provides a large number of programs that demonstrate programming concepts, in addition to excellent and timely technical support by phone and e-mail. Its only relative weaknesses are its relatively smaller and less vibrant user community, and its relative lack of less technical

documentation.

Of the new guard, Entryware and Surveybe distinguish themselves. Somewhat established as a software, Entryware offers a clear and concise manual for the basics, a set of examples for more sophisticated features, and free technical support service via phone or e-mail as part of the software contract. Although a start-up software, Surveybe provides clear interviewer and designer manuals, useful programming examples inside the designer manual, moderated message boards for users to discuss issues and share ideas, and fee-based support services that range from basic technical assistance to personalized consultative assistance16.

Other members of the new guard fare less well. MMIC only offers survey developers limited online documentation and fee-based technical support services with which to supplement it. ODK offers a vibrant online user community and some external programming references, but very little in the way of consolidated, ODK-specific documentation. This mainly owes to the start-up status of these two

software providers; MMIC is still writing its online documentation and ODK is still actively building and rapidly extending its software product.

However, another explanation is based on the fact that both of these products are open source. In contrast to the other products, which are all fee-based, MMIC and ODK offer their software product for free. For fee-based products, the software providers are the ones that write and provide

documentation and support. For the open source products, it is largely the user community or outside companies that provide documentation and support. Although MMIC does provide fee-based technical assistance and service-based consultation, the overarching norm is that implementers pick up these products and run with them, finding support in the larger community or in specialized software firms. ODK, for example, provides limited support through its message boards, but encourages large scale implementers to contract companies like DiMagi to provide more timely and tailored assistance. Quality: Quantity, of course, does not always make for quality. CSProX, Blaise, and CASES all have some shortcomings in quality despite their sheer breadth of resources. CSProX's coverage of new commands contained in the proprietary package is seriously lacking; it functions as a rapid listing of commands more than a manual. CSProX's main documentation, in fact, comes from its freeware counterpart CSPro. Blaise's coverage of CAPI in particular is not quite consolidated for users to read. Its manual provides a general overview of its functionality and spends as much time on CATI as CAPI, a relatively small but noteworthy issue of focus. CASES’ manual is large and difficult to absorb without outside assistance (in contrast to its excellent technical support through phone and e-mail).

Meanwhile, several newer software packages have exceptional, if not broad, sets of references and resources. Entryware's manual is short but exceptionally clear, and its support services readily help to explain what the manual may overlook. Surveybe, in similar fashion, offers a consolidated and clear manual that is specifically oriented to complex household surveys. It provides very helpful extended

16 _{Surveybe provides individual technical assistance that can come in many forms, from trainings to feasibility trips}

for agencies looking to transition to CAPI. This could also take the form of field-based design, monitoring, and management of survey operations.

43 examples of design and programming issues that are particular to this type of survey, in addition to a clear overview of the software itself.

MMIC, ODK, and Pendragon deviate somewhat from this trend, with lackluster formal documentation but excellent informal support. MMIC’s documentation is too thin to be immediately helpful but is complemented by its excellent direct assistance. ODK’s documentation is difficult for less technical users but is somewhat compensated for by its extremely active message boards. Pendragon’s manual and message boards offer first time users relatively poor guidance, but direct assistance quickly answers technical questions.

Taking into consideration breadth and quality, Blaise presents the best support and documentation package, both as the cause of and testament to its success as a CAPI program. As another part of its appeal, Blaise has a large user community, which makes its message boards an equally strong source of support as any other piece of the package.

However, Surveybe deserves an honorable mention because of its clarity, comprehensiveness, and helpful orientation to complex household surveys. Although as a start-up its documentation may not rival the breadth of more established players, Surveybe certainly matches more established packages on quality, judging from the resources currently available. The package's manual, for example, is the clearest one of all the CAPI packages considered for this report. Time will tell whether the other pieces of the support package maintain the high standard of quality.