Data is an important ingredient of research. How this data is collected is therefore a crucial part of scientific inquiry. With advancement in technology, there are a number of both open-source and commercial suites for data collection.

Although majority of the tools in existence so far have been efficient, many are black boxes, providing a solution to users who have no change to extend the capabilities of the tools. In addition, many data collection tools perceive users as mere data collectors and not stakeholders in scientific quest.

Consequently, this model of developing tools for data collection hinders innovation, flexibility and automation of spatial workflows.

Today, researchers require tools that are simple, intuitive and that can automate means of collecting data and handling responses.

GeoPsy Collect

GeoPsy Collect, an open-source platform made by GeoPsy Research, is a modern and comprehensive tool that integrates “traditional” means of collecting data with other technological components such as automation.

Inspired by Google Forms for intuitiveness and KoboToolBox for question types, the tool allows researchers to collect complex location-linked data in-an-easy way just like they would using Google Forms.

With the tool, users can design and deploy forms programmatically, fetch responses remotely as well as visualize responses in interactive, complex dashboards all within a click of a button. And since the tool is made up using the microservices architecture, its standard RESTful APIs allows developers to extend the platform to their own usage.

In addition, the tool has QGIS plugin component which allows users to design forms, deploy forms, fetch response data and visualize it all without leaving the QGIS interface.

Lastly, GeoPsy collect enables researchers to have full control over their data as well as unlimited capabilities to integrate their innovation into the data collection process. Similarly, it provides the capabilities of scheduling deployment of the forms.