How long does a large-scale household survey take?

A national household survey — from inception through final report — typically takes 12 to 20 weeks, depending on sample size, geographic spread, and the complexity of the analysis plan. Rapid assessment studies using smaller samples can be completed in 6 to 8 weeks. We provide a detailed timeline at the proposal stage.

Do you conduct surveys in languages other than English?

Yes. Our enumerators are recruited from the communities they survey and are proficient in the relevant local languages — Twi, Ga, Ewe, Hausa, Dagbani, Dagaare, and others, depending on the study region. Questionnaires are translated and back-translated where required.

Can Devtplan manage the full survey cycle, or do you only do fieldwork?

We manage the full cycle: research design, sampling, questionnaire development, ethical review support, enumerator training, field data collection, data cleaning and analysis, and final report. We can also engage at any single phase if a client has an existing design and needs only fieldwork or only analysis.

Do you work with mobile-money or market-access data?

Where a study design calls for it, we integrate mobile-money transaction data, market price data, or GIS-linked administrative records with primary survey data. This is particularly relevant for financial-inclusion and agricultural-market studies.

What ethical standards govern your research?

All research involving human subjects follows informed-consent protocols aligned with the Ghana Health Service Ethics Review Committee (GHSERC) requirements and the ethical standards of commissioning donors. We support clients in obtaining IRB or ethics-board clearance where required by the funder.

Socio-Economic Research & Surveys in Ghana

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Devtplan Consult designs and delivers large-scale socio-economic surveys that meet donor-grade standards — from sampling design and questionnaire development through field data collection, quality control, and statistical analysis. We have led household surveys, community baseline studies, market assessments, and mixed-methods research across Ghana's most complex terrain, consistently meeting the methodological expectations of USAID, the African Development Bank, KOICA, and the Gates Foundation.

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What it involves

What does a socio-economic survey involve?

A socio-economic survey combines quantitative data collection (structured questionnaires administered to a statistically representative sample of households, communities, or businesses) with qualitative inquiry (focus group discussions, key informant interviews, observation). The design phase establishes the research questions, sampling frame, sample size, and stratification strategy. Field implementation covers enumerator training, data collection, supervision, and real-time quality checks. Analysis produces baseline statistics, disaggregated profiles, and findings structured for donor reporting or policy use.

What kinds of sampling designs does Devtplan use?

Our statisticians select the sampling approach to match the study objectives, population, and budget. Common designs include stratified random sampling (by region, urban/rural, gender), multi-stage cluster sampling (for national household surveys), purposive sampling for qualitative components, and probability proportionate to size (PPS) selection for large enumeration areas. Where we operate in multiple regions simultaneously, we coordinate regional sampling frames to ensure comparability and statistical power.

How do you ensure data quality across large field operations?

Quality control is built into every stage. Questionnaires are piloted before deployment. Enumerators are trained and assessed before entering the field. Supervisors check a random proportion of completed interviews daily. Where feasible, we use electronic data collection (tablets, ODK/KoBoToolbox) with built-in validation rules that catch out-of-range values and skipped logic at the point of entry. A post-fieldwork data cleaning and verification protocol flags outliers and inconsistencies before analysis begins.

Can you operate across all regions of Ghana simultaneously?

Yes. Our permanent offices in Accra (HQ) and Tamale (Northern-sector) anchor field operations across all 16 regions. We maintain rosters of trained enumerators and supervisors in each zone, enabling simultaneous multi-region data collection with consistent protocols. This capacity has been demonstrated on national-scale assignments for the AfDB, KOICA, and the Ministry of Local Government.

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Methods & approaches

Household, enterprise, and community surveys (quantitative)
Focus group discussions and key informant interviews (qualitative)
Stratified random, multi-stage cluster, and PPS sampling designs
Electronic data collection via ODK / KoBoToolbox with validation logic
CAPI / CATI data collection for rapid turnaround
Enumerator training, field supervision, and back-checking protocols
Data cleaning, coding, weighting, and statistical analysis (STATA, R, SPSS)
Report writing to donor standards (USAID, AfDB, KOICA, EU)

Who this service is for

Development partners commissioning baselines, midlines, and endlines; government agencies needing evidence for policy; NGOs requiring beneficiary data; private-sector clients seeking market-sizing or consumer research.

Related work

01 / 2022

PASEWAY (BMZ)

Endline Evaluation — BMZ PASEWAY Programme

Employment & Youth — Multi-region

02 / c. 2021

KOICA

Baseline, Midline & Endline — KOICA Maternal & Child Health Impact Evaluation (RCT)

Health — Multi-region

03 / c. 2021

RTI International

Baseline & Midline Data Collection — Right to Play "Learning through Play" (LtP) P3

Education — Multi-region

View all assignments →

Frequently asked questions

How long does a large-scale household survey take?: A national household survey — from inception through final report — typically takes 12 to 20 weeks, depending on sample size, geographic spread, and the complexity of the analysis plan. Rapid assessment studies using smaller samples can be completed in 6 to 8 weeks. We provide a detailed timeline at the proposal stage.
Do you conduct surveys in languages other than English?: Yes. Our enumerators are recruited from the communities they survey and are proficient in the relevant local languages — Twi, Ga, Ewe, Hausa, Dagbani, Dagaare, and others, depending on the study region. Questionnaires are translated and back-translated where required.
Can Devtplan manage the full survey cycle, or do you only do fieldwork?: We manage the full cycle: research design, sampling, questionnaire development, ethical review support, enumerator training, field data collection, data cleaning and analysis, and final report. We can also engage at any single phase if a client has an existing design and needs only fieldwork or only analysis.
Do you work with mobile-money or market-access data?: Where a study design calls for it, we integrate mobile-money transaction data, market price data, or GIS-linked administrative records with primary survey data. This is particularly relevant for financial-inclusion and agricultural-market studies.
What ethical standards govern your research?: All research involving human subjects follows informed-consent protocols aligned with the Ghana Health Service Ethics Review Committee (GHSERC) requirements and the ethical standards of commissioning donors. We support clients in obtaining IRB or ethics-board clearance where required by the funder.