Tribal Voice

We recently interviewed the Law Institute of Victoria about our Survey Design Review, here is what they said:

How did you find the process of getting the feedback?
I contacted Tribe Research to provide urgent feedback for a key survey we were asked to run. They were so understanding, which meant that there was no anxiety that Tribe Research would miss the business deadline for their feedback on our proposed questions.

Was the feedback useful?
The feedback was very useful as we could easily reframe some of the questions to get the best response.

Was the report easy to understand?
The report was easy to follow and it was easy to amend the feedback suggestions within the original survey.

Did you implement the changes?
We implemented the changes because we wanted to ensure that we were framing the questions as per the professional advice and expertise of Tribe Research.

Would you recommend the survey design review product to your colleagues?
Yes. It is always difficult, especially for longer surveys. For me, it is important to know that you are getting the best out of a question and that it will provide meaningful data. Sometimes being too close to a survey you are creating can impact on the question structure. Having a set of expert eyes as a second opinion was reassuring and helpful.

What was your overall impression of the Survey Design Review?
The Tribe Research team are professional, extremely helpful, understand what your objectives are and make you feel assured that your timelines will be met. Most of all after the feedback, you feel like you are sending out a great survey.

Safety and Compliance Surveys

The Australian Marine Pilots Association and New Zealand Marine Pilots Association wanted to have a better understanding of the safety practices of Australian and New Zealand marine pilots and compliance with safety regulations on ships.

Associations need to understand member compliance for development of their organisation

Explore | Two separate surveys were developed for the safety and compliance aspects of the project. The online survey was developed online using Tribal Tool-Kit software. A personalised link emailed to all marine pilots in database and Tribe Research managed data collection.

Uncover | Data analysis and reporting to uncover the use of safety equipment such as helmets and personal flotation devices, experience with different transfer systems, satisfaction with pilot ladders and other ship equipment, changes to equipment design, pilot assessments of compliance with safety regulations on ships.

Drive Change | The results identified areas to be addressed to ensure the health and safety of all marine pilots, and how these areas can be improved.

Telethon Institute for Child Health Research: Australian Rett Syndrome Study (funded by the National Institutes of Health)

Explore | The direct and indirect costs of Rett Syndrome in Australia, using a national database of every known case. This included regular and acute medication, hospital procedures, health professional visits, therapy, respite and long term care, nondurable medical products and durable medical equipment.

Uncover | The economic impact of Rett Syndrome on families, the community and government.

Drive Change | The results of this analysis will be published in several journal articles, and will be used to support government submissions.

Services performed | Data cleaning, database development, matching Rett data to published figures for PBS medication, hospital procedures and health professional consultation rates, adjusting monetary figures to the 2005 Consumer Price Index, written document outlining assumptions and methods used in calculating specific costs, health economics analysis of costs, calculating specific costs required for article publication.

The Australian Businesswomen’s Network (ABN)

The ABN was established to provide business education for women across Australia and to facilitate opportunities for them to network, learn and be inspired by role models and by each other. More information at: http://www.abn.org.au.

Community Surveys

Community Director and Advisory Board Chairperson, Suzi Dafnis said:

“Kate has helped us get to know our ‘tribe’. She’s a thorough operator who I have relied on to help develop, implement and analyse our research and who has always been ontime, proactive and whose work is of an extremely high standard. I have no hesitation recommending her. She’s a great person to have on your team!”

Explore | Assisted in survey design for 2005, 2007 and event feedback survey design. Assisted in the data collection for the 2005 and 2007 surveys. Undertook data entry of the paper based event feedback.

Uncover | Provided member and non-member views through surveys in 2005 and 2007 that provided insights for direction and focus. Provided summary reports of event feedback.

Clear-Head | Liaised with Suzi Dafnis and the Advisory Board about actions that could be undertaken from the results to improve the ABN.

Drive Change | Results used by Suzi Dafnis and her Advisory Board to assist in strategy.

Tribal Voice | The results for the 2005 and 2007 survey were published in ABN publications.

Over 1,000 businesswomen participated in the 2005 ABN online survey providing a valuable resource for the development of networking events for business-women throughout Australia.

More than two thirds [69%] of full time, self employed women work between 35 and 50 hours per week; 27% work between 51 and 75 hours per week; and 4% work 75 hours or more per week. These are similar findings to the Australian Bureau of Statistics report Characteristics of Small Business Operators; 65%, 30% and 5% respectively [ABS Catalogue number 8127.0]. However the ABN survey found that 71% of those self employed worked full time whereas only 40% of female small business operators reported by the ABS worked full time. Full article We Are Hearing You: ABN Membership Survey Results in ABN’s The Networker, February 2006 (p7-8) .

The 2007 survey results are available on the ABN’s website.

This post is extracted from our newsletter, Tribal Voice editions #3 Summer 2006 and #4 Autumn 2006.

Multiple Sclerosis Society of New South Wales 2001 Client Census Study

‘I believe the strong customer focus of the Tribe Research service allowed excellent discussion, negotiation, quality response to our needs. Preparedness to listen and present options contributed to the project’s success’.
Robyn Faine, Manager Client Programs

Explore | Gain a better understanding of our clients

Uncover | Areas of unmet need and service improvement

Drive change | Project led to follow on studies to expand service provision for people living with MS in NSW

Services performed | Advised on questionnaire design, developed the database for data collection, trained telephone interviewers and monitored the interview process. Data was then coded, analysed and presented in reports, for peer review journals and verbal presentations. The dataset included 2,651 clients, 80% of the possible sample.

Publication | International Journal of MS Care, 2006.

In May 2004 the NSW Ombudsman produced a report: Assisting Homeless People – the need to improve their access to accommodation and support services. The inquiry found that exclusionary policies and practices were adversely affecting access by the most vulnerable groups to Supported Accommodation Assistance Program (SAAP) services. In some cases, this seemed to contravene significant legislated guidelines and anti-discrimination legislation. People with alcohol and other drug dependency issues, mental illness and brain related physical disabilities were affected.

One response by peak bodies was to develop a client assessment risk tool and risk management process that would be implemented through training. Age Communications won the tender and Tribe Research is helping in a variety of areas to support this research on various service foci and levels. We have been working with Age Communications on the SAAP Client Risk Assessment Project and the Workshop evaluations of the trial training program. They are being run successfully throughout New South Wales.

Tribe Research and Age Communications project was Highly Commended at the WorkCover Safe Work Awards 2006 in the Best Solution to an identified workplace health and safety issue category.

The SAAP Client Risk Assessment Tool and Process consists of a six step process of Trigger Questions, Follow-up Questions, Severity of Risk, Risk Management Strategies, Decision and Evaluation. It has been implemented through training programs across NSW.

The project was funded by NSW DoCS with a steering committee of HomelessnessNSW.ACT, Women’s Refuge Resource Centre, Youth Accommodation Association of NSW, NGO Training Unit, and NSW Council of Social Services.

This post was extracted from our Spring 2005 and Spring 2006 Tribal Voice newsletters.

Association of Children’s Welfare Agencies: HSNet workshops

Explore | The effectiveness of HSNet workshops.

Uncover | Extent of learning after workshops compared to previous knowledge, evaluation of workshop content and presenters, comparison between workshops at different times, in different regions and by different trainers.

Drive Change | The workshops evaluations were used to improve subsequent workshops and monitor change in evaluation ratings across subsequent workshops.

Services performed | Database development, data entry, analysis and report writing, progress reports after initial workshops to enable immediate improvement, final report for all workshops.

Australian Multiple Sclerosis Longitudinal Study [AMSLS]: Economic Impact of MS

(Tribe Research was a member of the Working Group)

Explore | The purchases made by people with MS in Australia on MS and ways that their lifestyle has changed to deal with their MS. This is the first study to utilise the AMSLS sample.

Uncover | The economic impact of MS on individuals, the community and the government.

Drive change | Provide data to enable increasing awareness of the cost impact of MS.

Services performed | Designed the study materials [Baseline Questionnaire and Cost Diary], in consultation with the Economic Impact of MS Working Group. Design and development of the study database [MS Access] including reports and customisations for comparison with the ABS and HIC data. Undertook analysis of the trial study and managed the data entry of the full study. Undertook data analysis including standardisation for comparisons with the general population.

GP, Pharmacy and Hospital communication links improve patient care outcomes

Tribe Research was commissioned by The Pharmacy Guild of Australia NSW Branch to advise on the evaluation of continuity of care between the Prince of Wales Hospital [Sydney] Heartlink Program and Home Medicine Reviews program. The study, published in the Australian Journal of Pharmacy and Journal of Pharmacy Practice and Research, found an improved link between hospital, GPs and community pharmacy that resulted in positive patient outcomes.

Blennerhassett JD, Cusack BM, Smith CD , Green L, Tribe KL (2006) A Novel Medicines Management Pathway. Journal of Pharmacy Practice and Research, 36(3): 175-180.

Smith C, Tribe K, Cusack B, Blennerhassett J (2005) HMRs can drive continuity of care. Australian Journal of Pharmacy, 86:620-621, August.

Download our Health Research booklet for an abstract of the articles.

This post is an extract from our newsletter Tribal Voice #2 Spring 2005

Summer Utilisation Survey

Moerlina is a Co-op Limited fellowship ski club lodge in Smiggins at the Snowy Mountains, NSW. While in winter the lodge is often fully booked, in summer it is under-utilised.

How we helped Moerlina to explore, uncover and drive change

Chairman, Mike O’Sullivan said:

“This was the first serious survey the club has undertaken. The survey results will become a primary focus of the Board and the Utilisation and Funding Committee to increase summer usage”.

Explore | Developed a paper based survey for postal distribution to their members and return to Tribe Research for data entry and analysis.

Uncover | Analysed the results to identify the changes required to increase utilisation.

Clear-Head | Results were presented to Board Members and followed by discussion of ways that the results can be used to increase summer lodge use.

Drive change | Moerlina developed a marketing campaign to improve member awareness of the lodge throughout the year.

Tribal Voice | The marketing campaign enabled the members to know that the Board had heard their views.