Consumer Expenditure 

Survey Redesign

Kathy Downey

Survey Redesign Panel II

July 17, 2012
Survey Overview

 Objective

Collect information on the buying habits of America’s 

consumers, including their expenditures, income, and 

household characteristics

Used for periodic revision of the Consumer Price Index 

(CPI)

 Sample Frame

Conducted by Census Bureau with their address frame

Unit is “consumer unit” (CU)

Interview Survey (CEQ): 5 interview waves, 7,060 

respondents = 35,300 annual responses

Diary Survey (CED): 2 one-week self administered 

diaries, 7,050 respondents * 2 = 14,100 annual 

responses
Survey Overview

 Interview Survey: 5 interview waves

Designed to be via personal visit, but about 

1/3 are by telephone

Average response rate - 74% (CY 2010)

 Diary Survey: 2 one-week self administered 

diaries

Average response rate - 77% (CY 2010)
Redesign Motivations

 Redesign Motivations

Evidence of measurement error

Environmental changes in technology and 

spending behaviors

Need for greater flexibility

 Redesign objective

Verifiable reduction in measurement error, 

with a particular focus on underreporting

Taking two paths – large and small-scale
Summary of Small Scale 

Redesign topics

 Reducing the length of the CEQ (for 

2011 on)

Eliminating questions

Streamlining sections

 Estimating income taxes

 Using CED data to impute for CEQ data

 Determine need for bounding interview 

and research ways to reduce Interview 

#2

 Web Diary
Research (1)

 Data Users: Two data user surveys

Users’ have a variety of (often competing) 

priorities, but tend to rate quantity (e.g., a 

complete data set for a CU) over quality (e.g., 

response rates). 

In general, users tend to ask for more; more 

details and more sample 
Research (2)

 Records: Two field studies

It is very time consuming to get respondents

to collect records 

The process of matching records to the flow of 

interview questions requires interviewer

flexibility and respondent effort and 

cooperation 
Research (3)

 Global Questions: Lab and field studies

Mixed results on correlation between global

responses and detailed responses - varies by 

category

Respondents don’t use a systematic, recall or 

expenditure-based strategy for arriving at

answer 

Mixed opinion about accuracy of global

questions 
Research (4)

 Survey Mode: Production data analysis, usability 

tests

Telephone interviews resulted in comparable 

data quality when use of recall aids is 

controlled

There are many operational issues with 

implementing a web survey for CE diary
Handling the Unexpected

 Typical project management issues, such as delays 

or underestimates of time needed to complete tasks

Had to lock Design Team into a report even 

though inputs for the report may not be finished

 Gemini Project Initiative was not funded

Will try to remain budget neutral

Implementing small-scale redesign options that

will likely save money
Final Redesign Model

 Developing the final design

Interagency Design Team will kick-off this week

Incorporate inputs from multitude of sources

 Final Design approval

Presentations to levels of CE and BLS management

Stakeholder feedback

– Design will have integrated feedback from 

previous user surveys and forums

– Data User Impact Team to kick-off in 2013 –

feedback will be integrated into final transition 

roadmap
Redesign Evaluation

 Evaluation of redesign success 

Goal: a reduction in measurement error 

Funding research contracts to produce a turn-key 

research plan to estimate measurement error pre 

and post redesign

 Final testing prior to implementation

Will have a large-scale pilot of the redesigned 

surveys 

Five years to plan, implement, and analyze
Timeline

 2009: Project planning, definition of data quality

 2010: Identify and prioritize user needs, hold research 

methodology workshops

 2011 - 2012: Develop inputs for redesign proposal and

survey alternatives

 2012 - 2013: Develop redesign proposal

Currently: Almost done developing inputs; Design 

Team to kick-off this week; Implementation of Smallscale redesign changes

 2013 – 2018: Testing portions of redesign

 2018 – 2023: Implementation of redesign
Costs 

 Submitted budget initiative for Gemini (e.g., large 

scale redesign research); it was denied

 The CE research program has an annual budget, 

most of which has gone towards redesign work

 The redesign survey must remain “budget 

neutral”
Contact Information

Kathy Downey

Downey.Kathryn@BLS.gov

www.bls.gov/cex/geminiproject