An all-in-one software platform for field researchers and educators

Enabled by DataGater ^SM  

Many kinds of data:  Use FreeField ^tm to collect data through live behavioral observations,  interactive e-forms, paper-pencil printed forms, audio or video recordings.

Many applications:  Observational research, surveys, interviews, questionnaires, formative or summative research on media or products, audience studies, usability research, personnel evaluations, school tests, coaching, classroom supervision and record-keeping of all sorts. 

Many fields:  Social science, biology, economics, polling, education, business management, customer satisfaction, media, entertainment, marketing, product development, website development, advertising, etc. etc.

Full control from start to finish:

  To set up a project ...

Install the Pre-Field module on the designer's computer

Create the templates which define what the project does
-  Compose from scratch, or import full- or partial templates from elsewhere

Specify the data-collection sources: PC's, PDA's, tablets, webcams, paper forms

Design flexible interactive data-collection forms

    -  control appearance: colors, fonts, designs, logos, etc.

    -  set conditional skips and jumps and fill-ins

    -  able to use text-piping, and question rotations

    -  apply answer validation-criteria

    -  etc.

Set up automatic linking between data-collection operations 
(from pretest survey to videotaping of behavior to follow-up survey, for example)

Set log-in options and passwords
 for self-administered or field-worker-administered studies

Establish data-synchronization protocols 
 for studies with more than one data-entry device

To collect the data

Install the In-Field module and a copy of the project template on each device being used for data collection.

Administer interactive data forms (surveys, interviews, questionnaires, audience-judgment indicators, behavior-rating forms, etc)

Play video/audio stimuli - with one or more screens or windows

Control webcam cameras to capture reactions to the stimuli in real-time

Use automatic time-sampling and time-stamping functions- with full control over sampling intervals and periods.

Fieldworkers can record anecdotal field notes on the fly, without exiting FreeField

To analyze the data

Install the Post-Field module on the analyst's computer

Download data and videos from all field devices to the central data store

Review, edit and clean the data

Perform content analysis of free-text

Code observed behaviors from web-cam videos

Do batch runs and custom tabs and crosstabs of all quantitative data.

Produce report-ready graphs and charts.

Created by a field researcher for other field researchers.

Dr. Langbourne Rust has been running his own company for over 30 years, specializing in custom field research projects for educators, communications companies and manufacturers (see www.langrust.com).
He initially developed FreeField^tm software to meet his own needs for speed, flexibility, power, security, mobility, and ease of use by temporary fieldworkers. 

Ease of Use

• Simple learning curve – for both designers and field-workers.

• Extensive library of templates to shortcut design and instrument building.    

• Good-practice defaults are built in to all design steps. 

• Stepwise instructions walk the project designers, administrators and analysts through every step of a project.

• Unlimited installation and distribution. Install as many copies of the software on as many machines as you choose.  No key codes are required to enable them.

Flexibility  

• Customize all aspects of design, instrument and analysis.

• Create interactive forms for self- or field-worker administration

• Create paper forms with key-punching interface in one step.

Mobility 

• Not tethered to the web.

• Collect data wherever you choose.

• Analyze your data wherever you are: on the train,  in an airport, at your office or on vacation.

Security           

• Data never leaves your system.

• No exposure risk.

• Instruments and project design are secure..

Speed 

• Designed for the quickest possible end-to-end turnaround time.

• Type-it-once design:  once you have composed your questions,  you never have to retype them for tables or charts. 

• Automatic formatting of production tables.

• Create cross-tab banner templates to batch-process data reports.

Power

• State-of-the art tools.

• Interactive interfaces have full control over rotations, skips, text-piping, default answers and answer-validation.

• Export functions let you export your data and tables to third-party programs for custom statistical analyses, formatting, graphics, etc.

Priced for - Everyone

• No startup purchase cost. No long-term lease commitments.

• Billed on a project basis:  Pay only for the work you do.

Field-Proven

• Written to perform cutting-edge field studies on short notice for demanding clients with tight deadlines.

• More than 10 years of in-house use for surveys,  copy-testing,  behavioral observations,  concept tests,  usability studies, and psychographic segment profiling. 

• Currently being used by a major public TV production company for viewer behavior studies and by Langbourne Rust Research, Inc for custom consumer research.

To find out more about the features and costs of FreeField ^tm software 
please contact us at:
  lang@freefield.com     
tel: (914) 769-3113

(DataGater ^SM, patent pending 2006, DataGater, LLC)