The queXS CATI system uses Limesurvey to manage questionnaire creation and administration. For full details of creating questionnaires using Limesurvey, see the Limesurvey Documentation Manual in your language. This getting started guide will briefly run through creating a test questionnaire.
Firstly, browse to the queXS Administration interface (first link)
Now start entering details of the questionnaire. In this example, we will create a questionnaire called "Test questionnaire", and create a new questionnaire in Limesurvey. Alternatively, you can link it to an existing questionnaire in Limesurvey. For more details, see the full queXS administration documentation on the queXS website
As this questionnaire is for testing purposes, set the respondent selection time to "No respondent selection...". Choose the "Restrict appointments to shifts" option along with "Restrict work to shifts" option. Also select "Questionnaire for testing only".
Enter some details in the Project end text box and the Project information box. Project end text is what appears to the itnerviewer when the questionnaire is complete (i.e. a "Thank you" screen) and Project information appears to interviewers along with the questionnaire itself.
Click on "Create questionnaire" to create the questionnaire. Some details will appear at the top of the page letting you know the questionnaire was successfully created.
Click on "Questionnaire management" (second link in administrative menu) to list the current questionnaires
The questionnaire "Test questionnaire" which we just created is now available to modify. Click on the "Modfiy" link to begin modifying the questionnaire.
To modify the questionaire itself, click on the "Edit questionnaire in Limesurvey" link. The following screen will appear:
As you can find in the Limesurvey Documentation Manual in your language, you will need to create at least one question group and one question to have a valid questionnaire (Limesurvey calls questionnaires "surveys"). In this guide, we will create one group with two questions. Start by finding the "Add group" button:
Click on the "Add group" icon. Notice it is on the right hand side of the screen, over from the text "Question groups"
Enter a group name (required) and a description if necessary. Then click on the "Add group" button.
Now you are browsing inside the new group that you have created. Notice there is a new menu "Questions" with a similar icon for adding questions. Click on this icon to add the first question to the questionnaire.
This screen allows you to create a question. Details of question types and adding questions are available in the Limesurvey Documentation Manual. You must enter a question code. One possible sequence you can use for question codes is a letter followed by a number - the letter representing the group and the number representing the question. The first question would therefore be A1, the second A2 and so on. The question field contains the question text. The help field contains interviewer instructions. The default question type is "long text". Click on "Add question" to add the question to the instrument.
Once you have added a question, a summary of it is displayed. Click on the Add question icon again to create a second question.
Following the same question labeling strategy, we will label this question as A2. Enter in the question text. This time we will chose the question type: "List (Radio)". This is a single choice from a list question type. Click on "Add question", then we can add the response items later.
Again a summary of the question is displayed. Note that a warning "You need to add answers to this question" appears. This is warning us that there are no response categories for this question. Click on the 3x3 grid icon to begin adding response categories.
The "code" column represents the response value, and the "answer" column represents the response label. Start by entering in a response value of 1, then a label. Then click on "Add new answer"
You can keep adding answers line by line and either press the "Enter" key on your keyboard to add another, or click on the "Add new answer" button. Once you have finished adding your answers, press the "Save changes" button
At any stage during the questionnaire creation or editing process, you can test the questionnaire. This will display the questionnaire as it would to the interviewer (without the complete queXS administrative screens, just the questionnaire itself). To display the test questionnaire, click on the green coloured cog icon near the top left of the screen (second row of icons, third from the left). A new browser window or tab should now open with a test version of the questionnaire.
Enter in any text and press the "Next button". If any error messages appear, you can safely ignore them as this is the testing mode only. The second question will now appear with the response categories as entered. Click on the "submit" button to finish the test questionnaire.
The test end of questionnaire screen will appear. It is safe to close this window/tab at any time.
Once you are satisfied with the questionnaire, it needs to be activated to become available to interviewers in the queXS system. To activate a questionnaire, click on the small green triangular icon that appears next to the large square red icon (second row of icons, far left).
A warning will appear. This lets you know that once a questionnaire is activated, it must be deactivated and have its data archived for it to be modified again. Continue by clicking on "Activate survey"
Next a screen will appear mentioning a token table. Tokens must be initialised in limesurvey to allow the queXS system to operate correctly. Press the "Initialise Tokens" button.
Another status window will appear noting that a "token table has been created for this survey". Click on the "Continue" button.
All necessary forms have now been completed to allow queXS to use this questionnaire.