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This page outlines recommendations for designing and building useful CommCare applications. These are compiled from collective experience in app construction and are only recommendations. Individual projects could vary substantially and the overall best practice is to go through extensive user testing and piloting to identify and correct language, media, or work flows that are confusing.

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  • Show maximum of 3 case properties in list
  • Show properties that will help user find the case they want
  • Add sorts([to delete] Case List Sorting) and hidden properties to help user search for the item they want. 

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  • Can show more properties than case list.  
  • Add properties that will help user make sure they've picked the right case
  • Add properties that will help user before opening a form for the case 
  • Use the Format option to display case properties correctly for the user Date Formatting,etc.) See Case List and Case Detail View Configuration.
  • Use ID Mapping if displaying any case properties that store item values.  This will make sure friendly text is shown.  

Excerpt

Multimedia

Before deciding to include multimedia in your application, think carefully through what the goal of multimedia will be in your application.  Some applications may not need multimedia (pure data collection or advanced users who don't need support).  

Audio:

  • Writing a good audio script: 
    • Audience: Is the audio for the person using the phone or the beneficiary.  This changes the message and phrasing of the audio messages. 
    • Counselling vs. Support: Do you want to use audio to help user answer a question (for low literate users) or as counselling for the beneficiary
    • Language and Dialect: Try record audio from someone who speaks the local language/dialect.  Use simple language that users/beneficiaries will understand. 
  • Validate the audio script: Before you start with the actual recording process, welcome feedback about the audio messages with your field team. Modify the phrasing of the audio messages based on feedback from FLWs, field staff and sector specific experts. Here are some things you can gather feedback on:
    • Verify local expressions being used are relevant, understandable and correct.
    • Confirm that the information in script coincides with field practices. If not, dispel any discrepancies. 
    • Ensure comprehension of technical words, such as medical concepts. 
  • Selecting the voice/speaker: 
    • Good qualities of a speaker include: 
      • Native speaker of desired language
      • Clear voice and enunciation of words
      • Understanding of where to put emphasis in a phrase
      • Reads messages naturally
      • Speaks at a good pace (not too fast, not too slow)
    • Other considerations for persuasive behavior change communication include: 
      • perceived influence or authority in certain kinds of voices (i.e. perceived education, or age of the speaker)
      • preference for male or female speakers
    • Ask speaker or a couple selected speakers to record a few messages. Compare the messages recorded by each and discuss with your team which voice(s) you would like to use in the application. 
  • Time allocation for recording: FLWs might not be used to doing such recordings, or are taking time off from their regular work to work with you. They need ample breaks between recordings. Given these reasons, recording may take longer than you expect, so allocate more time for recording than you might expect. Let the speaker know how much time is expected for the recordings. Plan breaks. 
  • Prepare ahead with your speaker: Share the audio script with the speaker a couple of days prior to the recording if possible. Let the speaker familiarize themselves with the text and give them an opportunity to ask questions. If possible, make the person who developed the script available to answer questions .In most cases all Prepare ahead with your speaker: 
    • Share the audio script with the speaker a couple of days prior to the recording if possible. 
    • Let the speaker familiarize themselves with the text and give them an opportunity to ask questions. 
    • If possible, make the person who developed the script available to answer questions. 
    • In most cases all small discrepancies with the script is noticed at this point can be revised immediately before the real recording starts.
  • Recording Set-up: 
    • Bring two printed copies of the audio the messages on paper: one for the speaker and one for the project staff to follow along. Project staff can listen for missed words or mistakes. 
    • The mouth piece of the microphone should be directly in front of the recording person, it should not be too close to her mouth also.  The front face of the microphone should be facing the person whose voice is being recorded.
    • We recommend that the person who is recording the audio files (the one holding the device, not the person who’s voice is being recorded), use headphones attached to the device to listen to the voice as it is recorded. We have found this is a helpful in determining the clarity of the recording, and will indicate to you whether any background noise or interferences were also captured. Be careful not to use a headphone that has a microphone attached to it, this sometimes creates a disturbance as two microphones are working simultaneously at the same time.
  • Equipment: 
    • We recommend you select a high quality microphone/recording device. 
    • We discourage using laptop microphones. The audio is usually very poor and processing such as noise removal may not be able to improve the quality of recordings made through a laptop microphone. 
    • Some headphone microphones may be suitable. 
    • We suggest you test the quality of the audio recording for 1-2 files before purchasing the device and recording the full audio set. Test out the files on the mobile phone you will be using if possible. 
    • Some recording devices are highly sensitive and pick up background noise easily.  If this is the case with your device, we suggest covering the mouth piece with foam or a cloth. This will help reduce background noise to a large extent.                                        
    • If your recording device records audio files in different audio formats, we suggest you switch the format to mp3 mode on the recording device itself. CommCare applications are compatible with the mp3 format only. Recording the files in this format from the beginning, will save time later on. 
      • If you are using existing media that you want to integrate into CommCare, there are online tools available to convert the audio files from one format into mp3 format.
      • If you forgot to save the audio files in the mp3 format as you recorded them, you can change the format at the time of processing. Once processing is complete, you may export them in the mp3 format.
  • Recording Environment: Find a quiet space, otherwise it will be very difficult to remove disturbances in the processing stage. If recording outdoors, find shade. If in a room, find a well-ventilated room. Make sure you bring sufficient water to the recording session for your speaker. 
  • Processing:  If the audio is going to be played in a loud area, you may need to increase the audio volume. 
  • Managing a large number of audio files: There are many ways one could manage a large number of audio files. Here are some tips to make it easier:
  • Have the speaker or the recorder say the number or title of the audio message that is being recorded at the beginning of each message. Or you can create a sound effect (i.e. a clap or tap on the table) during the recording itself that will denote the start and end of recording different messages. You will visually see this sound peak at the time of processing. 
    • First splice and slice Time allocation for recording: FLWs might not be used to doing such recordings, or are taking time off from their regular work to work with you. They need ample breaks between recordings. Given these reasons, recording may take longer than you expect, so allocate more time for recording than you might expect. Let the speaker know how much time is expected for the recordings. Plan breaks. 
  • Equipment: 
    • We recommend you select a high quality microphone/recording device. 
    • We discourage using laptop microphones. The audio is usually very poor and processing such as noise removal may not be able to improve the quality of recordings made through a laptop microphone. 
    • Some headphone microphones may be suitable. 
    • We suggest you test the quality of the audio recording for 1-2 files before purchasing the device and recording the full audio set. Test out the files on the mobile phone you will be using if possible. 
    • Some recording devices are highly sensitive and pick up background noise easily.  If this is the case with your device, we suggest covering the mouth piece with foam or a cloth. This will help reduce background noise to a large extent.                                        
    • If your recording device records audio files in different audio formats, we suggest you switch the format to mp3 mode on the recording device itself. CommCare applications are compatible with the mp3 format only. Recording the files in this format from the beginning, will save time later on. 
      • If you are using existing media that you want to integrate into CommCare, there are online tools available to convert the audio files from one format into mp3 format.
      • If you forgot to save the audio files in the mp3 format as you recorded them, you can change the format at the time of processing. Once processing is complete, you may export them in the mp3 format.
    • Record a short test take before starting to ensure equipment is functional and audio quality is good.
    • Carry extra batteries on recording day!
  • Recording Set-up: 
    • Bring two printed copies of the audio the messages on paper: one for the speaker and one for the project staff to follow along. Project staff can listen for missed words or mistakes. You may also number the messages in large font for ease of reference.
    • The mouth piece of the microphone should be directly in front of the recording person, it should not be too close to her mouth also.  The front face of the microphone should be facing the person whose voice is being recorded.

    • We recommend that the person who is recording the audio files (the one holding the device, not the person who’s voice is being recorded), use headphones attached to the device to listen to the voice as it is recorded. We have found this is a helpful in determining the clarity of the recording, and will indicate to you whether any background noise or interferences were also captured. Be careful not to use a headphone that has a microphone attached to it, this sometimes creates a disturbance as two microphones are working simultaneously at the same time.

    • Depending on the pronunciation of the speaker you may need to adjust the position of the recorder. Generally, a 45 degree angle downwards from the mouth works well. Additionally, a 1 inch gap between the mouth and the recorder is recommended. Common problems with positioning of the equipment: 

      • If recorder is too close to the mouth, you will likely see large sound peaks that are harder to remove for sounds like "bh", "ph" for example. 
      • If recorder is too close to the mouth, you capture breathing in the script which is hard to remove or reduce in the processing phase. 
      • If recorder is too far from the mouth, you capture other sounds (like your voice or breathing or those of people sitting around you) that you do not intend to.
  • Tips for the speaker during the recording:
    • Have the speaker speak clearly and slowly — slower than feels natural, with good annunciation, discernible breaks between words, and plenty of pauses. 
    • Have him/her speak slightly louder than usual ("project") but not so much that it sounds unnatural
    • Have them read each phrase in order with a short pause after each (~3 seconds). 
    • Have them read the number (in English, if possible) before each phrase, with a short pause (~1 second) between the number and the phrase. 
    • The numbers will aid greatly in identifying which phrase is which, especially if they were recorded in a language other than your own.
    • Do several takes. It's ok. Third time's the charm sometimes!
  • Recording Environment: 
    • Pick a quiet place with little background noise or disturbances.  
    • Both recorder and 'speaker/talent' should remove all accessories which may interfere with the recordings (ex. jewelry, keys, phones). It will be very difficult to remove disturbances in the processing stage. 
    • If recording outdoors, find shade. If in a room, find a well-ventilated room. 
    • Make sure you bring sufficient water to the recording session for your speaker. 
  • Processing:  For processing steps see Audio Recordings in CommCare.
  • Managing a large number of audio files: There are many ways one could manage a large number of audio files. Here are some tips to make it easier:
    • Have the speaker or the recorder say the number or title of the audio message that is being recorded at the beginning of each message. Or you can create a sound effect (i.e. a clap or tap on the table) during the recording itself that will denote the start and end of recording different messages or the perfect message. You will visually see this sound peak at the time of processing. 
    • Approach 1: Record all the phrases in one take (one audio file). Don't use a separate file for each phrase. If the recording is interrupted with background noise and the speaker messes up, let the recorder keep running and continue on when possible, starting with that same phrase.
    • Approach 2. Record a separate file for each audio message in your script. Read out the message number at the beginning if you do this.
    • Regardless of which approach you take, first splice out the best audio recordings for each message. These are your rough cuts. Name them according to the question ID/keyword in the Definition File.  You can do individual or bulk processing of audio files in Audacity. Instructions here: Audio Recordings in CommCare

 

Images

  • Local Images: Use a local illustrator so that images appear local to the area.
  • Unique Images: If images are being used for low-literate user support, try make each image unique.  This will be less confusing.  
  • Test Images: Test images! Images you may understand may be confusing to beneficiary or user.  For example, a digital thermometer picture may not be understood by all your users.  

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  • Take advantage of calculations in forms to minimize errors. For example, if you are asking for a birth date, add a label afterwards that shows the calculated age. This may highlight an error in date entry if the age appears different than what the user expected.

  • Use labels to force the user to stop and verify their information. You can add a label that shows the user data they entered and encourages them to verify if it is correct (see Common Logic and Calculations ).

  • Use groups to prevent writing the same display logic (and having to update it) for related questions. Groups also make it easier to manage large forms in the designer (see the Beginner's Guide)
  • Consider including a success/you're done with the form label as your last question. This can be particularly useful on J2ME phones by giving the user an opportunity to correct any errors and make it clear to the user that the form is ending..

  • Don't try to do too much in one form. If you make a simple form that is easy to use it has a higher probabilty of success than a complex one that tries to tackle too much.

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