What are windshield and walking surveys?
___Windshield surveys are systematic observations made from a moving vehicle
___Walking surveys are systematic observations made on foot
Why would you conduct windshield or walking surveys?
___Windshield or walking surveys give an objective view of the community
___They can be adapted to community-based participatory research, inviting community participation
___They may allow you to see assets that community members take for granted or don’t see
___They can be the easiest and quickest way to get an overview of the entire community
___They allow clear comparisons among different parts of a community
___They can be very useful in understanding specific aspects of a community
___They give you a “feel” for the community
When should you conduct windshield or walking surveys?
___When you conduct a survey depends on your purpose in doing so
___If the information you’re gathering is geographic or physical – where things are located, what housing is like – then the survey can be conducted any time
___If you want to understand how people use the community, you have to conduct your survey at times – perhaps a number of different times – when they’re likely to be engaged in the activities you’re interested in
___You may have to do a number of surveys at different times of the day, week, and/or year to find out what you want to know
Who should conduct windshield and walking surveys?
___A small urban neighborhood or rural village might be adequately surveyed in one day by a single person
___A large city might require several days by several teams of observers
___If you’re engaged in participatory research, you might organize observers in teams, each of which has representatives of different ages, cultures, ethnicities, income levels, community sectors (business, government, health and community services), etc.
___Consider safety when assigning particular people to particular neighborhoods, and when deciding whether individuals or teams should conduct the survey
How do you conduct windshield and walking surveys?
General guidelines for both windshield and walking surveys
___Determine who will conduct the survey
___Decide on the questions you want your survey to answer
___Decide on the areas you’ll include in your survey
___Decide when you’ll conduct your survey
___Train the people who are going to conduct the survey in the following strategies:
- Get well acquainted with your questions, the purpose of the survey, and what you’re looking for
- Make and use a checklist to ensure that you address all of your questions, and observe all the areas you want to
- Try to be unobtrusive
- Carry identification
- Take notes as you go along
- If you’re working in teams, assign roles
- Discuss your findings as you go
- Pay attention to safety
___What to examine in a general community assessment survey:
- Housing
- Other buildings
- Public spaces
- Parks
- Culture and entertainment
- Streetscape
- Street use
- Commercial activity
- Signs
- Industry
- Land use
- Infrastructure
- Public transportation
- Traffic
- Environmental quality
- Race/ethnicity
- Faith communities
- Health services
- Community and public services
- Community safety
- Public schools
- Higher education
- Political activity
- Community organizations
- Media
- Differences among neighborhoods or areas of the community
- The “feel” of the community
Guidelines for a windshield survey
___Use a map
___If you can, try to use a team of at least two
___Drive at a moderate speed, and avoid unexpected actions
___Drive both on major and minor streets, particularly in residential neighborhoods
___Pull over at regular intervals to make and compare notes
___Try to be inconspicuous
Guidelines for a walking survey
___Study a map beforehand, or do a drive-through so you’ll know where you’re going
___Again, it can be helpful to work in teams
___If you want to experience the community, take part in everyday activities
___Go inside public buildings and cultural institutions
___Sit down in a quiet place to take notes
___Sometimes, the best survey can be a combination of walking and driving
___Analyze what you’ve seen and decide how to use the information