Online survey methodology

Respondent definition and sampling process

Respondents for the study were defined as the 174 urban design signatory organisations.

In order to achieve a comprehensive picture within, and across, all urban design signatories, multiple contacts were selected on the following basis:

  • Respondents on the Ministry’s Protocol database as someone who was nominated as their organisation’s Urban Design Champion (Champion)
  • Respondents on the Ministry’s Protocol database as someone who was a principal urban design specialist in the organisation and not a Champion

Key features of the sampling process for the online survey were as follows:

  • The sampling lists of were supplied from the Ministry’s Urban Design Protocol contact database
  • Each sample was cleaned and checked for duplications prior to the survey going live
  • Duplicate names were removed from the various samples.

Interviewing process

The online survey was conducted between 12 November and 4 December 2009.

The process for conducting the online survey involved the following steps:

  • Once the survey questionnaire was finalised, it was then converted to an online format and tested by simpsonedwards & Associates and selected Ministry staff
  • The survey was hosted using the Ministry’s online survey platform
  • Once testing of the online version was completed, the survey was broadcasted to the target audience
  • Respondents were first sent an email with a unique link to the website where the survey questionnaire was hosted
  • One reminder email was sent throughout the fieldwork period to boost response rates
  • The survey was kept open for a period of three and a half weeks in order to maximise the response rate.

Response rate calculation

The response rate was calculated as follows:

Response Rate = C/(C+B+[D*(B+C)/(A+B+C)]), where:

A = sum of ineligible individuals

B = sum of eligible non-responding individuals

C = sum of eligible responding individuals

D = sum of individuals with unknown eligibility.

Responses to the online survey were received from 110 out of 174 signatory organisations, equating to signatory response rate of 63 percent, and as such, we can be confident that the results presented and discussed in the main report are representative. Of the total participants invited to respond (n=256), an overall response rate of 49 percent (or n=126) was achieved.

The following tables provide a breakdown of this response by the different respondent categories, in relation to the potential sample that could have responded.

Table 2: Survey response in relation to total sample
Total sample population Achieved sample Response Rate
Central Government 28 15 54%
Local Government 77 36 47%
Consultants, Developers & Investors 109 59 54%
Sector Organisations, Professional & Educational Institutes 42 16 38%
Total 256 126 49%

Sample composition

The tables below detail the sample composition for the online survey.

Table 3: Current position
Total
n=126
%
Chief Executive 4
Councillor 3
Director 28
Manager 21
Team leader 8
Senior technical advisor (non-management position) 21
Technical advisor 5
Chairman/Executive Board 6
Other 4
Total 100

Base: all respondents.

Note: Components may not always add to 100% exactly because of rounding

Table 4: Contact status
Total
n=126
%
Champion 74
Non-champion 26
Total 100

Base: all respondents.

Note: Components may not always add to 100% exactly because of rounding

Table 5: Organisation type
Total
n=126
%
Central Government 12
Local Government 29
Consultants, Developers & Investors 47
Sector Organisations, Professional & Educational Institutes 13
Total 100

Base: all respondents.

Note: Components may not always add to 100% exactly because of rounding

Margin of error

Given the fact that 110 out of 174 signatory organisations responded to the online survey, the results are therefore subject to margin of error.

As more than one respondent from each signatory was invited to participate in the online survey, the margin of error calculation for a simple random sample has been used.

The maximum margin of error (simple random sample), at the 95 percent confidence level for the total sample of n=126 responses is ± 8.7 percent.

The following margins of error (at the 95 percent confidence level) apply to the different sample groups discussed in the main report.

Table 6: Margins of error at the 95% confidence level
Total sample achieved

n=126 		Maximum Margin of Error

(at the 95 % confidence level)
Champion 93 ± 10.2%
Non-champion 33 ± 17.1 %
Central Government 15 *
Local Government 36 ± 16.3 %
Consultants, Developers & Investors 59 ± 12.8 %
Sector Organisations, Professional & Educational Institutes 16 *
Total sample 126 ± 8.7%

*Sample size too small to calculate margin of error

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