The software in the Askia range have been designed to work alongside each other. If you know how your survey tree looks in Design, you will not be surprised by how it looks in Analyse. That’s the whole point of an integrated suite.
Analyse has mainly been designed to work with a single user, creating their weightings, calculated variables and filters in their QES file.
When we realised that a lot of our users were working on continuous surveys, we introduced Surf files: the analysis definitions were stored in the Surf files so there was no problem whenever you were adding more data.
However, there were two types of user for which Askia Analyse was not performing well:
1. People importing their data from an external source (e.g. triple-S, SAV, Dimensions etc)
They would import their data, maybe create a question tree structure in Design and create multiple questions or loops in Tools. Then they would create variables, weightings and sub-populations in Analyse and save their portfolios.
Now if there was any problem with the source data, such as, additional data or cleaning errors, the whole import would have to be done again. Of course, we provided ways to improve the speed of the process:
…but we wanted to make things quicker.
2. People within large teams
In large teams, a portfolio could be created by someone and run by someone else. It’s not always the same people who create the Surf file and use it. Again we had made sure that the portfolios can be shared. If someone created a sub-population within a portfolio, it would be re-created in Analyse but what about calculated variables, recodes and weightings?
To please all these users, we have implemented a new range of developments:
myView
Firstly, we have implemented myView: it lets users re-organise and hide variables as well as hide responses and automatically associate calculated or grouped responses to questions. It’s something we have given a lot of TLC to. Since the ‘my limited view’ definition is stored outside the QES or QEW (in an .mlv file), if your survey changes (after a re-import), the myView file can be re-used (and opened automatically).
Portfolio improvements
Secondly, we have stored a few more things in the portfolio. The weightings and even the calculated variables & recodes. This means that if you use any weighting or portfolio (as well as tab-template and sub-population), their definition will be saved in the portfolio. If you re-open that portfolio in a different QES or QEW, all these definitions will be re-created automatically! – If these already exist in the survey; the system will warn you if they are different.
Creating loops
Finally, an ambitious development scheduled for 5.3.5.5. We have decided to let people create loops in Analyse (well they are called levels, aren’t they?). This means even if you have data in Surf, you will easily be able to bring questions into loops without writing edits or transforming several files in Tools.
