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Open Data Kit (ODK) Primer  2/18/2015 Rollins mHealth Collaboration

RmC: N Kishore - 2015

Relevant Vocabulary 

ODK Survey: A drag and drop application in ODK (a bit similar to CommCare) with limited functionality

for large or complicated surveys

ODK Validate: A program which validates the X Form that you create

ODK Collect: The mobile application which allows you to load up an X Form and collect data into that

form (survey)

ODK Briefcase: A central program (on the computer) which uses the created X Form as a referent

structure and aggregates data from various completed forms into one data file

ODK Aggregate: A cloud-based aggregate which automatically syncs data from mobile devices and

creates an up-to-date data file

XML (Extensible Markup Language): as a language XML doesn’t do anything, however it defines data and

documents; useful for defining structure of surveys for data collection

Open-Source: Software for which the original code is freely available to share and modify

X Forms: A file form that can be easily read by ODK Collect and easily programmed through an Excel

interface

Referent Structure: The XML code, created through the Excel framework, which defines the data that

comes in from the completed forms and stores them in a predetermined database structure

Hard-Collection: Aggregating completed forms by physically connecting the collection device (i.e. Tablet)

and a collection point (i.e. Laptop) and copying the forms over

Cloud-Collection: Aggregating completed forms by remotely and automatically syncing with a server,

creating a central database for data analysis

What is ODK?

Open Data Kit (ODK) is a series of open-source tools which are used to design and implement mobile

data collection (MDC) systems. Tools of interest for this session include ODK Validate, ODK Collect, ODK

Aggregate (Cloud collection) and ODK Briefcase (Hard collection). It is based on an XML data structure

and is a lingua franca of MDC. The system only works on Android platforms.

Why use ODK? 

While there are a multitude of mobile data collection tools out there, ODK is a standard that is used as a

structural base for many systems. Users can design, implement and collect surveys completely offline

and basic programming occurs through an Excel spreadsheet which is ubiquitous. Anybody can

“program surveys” in XML with this interface without deep knowledge of the language.

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Open Data Kit (ODK) Primer  2/18/2015 Rollins mHealth Collaboration

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Ex: ODK converts the spreadsheet on the left to the XML code on the right

Furthermore, being open-source, there are always new packages and applications being created which

work on the ODK format fostering an ever-improving product.

Drawbacks to using ODK

Generally speaking, ODK is not a supported system. That means that if things break or go wrong there

isn’t any tech support to call. There is a vibrant network of users who support each other with questions

/ answers; however baseline knowledge of ODK is expected. The system also assumes some knowledge

of XML and comfort with technology. ODK is a very DIY system.

Design to Implementation 

A http://opendatakit.org/xiframe/B https://opendatakit.org/use/validate/

Creation ofSurvey

•Created withExcelTemplateprovided

Creation ofX Forms File

•Created usingonlineXLSFormsconvertorA 

Validation of XLSform

•Use ODKValidate toensure thatyou codedthingscorrectlyB 

ImplementSurvey

•Copy X forminto the"forms" folderunder ODK onyour device.

•Implementyour survey!

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Open Data Kit (ODK) Primer  2/18/2015 Rollins mHealth Collaboration

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The Basic ODK Excel Template 

For “programming” purposes, a basic Excel spreadsheet that will be turned into a mobile survey needs

to have two sheets named survey and choices. At the bare minimum the survey sheet should contain

three columns labeled type, name and label. The choices sheet should contain list_name name and

label. We will discuss what can fill these tables in class and you can find reference tables in the ODKreference spreadsheet

Ex: Survey Ex: Choices

type name label list_name name label

An example of this can be found in the ODK Reference Spreadsheet in the sheets highlighted in red.

Additional References: 

1) 

www.xlsform.org 

2) 

www.opendatakit.org 

*Sample spreadsheets from ODK, all other input reference appropriately

Remember:

1) 

Please bring your laptops!

2) 

For those with android devices:

a. 

Download ODK Collect:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.odk.collect.android&hl=en 

b. 

Bring a cable to connect your laptop to the device