The Future of Survey Sampling: How Technology is Leading a Breakthrough with Douglas Johnson of IDinsight

Episode notes

In this episode of Survey & Beyond: The Data Collection Podcast, host Marta Costa is joined by Douglas Johnson, a Senior Statistician on the Technical Team at IDinsight. Together, they share groundbreaking approaches to survey sampling that balance rigor with cost-effectiveness, especially in regions where traditional census data is unavailable or unreliable. What You’ll Learn: How traditional sampling methods like the "right-hand rule" fall short in delivering replicable, unbiased results Why satellite imagery and rooftop data are transforming household survey sampling methodology The practical implementation of rooftop sampling and how it improves upon conventional approaches How grid-based sampling works and when it's most appropriate to use The technical requirements and organizational considerations for implementing new sampling methods Why AI and technology will enhance but not replace human-conducted household surveys Douglas Johnson is a Senior Statistician on the Technical Team at IDinsight, specializing in survey sampling methodology and data quality improvement for global development research.