Outlines Mapping Enumeration Processing 1. Preparation A census is a complex, large-scale operation usually undertaken only once or twice in a decade. Normally, conditions change so substantially between censuses that each census requires new planning.
Planning is, therefore, the first order of business when a census is to be taken.
It should be started, even on an informal basis if necessary, long before approval for the census is obtained from the appropriate government body. Everything necessary for each step must be planned sufficiently in advance so that it will be carried out at the appropriate time and in the proper sequence. Questionnaire Design and Table Outlines Well-designed questionnaires and other forms are crucial to the success of the census. If questions are poorly worded and the format is confusing, census resources will be wasted, and no amount of processing will improve the data. Questionnaires contain the items for which information is collected during the enumeration.